A bill establishing the Statewide Task Force on Teen Dating and Sexual Violence is being considered by the Assembly Appropriations Committee.

Assembly Bill 589, introduced by Lloyd Levine, D-Van Nuys, requires school districts to have personnel available who are specially trained on teen date violence and sexual violence.

“It is an under-reported problem that affects many teenagers today,” said Levine. “The impact these events have are long-lasting for both the teenagers and their families.”

AB 589 assesses a fine of $2,000 a month on school districts the State Department of Education finds is not in compliance with regulations.

According to the bill, the new state task force would be required to develop a “culturally sensitive, competent model for school model policy and protocol for school response to teen dating violence and sexual violence.”

Existing law places responsibility for the development of school safety plans on school districts and county offices of education.

The schools' safety plan is required to include assessment on crimes committed on school campuses and school-related functions.

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“Our hope is that these penalties will not be necessary,” Levine added. “This is something that should be implemented in the curriculum. I can't see people not complying if this becomes law.”

Because school districts would be required to provide a higher level of service by performing additional duties, the bill would impose a state-mandated local program under the jurisdiction of the statewide task force.

The California Constitution requires the sate to reimburse local agencies and school districts for costs mandated by the state.

“We already pay attention to it here,” said Jerry Shennum, Arroyo Grande High School mental health counselor. “The school does pay attention to that issue along with others like potential suicides, depression, and other things like that.”

If AB 589 is signed in to law, a school district, in collaboration with local organizations that work in the areas of domestic violence, teen dating violence and sexual violence, will also be required to implement a protocol for responding to teen dating violence and sexual violence at the middle and high school levels by Aug. 31, 2010.

“Since I have been here, I have seen more of a willingness to come forward with situations like date rape or other issues related to youth,” Shennum added.

Shennum has been working as a full-time counselor at AGHS for the last nine years and was in charge of the school's Healthy Start program to assist youths dealing with serious personal problems.

The program was created through a grant provided in the late 1990s and is currently being funded through the school district.

AB 589 points to studies cited at www.loveisnotabuse.com, a Web site dealing with teen-related violence, as one of the reasons Levine is pushing for the approval of AB 589.

According to the Web site, one in three teenagers report knowing a friend or peer who has been hit, punched, kicked, slapped, choked or physically hurt by their partner, and less than 25 percent of teens say they have discussed dating violence with their parents.

Hector Trujillo can be reached at 489-4206, Ext. 5008, or htrujillo@santamariatimes.com.

August 13, 2007