AG Bonta flags new immigration duties for schools
California Attorney General Rob Bonta notified schools and child‑care providers about new legal obligations related to immigration enforcement actions, creating fresh compliance responsibilities for K–12 sites. The guidance is intended to clarify duties but could complicate daily operational decisions for administrators and staff. (independent.com)
The Attorney General issued two separate bulletins tied to specific bills: one addressing Assembly Bill 495 (AB 495) and the other addressing Senate Bill 98 (SB 98). (oag.ca.gov ) AB 495 was authored by Assemblymember Celeste Rodriguez (D‑San Fernando) and took effect January 1, 2026, while SB 98 was authored by Senator Sasha Renée Pérez (D‑Pasadena) and has been in effect since September 20, 2025. (oag.ca.gov ) The AG’s bulletin restates that school staff may not allow immigration‑enforcement officers into nonpublic areas such as classrooms, offices, or staff rooms unless those officers present a valid judicial warrant, subpoena, or court order or entry is otherwise required by state or federal law. (oag.ca.gov ) Local educational agency personnel are instructed not to disclose pupil or household information to immigration‑enforcement agents unless those agents present a valid judicial warrant/subpoena or a parent/guardian provides written consent. (oag.ca.gov ) SB 98 requires governing boards of LEAs, CSU, CCC districts, and qualifying private colleges to notify students, faculty, staff, and other campus community members when immigration enforcement is confirmed on a campus, and the statute specifically prohibits including personally identifiable information while requiring the notice to state the date, time, location, and a hyperlink to additional resources. (ahed.assembly.ca.gov ) The Attorney General updated the TK‑12 guidance and model policies in December 2025, published a model‑policy PDF that includes quick‑reference appendices and sample warrant forms to help staff recognize valid judicial documents, and required all LEAs to align their policies with that guidance by March 1, 2026. (oag.ca.gov )
