Amended in Assembly June 22, 2015

California Legislature—2015–16 Regular Session

Assembly Joint Resolution No. 23

Introduced by Assembly Member Bonilla

(Coauthors: Assembly Members Atkins begin delete and Cristina Garcia end delete begin insert Cristina Garcia, Achadjian, Alejo, Baker, Bloom, Bonta, Brown, Burke, Calderon, Campos, Chang, Chau, Chávez, Chiu, Chu, Cooley, Cooper, Dababneh, Daly, Dodd, Eggman, Frazier, Eduardo Garcia, Gatto, Gipson, Gomez, Gonzalez, Gordon, Gray, Hadley, Roger Hernández, Holden, Irwin, Jones-Sawyer, Kim, Lackey, Levine, Linder, Lopez, Low, Maienschein, Mayes, McCarty, Medina, Melendez, Mullin, Nazarian, Obernolte, O’Donnell, Olsen, Perea, Quirk, Rendon, Ridley-Thomas, Rodriguez, Salas, Santiago, Steinorth, Mark Stone, Thurmond, Ting, Waldron, Weber, Wilk, and Williams end insert )

(Coauthor: Senator Hannah-Beth Jackson)

June 16, 2015

Assembly Joint Resolution No. 23—Relative to Title IX.

LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL’S DIGEST

AJR 23, as amended, Bonilla. Title IX: 43rd anniversary.

This measure would, on June 23, 2015, commemorate the 43rd anniversary of the enactment of Title IX, and would urge Californians to continue to work together to achieve the goals set by Title IX, as specified.

Fiscal committee: no.

WHEREAS, Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972 is
a federal law that specifically states that no person in the United
States shall, on the basis of sex, be excluded from participation in,
be denied the benefits of, or be subjected to discrimination under
any education program or activity receiving federal financial
assistance; and

WHEREAS, All public and private elementary schools and
secondary schools, school districts, colleges, and universities
receiving any federal funding must comply with Title IX; and

WHEREAS, Title IX requires equal access in recruitment,
admissions, counseling, financial assistance, discipline,
employment, and athletics; protection from sex-based harassment;
and equitable treatment of pregnant and parenting students; and

WHEREAS, Prior to the enactment of Title IX, many women
and girls faced discrimination and limited opportunities in athletics,
academics, and extracurricular activities; and

WHEREAS, Discrimination on the basis of sex can include
sexual harassment or sexual violence, including rape, sexual
assault, sexual battery, and sexual coercion; and

WHEREAS, Title IX has been used as a basis in a number of
complaints alleging sexual violence on college campuses, as sexual
violence interferes with a student’s right to receive education free
from discrimination; and

WHEREAS, Of the 109 colleges and universities under
investigation by the United States Department of Education for
their handling of sexual violence cases, 11 are located in California;
and

WHEREAS, Title IX, which governs educational equity
generally, is widely known for ensuring equal access to women
and girl athletes; and

WHEREAS, The members of the United States Women’s
National Soccer Team, which is ranked #2 in the world and
continues to make our nation proud, all played collegiate level
soccer; and

WHEREAS, Title IX regulations require that pregnant and
parenting students have equal access to schools and activities, and
that all separate programs for pregnant or parenting students be
completely voluntary; and

WHEREAS, Title IX has been the basis for California laws that
protect graduate students from discrimination on the basis of
pregnancy in research projects in California universities, laws
requiring affirmative consent, and current legislation requiring
lactation accommodations in California schools; and

WHEREAS, The educational equity guaranteed in Title IX does
not solely apply to women. It protects everyone from sex-based
discrimination, regardless of real or perceived sex, gender identity,
or gender expression; and

WHEREAS, Although Title IX has increased opportunities for
girls and women in academics, sports, and other educational
activities, it has not yet achieved the goal of full equality; now,
therefore, be it

Resolved by the Assembly and the Senate of the State of
California, jointly, That the Legislature urges Californians to
continue to work together to achieve the goals set by Title IX of
increased opportunities for girls and women in academics, sports,
and other educational activities; and be it further

Resolved, That the Legislature of the State of California, on
June 23, 2015, commemorates the 43rd anniversary of Title IX,
and commends the national movement toward increased equality
and fair treatment of all students; and be it further

Resolved, That the Chief Clerk of the Assembly transmit copies
of this resolution to the President and Vice President of the United
States, to the Speaker of the House of Representatives, and to each
Senator and Representative from California in the Congress of the
United States.