Average daily attendance: emergencies: major safety hazard.

Education

Passed Legislature

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

Sponsor: Grayson
Last action: 2026-04-13
Official status: April 13 hearing: Placed on APPR. suspense file.
Effective date: Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

The exact types of emergencies covered beyond major safety hazards are unclear.

School Attendance During Emergencies

The bill allows local fire agencies, in addition to law enforcement, to determine if a major safety hazard is imminent and affects school attendance for funding purposes.

What This Bill Does

Allows local fire agencies to decide when there's an immediate danger that could harm people.
If schools have fewer students because of such dangers, the state will estimate attendance as if those students were still attending for funding reasons.

Who It Names or Affects

School districts
County offices of education
Charter schools

Terms To Know

Average daily attendance (ADA): The number of students who attend school regularly, used to decide how much money the state gives to schools.
Emergency: A situation that needs immediate action because it's dangerous or harmful.

Limits and Unknowns

It is not clear what specific types of emergencies are covered beyond major safety hazards.
The bill does not specify how the state will estimate attendance for funding purposes in detail.

Bill History

2026-04-13 California Legislative Information
April 13 hearing: Placed on APPR. suspense file.
2026-03-27 California Legislative Information
Set for hearing April 13.
2026-03-25 California Legislative Information
From committee: Do pass and re-refer to Com. on APPR. with recommendation: To consent calendar. (Ayes 7. Noes 0.) (March 25). Re-referred to Com. on APPR.
2026-03-12 California Legislative Information
Set for hearing March 25.
2026-03-09 California Legislative Information
From committee with author's amendments. Read second time and amended. Re-referred to Com. on ED.
2026-02-11 California Legislative Information
Referred to Com. on ED.
2026-02-04 California Legislative Information
From printer. May be acted upon on or after March 6.
2026-02-03 California Legislative Information
Introduced. Read first time. To Com. on RLS. for assignment. To print.

Official Summary Text

SB 959, as amended, Grayson.
Average daily attendance: emergencies: major safety hazard.
For purposes of state apportionments based on average daily attendance, as provided, if the average daily attendance of a school district, county office of education, or charter school has been materially decreased during a fiscal year because of a specified emergency, including, among others, the imminence of a major safety hazard as determined by a local law enforcement agency, existing law requires the Superintendent of Public Instruction to estimate the average daily attendance in a manner that credits to the school district, county office of education, or charter school approximately the total average daily attendance that would have been credited to the school district, county office of education, or charter school had the emergency not occurred.
This bill, for the above-described purposes, would additionally allow a local fire agency to
make a determination of the imminence of a major safety hazard.
This bill would declare that it is to take effect immediately as an urgency statute.

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text

Download Bill PDF