California Assembly Bill AB1230 Amended / Bill

 BILL NUMBER: AB 1230AMENDED BILL TEXT AMENDED IN ASSEMBLY APRIL 13, 2009 INTRODUCED BY Assembly Member Torrico FEBRUARY 27, 2009  An act relating to public postsecondary education.   An act to add Section 66302 to the Education Code, relating to online harassment.  LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST AB 1230, as amended, Torrico. Public postsecondary education: policies prohibiting online harassment. Existing law establishes the 3 segments of public postsecondary education in this state. These 3 segments are 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.  This bill would express the intent of the Legislature to enact legislation requiring the Trustees of the California State University and the Board of Governors of the California Community Colleges, and urging the Regents of the University of California, to establish systemwide policies prohibiting online harassment and to provide for the enforcement of these policies by making appropriate revisions in student codes of conduct to prohibit an unlawful, threatening, or defamatory act of harassment carried out through campus electronic communication devices or networks.   Existing law requires the Regents of the University of California, the Trustees of the California State University, and the governing board of each community college district to adopt or provide for the adoption of specific rules and regulations governing student behavior.   This bill would require the Board of Governors of the California Community Colleges and the Trustees of the California State University, and request the Regents of the University of California to include in their rules and regulations governing student behavior, rules and regulations prohibiting online harassment, as defined. The bill would also require each institution to report to the Legislature annually regarding the rules and regulations adopted regarding online harassment.  Vote: majority. Appropriation: no. Fiscal committee:  no   yes  . State-mandated local program: no. THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:  SECTION 1.   Section 66302 is added to the   Education Code   , to read:   66302. (a) The Trustees of the California State University and the Board of Governors of the California Community Colleges shall, and the Regents of the University of California may, include in the rules and regulations adopted pursuant to Section 66300, rules and regulations and applicable penalties that specifically prohibit online harassment. For purposes of this section, online harassment means any unlawful, threatening, or defamatory act of harassment carried out through campus electronic communication devices or networks. (b) Each of the respective institutions shall report to the Legislature, on or before January 1, 2011, and annually thereafter, the rules and regulations adopted pursuant to this section as well as any actions taken to enforce policies prohibiting online harassment.   SECTION 1.   It is the intent of the Legislature to enact legislation that will require the Trustees of the California State University and the Board of Governors of the California Community Colleges, and urge the Regents of the University of California, to do both of the following: (a) Establish systemwide policies prohibiting online harassment. (b) Provide for enforcement of these systemwide policies by making appropriate revisions in student codes of conduct to prohibit an unlawful, threatening, or defamatory act of harassment carried out through campus electronic communication devices or networks.