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Committee backs AB 49 "Safe Haven Schools" on due-pass recommendation after supporters cite immigration enforcement at schools
Summary
AB 49, the California Safe Haven Schools Act, received a due-pass recommendation from the Appropriations Committee after sponsors and multiple education and immigrant-rights organizations urged protections for school properties against immigration enforcement. The bill was placed on call for absent members following a partial roll call.
The Appropriations Committee gave a due-pass recommendation to AB 49 (Assemblymember Marisucci, joint-author Senator Gonzales presented), which would bar immigration-enforcement officers from entering school property for enforcement purposes absent a warrant or court order.
Senator Gonzales, presenting the bill, said schools are often the last remaining safe spaces for immigrant families and that enforcement near schools has created fear and instability. "A b 49 would prohibit immigration enforcement officers from entering school property identification, a valid judicial warrant, or a court order," she told the committee. Monica Madrid of CHIRLA testified in support as a co-sponsor.
Supporters included the state superintendent’s office and county education officials; Pamela Gibbs of the Los Angeles County Office of Education said the policy would help "stabilize funding and enrollment at the schools." Witnesses pointed to recent incidents (including reported ICE activity near schools) as justification for the protections.
The committee moved the bill on a due-pass motion and recorded a partial vote; the chair announced the tally as "Current vote is 2 to 0. We'll put that on call for the absent members." That placement means the bill has a path to the Senate floor once the committee completes the roll call; it also signals broad institutional support among education and immigrant-rights groups present at the hearing.
Why it matters: AB 49 addresses the intersection of immigration enforcement and K–12 access and attendance. Supporters argued it would reduce chilling effects on school enrollment and ensure students' access to education, while the hearing record shows strong advocacy from school-district and immigrant-advocacy organizations.
Next steps: The committee recorded a due-pass motion and placed the bill on call for absent members. If the committee’s vote is finalized, AB 49 will move to the Senate floor for further debate and potential amendments.
The hearing focused on the bill's immediate impacts on school enrollment, district fiscal stability and the need for clear local protocols when federal immigration agents are present near school properties.
