California Educator

October/November 2019

Issue link: http://educator.cta.org/i/1175948

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funds generated by cannabis sales (Proposition 64) to increase much- needed in-school support services to students. At press time, awaiting Gov. Newsom's signature. AB 1322 (Berman, O'Donnell) establishes a school-based health program to assist school districts in providing health-related services to students and advising school dis- tricts on issues related to the delivery of school-based Medi-Cal services statewide. At press time, awaiting Gov. Newsom's signature. Civil rights training CTA-supported priority bill AB 493 (Gloria) encourages schools to pro- vide resources and training at least once every two years to all middle and high school teachers and other certificated staff for the support of LGBTQ+ students. At press time, awaiting Gov. Newsom's signature. Parental leave CTA-supported priority bill AB 500 (Gonzalez) requires K-14 districts to provide certificated and classified employees leave with full pay for a minimum of six weeks for pregnancy, miscarriage, childbirth and recovery. At press time, awaiting Gov. New- som's signature. Tax fairness CTA-co-sponsored SB 468 (Jackson) requires the evaluation of certain California tax credits and exemptions for their effectiveness as well as economic, social or other benefits to the state. This bill will bring transparency and accountability to California's tax incentive process by creating a mechanism for review of some of California's most costly tax expenditures. The bill applies to nine corporate and other tax incentives that cost more than $1 billion a year and currently include no sunset or metrics for evaluation — with an annual cost to the General Fund of $7.3 billion in 2018-19 and a cost to public schools of $2.92 billion. At press time, awaiting Gov. Newsom's signature. CTA-supported priority bill AB 147 (Burke) requires out-of-state and online retailers like Amazon to collect sales taxes like local brick- and- mortar California businesses, eliminating the out-of-state and online unfair advantage. Signed by Gov. Newsom April 25. CTA-supported AB 263 (Burke) extends existing requirements detail- ing goals, purposes and objectives that tax credits will achieve as well as performance indicators. The bill also protects taxpayer information. At press time, awaiting Gov. Newsom's signature. Willful defiance suspensions eliminated SB 419 (Skinner) was signed into law Sept. 9. It is designed to keep kids in school by making permanent the pilot program that eliminates willful defiance suspensions in grades 4-5 and prohibiting them in grades 6-8 for five years. The new law, which takes effect July 1, 2020, applies to both neighborhood pub- lic schools and privately managed charter schools. In the pilot program, school districts failed to provide the resources and necessary training for educators to use restorative justice and Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports. CTA will be providing resources to locals to help prepare. Bills CTA opposed and helped defeat AB 249 (Choi) would have prohibited an employer from discouraging a public employee from opting out of becoming a member of an employee organization. AB 1078 (Weber) would have extended the probationary period for certificated educators to three years. SB 709 (Morrell) would have required a teacher applicant to provide information to a pro- spective employer on any prior allegations or investigations, even if unsubstantiated. Labor rights CTA-supported AB 5 (Gonzalez, Fletcher) closes loopholes that allow "gig-based" corporations to classify their workers as contractors instead of employees. This bill guarantees these workers basic protections including sick time, unemployment insurance and workers' compen- sation. Signed by Gov. Newsom Sept. 18. A B I L L S E N T to the governor's desk can be signed or vetoed. If the governor does neither of these by Oct. 13, 2019, the bill becomes law. AB 5 closes loopholes that affect "gig-based" workers, such as those with ride-share services. Photo: Dan Gold/Unsplash 34 cta.org Advocacy "THIS WILL GO A LONG WAY IN CHANGING THE LANDSCAPE OF PUBLIC EDUCATION IN OUR STATE AND PUTTING CONTROL BACK INTO THE HANDS OF THOSE CLOSEST TO STUDENTS." —CTA President E. Toby Boyd, on the signing of AB 1505 and AB 1507

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