California Assembly Passes School Bills Requiring Planning For Abuse, Violence

SACRAMENTO (AP) - The state Assembly has approved two bills that would require school districts to make detailed plans for reporting child abuse and prepare for violent incidents on campus.

AB135 by Democratic Assemblywoman Joan Buchanan of Alamo requires school districts to write a child abuse reporting policy that reflects current law and inform staff about it.

Buchanan says abuse was reported to administrators at a Southern California elementary school where a teacher was charged with 23 counts of lewd conduct with students but was never reported to police. It passed Monday on a 74-0 vote.

Lawmakers also approved AB1264 by Republican Assemblywoman Connie Conway of Tulare on a 73-0 vote. It requires school districts to develop specific plans to respond to campus violence.

Both bills now head to the Senate.