Pupil health: social-emotional, behavioral, and mental health supports.

Budget Children Education Parental Rights

Passed Legislature

This bill passed both chambers and reached final enrollment, even if later executive action is not shown here.

Sponsor: Gipson
Last action: 2026-04-23
Official status: From committee: Amend, and do pass as amended and re-refer to Com. on APPR. (Ayes 8. Noes 0.) (April 22).
Effective date: Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

The bill's implementation depends on state appropriations and may vary for charter schools.

Supporting Student Health: Social and Emotional Learning

This law requires schools to create programs that help students learn about their emotions, behaviors, and mental health.

What This Bill Does

Requires the State Department of Education to develop guidance, resources, and technical assistance for social and emotional learning, behavioral health, and restorative practices by July 1, 2027.
Provides support to local educational agencies in implementing these programs using funds from the Children and Youth Behavioral Health Initiative.
Requires school districts and county offices of education to implement the guidance with available funding.
Authorizes charter schools to choose whether or not to follow the guidance based on their own funding availability.
Requires school districts and county offices of education to provide professional development for teachers.

Who It Names or Affects

School districts
County offices of education
Charter schools

Terms To Know

Tier 1 approach: A universal program that helps all students, not just those with problems.
Restorative justice: A way to help people understand and fix the harm they caused instead of punishing them.

Limits and Unknowns

The implementation is contingent upon an appropriation by the state.
Charter schools can choose whether or not to follow the guidance based on their own funding availability.

Bill History

2026-04-23 California Legislative Information
From committee: Amend, and do pass as amended and re-refer to Com. on APPR. (Ayes 8. Noes 0.) (April 22).
2026-04-13 California Legislative Information
In committee: Set, second hearing. Hearing canceled at the request of author.
2026-04-07 California Legislative Information
Re-referred to Com. on ED.
2026-04-06 California Legislative Information
From committee chair, with author's amendments: Amend, and re-refer to Com. on ED. Read second time and amended.
2026-03-16 California Legislative Information
In committee: Set, first hearing. Hearing canceled at the request of author.
2026-03-02 California Legislative Information
Referred to Com. on ED.
2026-02-12 California Legislative Information
From printer. May be heard in committee March 14.
2026-02-11 California Legislative Information
Read first time. To print.

Official Summary Text

AB 1851, as amended, Gipson.
Pupil health: social-emotional, behavioral, and mental health supports.
Existing law requires the governing board of a school district to give diligent care to the health and physical development of pupils and authorizes the governing board of a school district to employ properly certified persons for this purpose. Existing law requires a school of a school district or county office of education and a charter school to notify pupils and parents or guardians of pupils no less than twice during the school year on how to initiate access to available pupil mental health services on campus or in the community, or both, as provided.
This bill would
require
require, on or before July 1, 2027,
the State Department of Education to
establish a statewide Tier 1 Social and Emotional Learning, behavioral health, and restorative justice education program
develop and publish guidance, resources, and technical assistance to support local educational agencies in implementing an integrated, universal Tier 1 approach to social and emotional learning, behavior health, and restorative practices
for pupils in kindergarten and any of grades 1 to 12, inclusive, as provided. The bill would
require a school
district, county office of education, or charter school to implement the program with guidance issued by the department and supported using funds appropriated for the Children and Youth Behavioral Health Initiative, as specified. By changing the purposes for which previously appropriated funds may be used, this bill would make an appropriation.
require, to the extent of available funding, a school district or county office of education, and authorize a charter school, to implement the guidance
developed by the department, as provided. The bill would require a school district or county office of education to provide professional development to support implementation of the guidance. The bill would make the implementation of these provisions contingent upon an appropriation, as provided.
By imposing additional duties on local educational agencies, this bill would impose a state-mandated local program.
The California Constitution requires the state to reimburse local agencies and school districts for certain costs mandated by the state. Statutory provisions establish procedures for making that reimbursement.
This bill would provide that, if the Commission on State Mandates determines that the bill contains costs mandated by the state, reimbursement for those costs shall be made pursuant to the statutory
provisions noted above.

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text

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