What is AB-620?

CHAPTER 4.5.  EQUITY IN HIGHER EDUCATION ACT

SEC. 4.  Section 66251 of the Education Code is amended to read:

66251.  It is the policy of the State of California to afford all persons, regardless of disability, gender, gender identity, gender expression, nationality, race or ethnicity, religion, sexual orientation, or any other basis that is contained in the prohibition of hate crimes set forth in subdivision (a) of Section 422.6 of the Penal Code, equal rights and opportunities in the postsecondary educational institutions of the state. The purpose of this chapter is to prohibit acts that are contrary to that policy and to provide remedies therefor.

SEC. 4.5.  Section 66260.7 of the Education Code is amended to read:

66260.7.  "Gender" means sex, and includes a person's gender identity and gender expression. "Gender expression" means a person's gender-related appearance and behavior, whether or not stereotypically associated with the person's assigned sex at birth.

SEC. 5.  Article 3.5 (commencing with Section 66271.2) is added to Chapter 4.5 of Part 40 of Division 5 of Title 3 of the Education Code, to read:

Article 3.5.  Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity Equity in Higher Education

66271.2.  The Trustees of the California State University, the Regents of the University of California, and the governing board of each community college district are requested to designate an employee at each of their respective campuses as a point of contact for the needs of lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender faculty, staff, and students at the respective campus. At a minimum, the name and contact information of that designated employee shall be published on the Internet Web site for the respective campus and shall be included in any printed and Internet-based campus directories.

66271.3.  The Legislative Analyst is encouraged to conduct an assessment of the California Community Colleges, California State University, and University of California systems with respect to the quality of life at those campuses for lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender faculty, staff, and students at the campuses of each of those institutions. If an assessment is performed, the Legislative Analyst is encouraged to use existing data provided pursuant to Section 66027 and other information available to the general public, and shall not be required to conduct new data collection or research specifically to contribute toward any assessment. The Legislative Analyst shall make recommendations to each of those institutions based on that assessment, and shall publish a summary of the recommendations developed pursuant to this section on its Internet Web site. The California Community Colleges, the California State University, and the University of California are encouraged to share existing data or research, but are not required to conduct new data collection or research specifically to contribute toward any assessment managed by the Legislative Analyst pursuant to this section.

SEC. 6.  Section 66302 is added to the Education Code, to read: 66302.  The Trustees of the California State University, the Regents of the University of California, and the governing board of each community college district are requested to adopt and publish policies on harassment, intimidation, and bullying to be included within the rules and regulations governing student behavior within their respective segments of public postsecondary education. It is the intent of the Legislature that rules and regulations governing student conduct be published, at a minimum, on the Internet Web site of each public postsecondary educational campus and as part of any printed material covering those rules and regulations within the respective public postsecondary education systems.

 

AB-620 (Chaptered): http://www.leginfo.ca.gov/pub/11-12/bill/asm/ab_0601-0650/ab_620_bill_20111008_chaptered.html

AB-620 (Amended): http://www.leginfo.ca.gov/pub/11-12/bill/asm/ab_0601-0650/ab_620_bill_20110322_amended_asm_v98.html