Bill > AB453

This bill requires the Superintendent of Public Instruction to convene a statewide stakeholder workgroup by July 1, 2026, to comprehensively review and improve school safety plans in California. The workgroup will include a diverse group of representatives from various educational and safety backgrounds, such as school administrators, teachers, law enforcement, fire agencies, parents, and students. The group will assess the current comprehensive school safety plans, examining their goals, required elements, development process, and overall effectiveness. They will make recommendations to improve the plans' structure, transparency, and usefulness, with a focus on addressing emerging safety challenges like active shooter situations, natural disasters, and other evolving threats. The Superintendent must submit a report with the workgroup's recommendations to the Department of Finance and legislative committees by July 1, 2027. The bill also allows the Department of Education to contract with non-governmental entities to help implement these provisions, with some contractual exemptions from standard government procurement rules. The underlying motivation is to ensure that school safety plans remain responsive to changing safety needs while maintaining a comprehensive and practical approach to protecting students and staff.

Budget and Finance, Education

https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/billStatusClient.xhtml?bill_id=202520260AB453