Portantinto Bills on Education Funding, Gun Safety, and Opioid Awareness Head to Governor’s Desk

Senator Anthony J. Portantino, who represents Pasadena, has successfully shepherded five bills through the California Legislature, tackling issues from K-12 school funding to gun safety. The measures now await Governor Gavin Newsom’s signature.

Senate Bill 98 aims to reform California’s school funding model by directing the Legislative Analyst’s Office to study the effects of basing allocations on student enrollment rather than attendance. The report is due by Jan. 1, 2026.

“Enrollment-based funding ensures that California schools are funded more equitably and have greater financial stability and predictability,” Portantino stated. He argued that the existing method disadvantages districts with high absentee rates due to factors like unreliable transportation or health issues.

Los Angeles Unified Superintendent Alberto M. Carvalho supported the bill, saying, “School funding based on student attendance is an outdated mechanism that fails to consider the efforts schools expend to counter absenteeism, or the fixed costs that schools face whether a student shows up or not.”

Another education-focused bill, SB 971, would make higher education more affordable for low-income refugees by exempting them from nonresident tuition fees at certain community colleges. Portantino cited recent displacements from Artsakh and Ukraine as motivations for the legislation.

“Helping young people attain a higher education degree is the sensible and nurturing thing to do,” Portantino said. The bill would apply to the Glendale Community College District and the Contra Costa Community College District.

In the realm of public safety, Portantino’s SB 53 expands on his previous firearm storage legislation. The new bill would require all homes with firearms to store them securely, not just those with minors present.

“Safely storing your firearm is commonsense public safety policy,” Portantino stated. “SB 53 will unequivocally save lives by ensuring that a firearm is stored in a manner that will prevent unintentional firearm injuries, protect Californians in the home, and deter violence in public.”

Addressing the opioid crisis, SB 607 would mandate that prescribers discuss the dangers of opioids with all patients, not just minors. Portantino emphasized the importance of communication in combating the crisis, stating, “Given the opioid crisis we are currently facing, something as simple as effective communication can save lives.”

Reji Varghese, Executive Director of the Medical Board of California, supported the bill, saying, “The Board’s July 2023 guidelines for treating patients with pain underscore the importance of patient counseling on the risks of overdose when prescribing opioids.”

Lastly, SB 691 aims to reform truancy notifications, replacing threatening language with more supportive messaging. The bill requires schools to include information about mental health and supportive services available to students and families in truancy notices.

“SB 691 addresses the threatening language of student truancy notices by using a problem solving approach,” Portantino explained. The California State Parent Teacher Association co-sponsored the bill, with Kathleen Fay, Director of Legislation, stating, “Simply replacing intimidating language with messages that are welcoming and supportive, encourages families to work with schools to resolve attendance issues.”