BILL NUMBER: AB 572INTRODUCED BILL TEXT INTRODUCED BY Assembly Member Brownley FEBRUARY 25, 2009 An act to add Section 47604.1 to the Education Code, relating to charter schools. LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST AB 572, as introduced, Brownley. Charter schools: governing boards. (1) Existing law prohibits certain public officials, including, but not limited to, members of governing boards of school districts and citizens' oversight committees, from engaging in specified activities that are inconsistent, incompatible, or inimical to their duties as public officials, including, but not limited to, entering into a contract in which the official or the official's family member has a financial interest, as specified. The Charter Schools Act of 1992 authorizes the establishment of charter schools to operate independently from the existing school district structure as a method of accomplishing, among other things, improved pupil learning. This bill would require a charter school to adopt and comply with a conflict-of-interest policy. By requiring charter schools to perform additional duties, this bill would impose a state-mandated local program. (2)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 these statutory provisions. Vote: majority. Appropriation: no. Fiscal committee: yes. State-mandated local program: yes. THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS: SECTION 1. Section 47604.1 is added to the Education Code, to read: 47604.1. Notwithstanding any other provision of law, a charter school shall adopt and comply with a conflict-of-interest policy. SEC. 2. 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.