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Sen. Sasha Renee Perez briefs Monrovia Unified on new statewide education laws and budget wins
Summary
State Sen. Sasha Renee Perez, chair of the Senate Education Committee, briefed the board on recently passed and pending education bills (including SB98 and SB848), statewide budget decisions protecting K–12 funding, and programs to expand school meals and mental-health supports.
State Sen. Sasha Renee Perez (D–25) presented a legislative update at the Monrovia Unified board meeting and highlighted several measures and budget actions she led or supported that affect K–12 districts.
Perez, who chairs the Senate Education Committee, described SB98 (the Sending Alerts to Families in Education Act), which took effect with urgency language. "SB98...requires that any K–12 institution as well as any of our higher education institutions immediately notify students, families as well as staff and teachers if immigration enforcement is on or near campus," she said, adding that districts were instructed to update school-safety plans and use existing notification systems.
She also reviewed SB848 (the Safe Learning Environments Act), which creates a statewide database to help districts check whether an applicant is under investigation elsewhere and requires better student-facing education about reporting inappropriate behavior. Perez said that lawsuits tied to earlier AB218 expanded claim periods and that the state has paid nearly $3 billion tied to related cases, prompting action to improve safeguards.
Budget and programs: Perez said the state avoided cuts to K–12 and higher education in the recent budget negotiations and that the legislature increased LCFF funding and allocated targeted one-time investments, including a $20 million one-time mental-health investment. She also outlined the SunBucks program funding that will provide about $120 per child in grocery incentives during the summer and resources to expand summer meal access.
Other bills: Perez summarized SB845 (high school youth apprenticeship), SB640 (automatic CSU admission for students who meet minimum requirements), and partnerships to coordinate career pathways and postsecondary enrollment. She said several bills were placed on two-year tracks and that the Education Committee processes roughly 150 bills a year.
Board exchange: Trustees asked about how SB640 affects housing for newly admitted CSU students and how enrollment-based funding reforms might help districts with declining enrollment. Perez said campuses vary: some have empty housing while others face shortages; the state and CSU system are working to streamline housing construction and information for eligible students.
Why it matters: the measures discussed affect campus notification policies, safety and hiring checks, student nutrition across out-of-session months, and paths to postsecondary options—tangible policy changes local districts must implement and monitor.
Next steps: Perez encouraged districts to use existing notification technology to comply with SB98 and to reach out to her office with local concerns as the legislature prepares for the next session.
