California Assembly Bill AB2489 Latest Draft

 BILL NUMBER: AB 2489AMENDED BILL TEXT AMENDED IN ASSEMBLY APRIL 18, 2016 AMENDED IN ASSEMBLY MARCH 30, 2016 INTRODUCED BY Assembly Member McCarty FEBRUARY 19, 2016 An act to add Article 9 (commencing with Section 49055) to Chapter 6 of Part 27 of Division 4 of Title 2 of the Education Code, relating to pupil rights. LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST AB 2489, as amended, McCarty. Pupil rights: restorative justice practices. Existing law requires suspension to be imposed on a pupil only when other means of correction fail to bring about proper conduct, and specifies that other means of correction may include, among other things, participation in a restorative justice program. This bill would require the State Department of Education to  develop a standard model to implement restorative justice practices on a school campus and to make the standard model available on the department's Internet Web site for use by any school district that chooses to implement restorative justice practices as part of its campus culture. The bill would require the department to take specified actions to implement the bill's provisions, including consulting   consult  with school-based restorative justice practitioners and others to identify best  practices, as specified.   practices to evaluate the implementation of restorative justice practices in school districts, to develop standard models or recommendations for effective implementation, and to post the standard model or models or recommendations on the department's Internet Web site.  Vote: majority. Appropriation: no. Fiscal committee: yes. State-mandated local program: no. THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS: SECTION 1. Article 9 (commencing with Section 49055) is added to Chapter 6 of Part 27 of Division 4 of Title 2 of the Education Code, to read: Article 9. Restorative Justice Practices  49055. (a) The department shall develop a standard model to implement restorative justice practices on a school campus and shall make the standard model available on the department's Internet Web site for use by any school district that chooses to implement   49055.   (a)     It is the intent of the Legislature to evaluate existing  restorative justice practices  as part of its campus culture.   implemented by school districts to determine if there are common effective strategies that can be shared with school districts that have not implemented restorative justice practices.  (b) The department shall do all of the  following to implement this section:   following:  (1) Consult with school-based restorative justice practitioners, educators, pupils, community stakeholders, and nonprofit and public entities to identify best practices for effective, evidence-based restorative justice in elementary and secondary schools.  (2) Select an advisory committee made up of stakeholders and professionals who have participated in the development and expansion of restorative justice programs to assist in the planning and implementation of the standard model.   (3) Collect and disseminate evidence-based best practices.   (2) Evaluate the implementation of restorative justice practices in school districts and, upon consultation with the stakeholders pursuant to paragraph (1), either develop standard models or develop recommendations for effective implementation.   (3) Post the standard model or models or recommendations developed pursuant to paragraph (2) on the department's Internet Web site.