Penalty Voted for Sexual Harassment by Students

The Senate has approved legislation to make sexual harassment an offense for which public school students in grades 4 through 12 may be suspended or expelled from school.

A 21-2 vote sent the bill (SB 1930) by Sen. Gary K. Hart (D-Santa Barbara) to Gov. Pete Wilson’s desk. A spokesman for the governor said Wilson has no position on the measure at this time.

The legislation passed the Assembly 53 to 12.

A 1992 report based on a study by the American Assn. of University Women said sexual harassment of girls by boys is becoming an increasing problem in the schools throughout the United States, Hart said.

“This type of behavior is highly inappropriate, degrading to its victims and has no place in an educational setting,” he said. “Students who find nothing wrong with sexually harassing other students will most likely carry that conduct into adulthood.”

ASSEMBLY

Floor Action

Prison Alternative: Passed on a 66-4 vote and returned to the Senate for concurrence in amendments a bill (SB 1124) by Sen. Robert Presley (D-Riverside) to allow some first-time nonviolent offenders to be sent to a military-type boot camp instead of a prison.

African-Americans: Passed and sent to the governor on a 41-29 vote a bill (AB 3402) by Assemblyman Willard H. Murray Jr. (D-Paramount) to establish a Center for African-American Educational Excellence at Cal State Dominguez Hills, to be funded from government and private sources.

Drugs and Gangs: Rejected on a 34-31 vote a bill (SB 1330) by Senate President Pro Tem David A. Roberti (D-Van Nuys) to use redevelopment funds to deploy more police officers to reduce drug trafficking and gang violence in Los Angeles County. Reconsideration granted.

Registered Warrants: Passed and sent to the governor on a 62-12 vote a bill (AB 902) by Assemblyman Paul Horcher (R-Hacienda Heights) to give counties the authority to issue registered warrants, or IOUs, as the state does.

High-Speed Chases: Gave final approval on a 42-28 vote to a resolution (AJR 93) by Assemblyman Steve Clute (D-Riverside) asking Congress to seek alternatives to high-speed Immigration and Naturalization Service chases to catch suspected illegal immigrants in populated areas.

Regional Government: Passed on a 44-31 vote and returned to the Senate for concurrence in amendments a bill (SB 797) by Sen. Becky Morgan (R-Los Altos Hills) to establish a San Francisco Bay Area regional government encompassing nine counties, to deal with major problems that cross county lines.

Bill Introductions

Minimum Wage: ACR 139 by Assemblyman Richard Polanco (D-Los Angeles) requests the Industrial Welfare Commission to declare that the minimum wage of $4.25 per hour is inadequate, and to establish a wage board to recommend an increased minimum wage sufficient to maintain an adequate standard of living.

SENATE

Floor Action

Abortions: Passed on a 21-10 vote and returned to the Assembly for concurrence in amendments a bill (AB 1097) by Assemblywoman Barbara Lee (D-Oakland) to establish new misdemeanor penalties for people who try to prevent others from entering abortion clinics.

Beach Pollution: Passed and sent to the governor on a 35-0 vote a bill (SB 1865) by Sen. Gary K. Hart (D-Santa Barbara) to require the development of uniform statewide beach testing and closure standards whenever there is a pollution danger that could adversely affect public health.

Offshore Oil Drilling: Passed on a 24-8 vote and returned to the Assembly for concurrence in amendments a bill (AB 10) by Assemblyman Dan Hauser (D-Arcata) to permanently ban new oil and gas drilling operations in state waters off the Northern California coast.

Condoms: Passed on a 26-1 vote and returned to the Assembly for concurrence in amendments a bill (AB 3009) by Assemblywoman Jackie Speier (D-Burlingame) to require distributors of lambskin membrane condoms to warn customers that they may leak and not protect against the transmission of sexually transmitted diseases.

Heroin Sales: Passed on a 23-0 vote and returned to the Assembly for concurrence in amendments a bill (AB 2124) by Assemblyman Tom Umberg (D-Garden Grove) to increase penalties for the sale of heroin on or near school grounds.

State Beaches: Passed and sent to the governor on a 21-12 vote a bill (SB 1305) by Sen. Herschel Rosenthal (D-Los Angeles) to ban the construction of luxury hotels on state beaches.