California Assembly Bill ACR82 Amended / Bill

 BILL NUMBER: ACR 82AMENDED BILL TEXT AMENDED IN ASSEMBLY JULY 13, 2009 AMENDED IN ASSEMBLY JULY 9, 2009 INTRODUCED BY Assembly Member Hall (Coauthors: Assembly Members Block, Blumenfield, Brownley, Buchanan, Eng, Fuentes, Huffman, Monning, Solorio,  and Torlakson   Torlakson,   Ammiano,   Arambula,   Bass,   Beall,   Caballero,   Charles Calderon,   Carter,   Chesbro,   Coto,   Davis,   De Leon,   Feuer,   Fong,   Furutani,   Galgiani,   Hayashi,   Hernandez,   Hill,   Huber,   Jones,   Krekorian,   Lieu,   Bonnie Lowenthal,   Ma,   Mendoza,   Nava,   John A. Perez,   V. Manuel Perez,   Portantino,   Ruskin,   Salas,   Saldana,   Skinner,   Swanson,   Torres,   Torrico,   and Yamada  ) (Coauthor: Senator Maldonado) JUNE 16, 2009 Relative to public education and discrimination-free zones. LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST ACR 82, as amended, Hall. Public education: "Discrimination Free Zones." This measure would encourage public education institutions to designate each campus as a "Discrimination-Free Zone" to provide a safe haven from intolerance or discrimination, to enact appropriate procedures that meaningfully address acts of discrimination that occur on campus, to notify parents and the campus community of existing policies and procedures that encourage tolerance of others, and to use existing resources to identify themselves as "Discrimination-Free Zones" to create a campus climate that welcomes diversity and supports the tolerance of others. Fiscal committee: no. WHEREAS, California has the largest public school system in the nation, prekindergarten through university, which is key in addressing California's infrastructure and economic needs, and represents a state that honors and respects the diversity of its citizens; and WHEREAS, California's public educators encourage inclusiveness among the students they educate, and serve the needs of a diverse student body that reflects the diversity of the state; and WHEREAS, That diversity reflects the racial, cultural, religious, disability, gender, gender identity, economic circumstance, and sexual orientation of its citizens seeking access to California's public education; and WHEREAS, The Legislature condemns all acts of discrimination, intolerance, and hate aimed at individuals that reflect the state's diversity; and WHEREAS, Although the state has enacted numerous laws to oppose acts of discrimination, intolerance continues to pervade many of our public schools and colleges; and WHEREAS, The Legislature is committed to upholding fundamental and inalienable rights, including the freedoms of religion, speech, assembly, and privacy; now, therefore, be it Resolved, by the Assembly of the State of California, the Senate thereof, concurring, That the Legislature of the State of California hereby encourages all public education institutions, working with students, teachers, faculty, and other members of the public education community, to designate each campus as a "Discrimination-Free Zone" to provide a safe haven from intolerance or discrimination; and be it further Resolved, That all public education institutions, prekindergarten through university campuses, are encouraged to develop and enact policies that support tolerance and acceptance of others regardless of their race or ethnicity, religion, disability, gender, gender identity, sexual orientation, nationality, or any other characteristic that is contained in the definition of hate crimes set forth in Section 422.55 of the Penal Code; and be it further Resolved, That all public education institutions are encouraged to enact procedures, such as counseling services and conflict management, that meaningfully address acts of discrimination that occur on campus; and be it further Resolved, That parents and the campus community should be notified of existing policies and procedures that encourage tolerance of others; and be it further Resolved, That all public education institutions are encouraged to use existing resources to identify themselves as "Discrimination-Free Zones" through placards, signs, notices of available services, and other appropriate identifications to create a campus climate that welcomes diversity and supports the tolerance of others; and be it further Resolved, That the Chief Clerk of the Assembly transmit copies of this resolution to the author for appropriate distribution.