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AB 1163

Employees: workplace violence prevention plans: topics and trainings.

2025-2026 Regular Session Introduced by Sade Elhawary

AB 1163 requires California K–14 schools to update violence prevention plans with in-person, real-time deescalation training and add education-focused topics, effective 2026.

In committee: Held under submission.
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Bill Summary · AB 1163

AB 1163 — Employees: workplace violence prevention plans; deescalation topics and trainings

Author: Elhawary | Status: In committee — Held under submission (last action 2025-05-23)
Introduced: 02/21/2025

Purpose / Intent

AB 1163 seeks to strengthen workplace violence prevention and deescalation training in California K–14 public education settings by (1) adding specific education‑related topics and delivery requirements to existing workplace violence prevention plans, and (2) requiring routine deescalation training for employees who regularly interact with pupils or students. The bill aims to reduce student‑perpetrated violent incidents and to guide staff responses that accommodate pupils with exceptional needs or behavioral health issues.

Key provisions

  • Adds new education‑specific requirements to workplace violence prevention plans (in addition to Labor Code §6401.9) for:

    • School districts, county offices of education, charter schools (Education Code §44115), and community college districts (§87165).
    • By July 1, 2026, plans must:
    • Require training to be provided in person and allow questions to be asked and answered by a natural person in real time.
    • Cover physical and verbal deescalation techniques and strategies/supports to help pupils safely return to the learning environment after committing a violent incident.
    • Ensure techniques/strategies are informed by research/experience on interacting with pupils with exceptional needs or behavioral health issues.
    • Training timing: before a new employee hired on/after July 1, 2026 begins duties; as soon as practicable for employees employed as of June 30, 2026; and thereafter as part of the annual training required under Labor Code §6401.9.

  • Department‑developed deescalation training (Education Code §7080):

    • State Department of Education (SDE), consulting certificated and classified staff, administrators, and deescalation experts, to develop a training and post it publicly by January 1, 2027.
    • This SDE requirement is contingent on an appropriation in the Budget Act or other statute.
    • Local agencies (K–12 and community colleges) must require deescalation training for employees who regularly interact with pupils commencing in the 2026–27 academic year and annually thereafter.
    • Training specifications: developmentally appropriate by age; consistent with laws on suspension/expulsion, IDEA manifestation determinations, and restraint/seclusion rules; maximum length one hour; may be included within Labor Code §6401.9 training; may be delivered in‑person or virtually.
    • Local agencies may provide longer/more frequent/additional training or require a modality if mutually agreed with the employees’ exclusive representative.
    • SDE will monitor compliance through existing annual program monitoring.

Who is affected

  • Local educational agencies: school districts, county offices of education, charter schools, community college districts.
  • Employees who regularly interact with pupils/students (teachers, classified staff, campus supervisors, counselors, etc.).
  • Potentially pupils, especially those with exceptional needs or behavioral health concerns, through changes in staff response and reintegration strategies.

Timeline / Procedural notes

  • Workplace plan updates required by July 1, 2026.
  • Local deescalation training requirement begins in the 2026–27 academic year.
  • SDE training to be developed and posted by January 1, 2027 — but only if the Legislature appropriates funds.
  • Training required initially for current staff as soon as practicable and before duties start for new hires after July 1, 2026; then annually.

Fiscal and administrative considerations

  • The bill imposes additional duties on local educational agencies and is designated a state‑mandated local program; if the Commission on State Mandates finds costs are mandated by the state, reimbursement procedures apply.
  • Local costs may include staff time, in‑person training logistics, and possible substitute coverage; agencies may negotiate modality/amount with employee representatives.

Current status (selected actions)

  • Introduced 02/21/2025; referred to Labor & Employment and Education committees 03/28/2025.
  • Passed out of Assembly Education committee (04/24/2025) and Assembly Labor & Employment (04/30/2025).
  • Referred to Assembly Appropriations, placed on suspense file; held under submission as of 05/23/2025.

For more detail, see the bill text adding Education Code §§44115, 7080, and 87165 and cross‑references to Labor Code §6401.9.

Compiled from official sources — confirm details with the bill’s official record.

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