SB 848: Pupil safety: school employee misconduct: child abuse prevention.

Official summary

Legislative Counsel’s Digest (official, as of the latest version). Written by nonpartisan legislative staff; reproduced verbatim.

(1)Under existing law, each school district and county office of education is responsible for the overall development, as specified, of a comprehensive school safety plan for each of its schools operating kindergarten or any of grades 1 to 12, inclusive. Existing law requires that the plan include, among other things, child abuse reporting procedures, as specified.

This bill would require a comprehensive school plan to instead include child abuse or neglect reporting procedures and would additionally require a comprehensive school safety plan, when it is next reviewed and updated, or by no later than July 1, 2026, to include procedures specifically designed to address the supervision and protection of children from child abuse or neglect and sex offenses. By imposing additional duties on local educational agencies, the bill would impose a state-mandated local program.

Existing law requires school district and county office of education comprehensive school safety plans to include assessing school crime committed on school campuses and at school-related functions.

This bill would require school district and county office of education comprehensive school safety plans to instead include assessing all crime, not just school crime, committed on school campuses and at school-related functions. By imposing additional duties on local educational agencies, the bill would impose a state-mandated local program.

Existing law authorizes a principal or their designee, when they verify through local law enforcement officials that a report has been filed of the occurrence of a violent crime on the schoolsite of an elementary or secondary school at which they are the principal, to send to each pupil’s parent or legal guardian and each school employee a written notice of the occurrence and general nature of the crime, as specified. Existing law provides that these provisions do not create any liability in a school district or its employees.

This bill would revise and expand the definition of “violent crime” for these purposes and would authorize a principal or their designee to also provide that same notification for sex offenses, as defined.

Sponsors

Sponsors by party (alphabetical): Democratic 4 · Republican 3

“Support” is shown only as formal sponsorship recorded by the legislature. Roll-call votes are available on the official bill page.

Recent official actions

1. October 7, 2025Chaptered by Secretary of State. Chapter 460, Statutes of 2025.
2. October 7, 2025Approved by the Governor.
3. September 23, 2025Enrolled and presented to the Governor at 2 p.m.
4. September 13, 2025Assembly amendments concurred in. (Ayes 37. Noes 0. Page 3029.) Ordered to engrossing and enrolling.
5. September 12, 2025In Senate. Concurrence in Assembly amendments pending.
6. September 12, 2025Read third time. Passed. (Ayes 71. Noes 0. Page 3408.) Ordered to the Senate.
7. September 5, 2025Ordered to third reading.
8. September 5, 2025Read third time and amended.
9. September 5, 2025Assembly Rule 69(b)(1) suspended.
10. September 3, 2025Read second time. Ordered to third reading.
11. September 2, 2025Read second time and amended. Ordered to second reading.
12. August 29, 2025From committee: Do pass as amended. (Ayes 11. Noes 0.) (August 29).