Section 627 Of Chapter 1.1. Access To School Premises From California Penal Code >> Title 15. >> Part 1. >> Chapter 1.1.
627
. (a) The Legislature finds the following:
(1) Violent crimes perpetrated on public school grounds interfere
with the education of students and threaten the health and safety of
teachers, other employees, and students.
(2) Many serious crimes of violence are committed on school
grounds by persons who are neither students nor school employees and
who are not otherwise authorized to be present on school grounds.
(3) School officials and law enforcement officers, in seeking to
control these persons, have been hindered by the lack of effective
legislation restricting the access of unauthorized persons to school
grounds and providing appropriate criminal sanctions for unauthorized
entry.
(b) The Legislature declares that the purpose of this chapter is
to safeguard the teachers, other employees, students, and property of
public schools. The Legislature recognizes the right to visit school
grounds for legitimate nonviolent purposes and does not intend by
this enactment to interfere with the exercise of that right.
(c) The Legislature finds and declares that a disproportionate
share of crimes committed on school campuses are committed by persons
who are neither students, school officials, or staff, and who have
no lawful business on the school grounds.
It is the intent of the Legislature in enacting this chapter to
promote the safety and security of the public schools by restricting
and conditioning the access of unauthorized persons to school
campuses and to thereby implement the provisions of Section 28 of
Article 1 of the California Constitution which guarantee all students
and staff the inalienable constitutional right to attend safe,
secure, and peaceful public schools. It is also the intent of the
Legislature that the provisions of this chapter shall not be
construed to infringe upon the legitimate exercise of
constitutionally protected rights of freedom of speech and expression
which may be expressed through rallies, demonstrations, and other
forms of expression which may be appropriately engaged in by students
and nonstudents in a campus setting.