AMENDED IN ASSEMBLY APRIL 13, 2026

AMENDED IN ASSEMBLY MARCH 19, 2026

CALIFORNIA LEGISLATURE— 2025–2026 REGULAR SESSION

95

CHAPTER 45

Statutes of 2026

[ Approved by Governor June 30, 2026. Filed with Secretary of State June 30, 2026. ]

Introduced by Assembly Member Muratsuchi

(Coauthor: Assembly Member Hoover)

February 18, 2026

An act to add Section 98 to the Education Code, relating to elementary and secondary education.

Vote: majority   Appropriation: no   Fiscal committee: no   Local program: no

LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL’S DIGEST

Existing law establishes a system of public elementary and secondary education in this state. Under this system, school districts, county offices of education, and charter schools employ personnel to provide instruction to and services for pupils in kindergarten and grades 1 to 12, inclusive, at schoolsites throughout the state.

This bill would explicitly define, for purposes of the Education Code, both a public school employee and a contractor providing services in a public school to mean a natural person.

The people of the State of California do enact as follows:

SECTION 1.

Section 98 is added to the Education Code, immediately following Section 97, to read:

98.

Both of the following mean a natural person:

(a) A public school employee, including, but not limited to, certificated employees, classified employees, teachers, educators, short-term employees, principals, administrators, counselors, school nurses, school psychologists, and school social workers.

(b) A contractor performing services in a public school.