Bill Text: CA AB809 | 2019-2020 | Regular Session | Chaptered

California Assembly Bill 809 (Prior Session Legislation)

Bill Title: Public postsecondary education: child development programs: priority enrollment: Title IX protection: pregnancy and parental status.

Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 3-0)

Status: (Passed) 2019-09-06 - Chaptered by Secretary of State - Chapter 265, Statutes of 2019. [AB809 Detail]

Download: California-2019-AB809-Chaptered.html

Assembly Bill No. 809

CHAPTER 265

An act to amend Section 66281.7 of, and to add Section 66061 to, the Education Code, relating to public postsecondary education.

[ Approved by Governor September 06, 2019. Filed with Secretary of State September 06, 2019. ]

LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST

AB 809, Santiago. Public postsecondary education: child development programs: priority enrollment: Title IX protection: pregnancy and parental status.

Under existing law, the University of California, under the administration of the Regents of the University of California, the California State University, under the administration of the Trustees of the California State University, and the California Community Colleges, under the administration of the Board of Governors of the California Community Colleges, are the 3 segments of public postsecondary education in this state.

Existing federal law, known as Title IX, prohibits a person, on the basis of sex, from being excluded from participation in, being denied the benefits of, or being subject to discrimination, which includes sexual harassment, under any education program or activity receiving federal financial assistance. A portion of the Donahoe Higher Education Act, known as the Equity in Higher Education Act, and the Sex Equity in Education Act establish, among other things, that it is the policy of the State of California that all persons, regardless of their sex, should enjoy freedom from discrimination of any kind in the educational institutions of the state.

This bill would require public postsecondary institutions to post on each institution’s internet website, and to provide to an expectant parent through on-campus health clinics, notification of protections under Title IX for pregnant students and parenting students. To the extent that this bill would impose additional requirements on community college districts, it would impose a state-mandated local program.

Existing law authorizes public postsecondary institutions to establish and maintain child development programs on or near their campuses.

This bill would encourage child development programs established by the California Community Colleges, the California State University, and the University of California to give specified priority to children of students who are single parents and who meet specified income requirements.

The California Constitution requires the state to reimburse local agencies and school districts for certain costs mandated by the state. Statutory provisions establish procedures for making that reimbursement.

This bill would provide that, if the Commission on State Mandates determines that the bill contains costs mandated by the state, reimbursement for those costs shall be made pursuant to the statutory provisions noted above.

Vote: MAJORITY Appropriation: NO Fiscal Committee: YES Local Program: YES

The people of the State of California do enact as follows:

SECTION 1.

Section 66061 is added to the Education Code, to read:

66061.

A child development program established by the California Community Colleges, the California State University, or the University of California pursuant to Section 66060 is encouraged to give priority to children of students who are single parents and who meet income criteria as established by the institution.

SEC. 2.

Section 66281.7 of the Education Code is amended to read:

66281.7.

(a) It is the policy of the State of California, pursuant to Section 66251, that all persons, regardless of their sex, should enjoy freedom from discrimination of any kind, including, but not limited to, pregnancy discrimination as described in Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972 (20 U.S.C. Sec. 1681, et seq.), in the postsecondary educational institutions of the state.

(b) Each of the following requirements apply to postsecondary educational institutions in this state:

(1) A postsecondary educational institution, including the faculty, staff, or other employees of the institution, shall not require a graduate student to take a leave of absence, withdraw from the graduate program, or limit the student’s graduate studies solely due to pregnancy or pregnancy-related issues.

(2) A postsecondary educational institution, including the faculty, staff, or other employees of the institution, shall reasonably accommodate pregnant graduate students so they may complete their graduate courses of study and research. Reasonable accommodation within the meaning of this subdivision may include, but is not necessarily limited to, allowances for the pregnant student’s health and safety, such as allowing the student to maintain a safe distance from hazardous substances, allowing the student to make up tests and assignments that are missed for pregnancy-related reasons, or allowing the student to take a leave of absence. Reasonable accommodation shall include excusing absences that are medically necessary, as required under Title IX.

(3) A graduate student who chooses to take a leave of absence because the graduate student is pregnant or has recently given birth shall be allowed a period consistent with the policies of the postsecondary educational institution, or a period of 12 additional months, whichever period is longer, to prepare for and take preliminary and qualifying examinations and an extension of at least 12 months toward normative time to degree while in candidacy for a graduate degree, unless a longer extension is medically necessary.

(4) A graduate student who is not the birth parent and who chooses to take a leave of absence because of the birth of the student’s child shall be allowed a period consistent with the policies of the postsecondary educational institution, or a period of one month, whichever period is longer, to prepare for and take preliminary and qualifying examinations, and an extension of at least one month toward normative time to degree while in candidacy for a graduate degree, unless a longer period or extension is medically necessary to care for the student’s partner or their child.

(5) An enrolled graduate student in good academic standing who chooses to take a leave of absence because the student is pregnant or has recently given birth shall return to the student program in good academic standing following a leave period consistent with the policies of the postsecondary educational institution or of up to one academic year, whichever period is longer, subject to the reasonable administrative requirements of the institution, unless there is a medical reason for a longer absence, in which case the student’s standing in the graduate program shall be maintained during that period of absence.

(6) An enrolled graduate student in good academic standing who is not the birth parent and who chooses to take a leave of absence because of the birth of the student’s child shall return to the student’s program in good academic standing following a leave period consistent with the policies of the postsecondary educational institution, or of up to one month, whichever period is longer, subject to the reasonable administrative requirements of the institution.

(c) Each postsecondary educational institution shall have a written policy for graduate students on pregnancy discrimination and procedures for addressing pregnancy discrimination complaints under Title IX or this section. A copy of this policy shall be made available to faculty, staff, and employees in their required training. This policy shall be made available to all graduate students attending orientation sessions at a postsecondary educational institution.

(d) Each public postsecondary educational institution shall notify pregnant and parenting students of the protections provided by Title IX through prominently posting a notice of the Title IX protections on the institution’s internet website.

(e) Each public postsecondary educational institution with an on-campus medical center shall provide notice of the protections provided by Title IX through the medical center to a student who requests information regarding policies or protections for students with children or pregnant students and when otherwise appropriate.

SEC. 3.

If the Commission on State Mandates determines that this act contains costs mandated by the state, reimbursement to local agencies and school districts for those costs shall be made pursuant to Part 7 (commencing with Section 17500) of Division 4 of Title 2 of the Government Code.