Senator Anthony Portantino (D – Burbank) continued his successful career of supporting students and public education with a slate of bills signed by the Governor. Senate Bills 997, 445 and 691 join SB 98 as critical education bills, all of which are now state law. SB 997 helps tackle the opioid epidemic and drug-related overdoses among our youth by allowing students to carry fentanyl test strips and Narcan. SB 445 addresses the language barrier many parents have with reading Individualized Education Plans (IEPs) and better empowers parents to advocate for their children. SB 691 creates a more collaborative and successful approach to address truancy. SB 98, which was signed last week, addresses the transition in education funding from attendance-based to enrollment-based.
SB 997
According to the California Department of Public Health, there were over 7,000 opioid related deaths in 2022, with fentanyl poisoning accounting for approximately 88% of deaths. Among young people, fentanyl poisoning accounted for 640 out of 807 deaths by opioid overdose.
SB 997 would permit students in middle and high schools to carry a federally approved opioid antagonist and test strips. The bill had its genesis during the Senator’s summer internship program, where interns have the opportunity to research subject areas and propose bill ideas directly to Senator Portantino. SB 997 was the chosen bill this year.
“SB 997 implements preventative measures to help avoid opioid related deaths in high schools,” stated Senator Portantino. “Allowing fentanyl test strips and Narcan nasal products – both of which are easy to administer – will save lives and make our children safer. I am grateful to high school senior Libby Paquette for suggesting the bill idea and the Governor for recognizing that we need multiple approaches and strategies to address the opioid epidemic.”
It is nearly impossible to tell if drugs have been laced with fentanyl unless you test your drugs with fentanyl test strips, which typically give results within 5 minutes. Narcan (Naloxone), is a life-saving medication that can reverse an opioid overdose, it is safe and easy to use and works almost immediately. It is now available over the counter.
“Although Narcan can swiftly counteract the effects of opioid overdoses, we can also take a different approach that eliminates the need for opioid antagonists altogether,” Libby Paquette, a former intern in Senator Portantino’s office who presented the bill idea. “The logic behind providing test strips is to present the opportunity to avoid drugs contaminated with Fentanyl entirely. I believe test strips will help save lives when Narcan is not available. We thank the Governor for signing this live saving measure into law.”
SB 445
The IEP process can be overwhelming and intimating for parents and guardians who are not familiar with the terminology – especially, if that person’s native language is not English. Local education agencies (LEAs) are required to provide translated copies of the IEP, if requested. The problem occurs when the LEA does not provide the translated IEP in a timely manner or when the IEP has not been translated accurately.
“Many parents don’t speak English but yet have students who require IEPs. Some schools take as long as a year to properly translate them, shortchanging an entire year of education for too many students,” stated Senator Portantino. “We should be doing everything we can, as early as possible in a child’s academic life, to provide the services necessary for each child to reach their potential and achieve success. Though I had hoped to move the needle further, I am heartened by this incremental step forward and thankful to the Governor for signing the measure into law. SB 445 is a path forward for parents to be able to understand their child’s IEP and be involved in their child’s academic life.”
SB 445 requires the forthcoming statewide IEP template under development by the California Collaborative for Excellence in Education to be translated into the top 10 most commonly spoken languages used across the state and to make those templates available on its website by January 1, 2027, or no later than 18 months after the template is digitally posted.
“We are very glad Governor Newsom has signed SB 445 into law,” stated Joanna French, Senior Director of Research and Policy Strategies for Innovate Public Schools. “We celebrate and thank Senator Portantino for his continued leadership and commitment to this issue. Equitable and timely access to translated documents for families during the IEP process is essential to student success and meaningful family engagement. We hope that by passing SB 445 and ensuring the statewide IEP template is translated and disseminated to districts, we will reduce the delays far too many families experience in getting IEPs translated into their home language. We hope this bill represents one of many more steps our state will take to prioritize students with learning differences and their families.”
“We are pleased Governor Newsom signed SB 445 into law after numerous legislative attempts and commend Senator Portantino for his years long pursuit to improve special education outcomes. Across the state, children and parents struggle to promptly receive translated individualized education program (IEP) documents. SB 445 provides tools to expedite IEP translation and create full parent participation in the special education process statewide, regardless of language or background. This is vital to achieve the free and appropriate public education that all students deserve,” said Gregory Cramer, Senior Legislative Advocate with Disability Rights California (DRC).
SB 691
SB 691 removes language subjecting students, parents, and guardians to the threat of prosecution for chronic truancy. Instead, the bill requires truancy notifications to include helpful information such as mental health and supportive services. Services rather than threats have proved to be more effective in getting students back to class.
“SB 691 addresses the threatening language of student truancy notices by using a problem-solving approach,” stated Senator Portantino. “The best practices for improving attendance focus on empathy and communicating with parents and informing them about how the school can help. At the end of the day, we want to help parents bring their children to school – and this includes developing strategies to make them feel more welcome rather than punishing or blaming them. I am grateful to the Governor for signing this commonsense measure into law.”
Currently, the first notice a parent or guardian receives about a student’s truancy includes threats of prosecution of both the parent and student. A study conducted in California found that rewriting traditional truancy notifications and removing the legalistic language increased notification effectiveness by 40 percent. The California State PTA and GENup are co-sponsors of SB 691.
“Simply replacing intimidating language with messages that are welcoming and supportive, encourages families to work with schools to resolve attendance issues. That is our goal,” said Kathleen Fay, Director of Legislation with California State PTA.
