CAPITOL UPDATE #6 February 24, 2022

Please share the following information with your club newsletters/websites!  Comments/Questions?
E-mail:  legislativeanalysts@cfrw.orgAB-1785 – California Parents’ Bill of Rights Act

Existing law provides for certain personal rights by statute, including the right to protection from bodily restraint or harm, from personal insult, from defamation, and from injury to personal relations.  Under this bill, known as the California Parents’ Bill of Rights, the state would recognize certain rights, including among others, the right of a parent or guardian to advise on the moral or religious training of their minor child. 

This bill would specify that the recognition of those rights does not preclude an employee of a local educational agency as defined, from acting in the employee’s official capacity within the scope of the employee’s authority. This bill would require a charter school, school district, or county office of education to, among other things, provide parents and guardians with opportunities to participate in schools to improve parent and teacher cooperation in areas including homework, school attendance, and discipline. 

This bill would also require those local educational agencies to post on their respective internet website specified information, including how to receive information about school choice options offered by the local educational agency.  It would give parents more information on how to opt-out of comprehensive sex education programs, among others.  It would provide parents the choice to enroll the minor child in public or private schools including religious, charter, or home schools.

SB-836 – Evidence – Immigration Status
Current law disallows a defendant’s immigration status from being included in discovery or entered into evidence in wrongful death or civil cases, with certain exceptions. There was also a law that prohibited using immigration status in criminal cases. That law was repealed in January of this year. This bill would reinstate that law, again prohibiting immigration status from being entered into evidence for a criminal trial, with certain exceptions.

Some interesting gun bills to watch:

AB-1594 – Firearms:  Civil Lawsuits
Existing law defines public nuisance and provides that a public nuisance may be remedied by an indictment or a civil action, or abatement.  Existing law also regulates the manufacture, sale, or marketing of firearms.  This bill would specify that a gun industry member has created or maintained a public nuisance, if their failure to follow federal, state, or local law caused injury or death, or if the gun industry member engaged in unfair business practices.

AB-2571 – Firearms: Advertising to Minors
Existing law generally regulates manufacturers and dealers of firearms. Under existing law, commercial speech or advertising is generally protected under the First Amendment. Existing laws and regulations, however, restrict the content and placement of advertising and promotional marketing of alcohol, cannabis, and tobacco to protect minors.  This bill would add limiting the marketing of certain firearms to children.

For further information on any of the bills mentioned here, click the Bill # in the email. Or you can CLICK HERE and simply enter the bill # or keywords where designated.Find/contact your local Legislators, click HERE to inquire, or let them know your opinion about bills or issues.

To contact your U.S. Representatives, call the Capitol Switchboard at (202) 224-3121

Listen to hearings on bills that interest you – http://www.legislature.ca.gov/the_state_legislature/calendar_and_schedules/audio_tv.html 

Calif. Legislative Portal links- Express your support or opposition to a bill directly to the Legislative committee currently reviewing it (as an individual, not as a member of RWF or CFRW) – click here, or the bill’s author- click here, enter your bill # and look for the tab at top of the bill page labeled “Comments to Author”.