Sen. Anthony J. Portantino, R-Pasadena, has passed five bills through the California Assembly addressing issues ranging from K-12 funding to gun safety. The bills now await Gov. Gavin Newsom's signature.
Senate Bill 98 aims to reform California's school funding model by directing the Office of Legislative Analyst to study the impact of basing funding on student enrollment instead of attendance, with a report due by Jan. 1, 2026.
“Enrollment-based funding would ensure California schools are funded more equitably and provide greater fiscal stability and predictability,” said Portantino, who argued that the current method disadvantages districts with high rates of absenteeism due to factors such as poor transportation or health issues.
Los Angeles Unified School District Superintendent Alberto M. Carvalho supported the bill, saying, “Based on student attendance is an outdated system of school funding that doesn't take into account the efforts schools make to address absenteeism or the fixed costs schools incur whether students attend or not.”
Another education-focused bill, SB 971, would make higher education more affordable for low-income refugees by waiving non-resident tuition fees at certain community colleges. Portantino cited the recent wave of refugees from Artsakh and Ukraine as the reason for the legislation.
“Helping young people earn higher education degrees is the smart and nurturing thing to do,” Portantino said. The bill applies to the Glendale Community College District and the Contra Costa Community College District.
In the area of public safety, Portantino's SB 53 would expand on previous firearm storage bills. The new bill would require all homes that own firearms to have safe storage, not just those with minors.
“Safely storing guns is common-sense public safety policy,” Portantino said. “SB 53 will undoubtedly save lives by preventing unintentional gun injuries, protecting Californians in their homes, and ensuring guns are stored in ways that deter violence in public places.”
To address the opioid crisis, SB 607 would require prescribing physicians to discuss the dangers of opioids with all patients, not just minors. Portantino emphasized the importance of communication in fighting the crisis, saying, “Given the opioid crisis we're facing today, even something as simple as effective communication can save lives.”
California Medical Association Executive Director Regi Varghese supported the bill, saying, “The medical association's guidelines on treating patients with pain, released in July 2023, emphasize the importance of counseling patients about the risks of overdose when prescribing opioids.”
Finally, SB 691 seeks to reform truancy notices, replacing threatening language with more supportive messaging. The bill requires schools to include in truancy notices information about mental health and support services available to students and families.
“SB 691 uses a problem-solving approach to address threatening language in student truancy notices,” Portantino explained. California PTA co-sponsored the bill, and Legislative Director Kathleen Fahy said, “Simply replacing threatening language with messages of welcome and support can encourage families to work with schools to resolve attendance issues.”