Chapter 5 - Rules of Student Conduct

California Education Code — §§ 66300-66303

Sections (5)

Amended by Stats. 2025, Ch. 159, Sec. 1. (AB 602) Effective January 1, 2026.

(a)The Regents of the University of California, the Trustees of the California State University, and the governing board of every community college district, shall adopt or provide for the adoption of specific rules and regulations governing student behavior along with applicable penalties for violation of the rules and regulations. The institutions shall adopt procedures by which all students are informed of these rules and regulations, with applicable penalties, and any revisions thereof.

(b)In adopting the rules and regulations governing student behavior pursuant to subdivision (a), the Regents of the University of California and the Trustees of the California State University

shall place in the highest priority the health, safety, and well-being of the campus community and shall, on or before July 1, 2026, adopt, or provide for the adoption of, rules and regulations governing student behavior as follows:

(1)Students receiving medical treatment for the personal use of drugs or alcohol shall not be subject to disciplinary action with respect to the use of drugs or alcohol in violation of

the rules and regulations governing student behavior adopted pursuant to subdivision (a) if they complete an appropriate rehabilitation program, as described in subdivision (d).

(2)Students described in paragraph (1) who violate rules and regulations

for drug or alcohol

use shall be offered the chance to complete an appropriate rehabilitation program, as described in subdivision (d).

(c)Subdivision (b) shall not apply to students who receive medical treatment for personal use of drugs or alcohol and are subject to a disciplinary sanction or sanctions for additional violations of rules and regulations governing student behavior adopted pursuant to subdivision (a).

(d)In order for the prohibition on disciplinary action pursuant to subdivision (b) to apply to a student related to that student’s violation of the institution’s rules and regulations on drug and alcohol use, the student shall,

pursuant to Section 1011i of Title 20 of the United States Code, be required to participate in an appropriate rehabilitation program within the timeframe set by the campus administrator overseeing student disciplinary actions. If the student does not complete the appropriate rehabilitation program, they shall be subject to disciplinary action in accordance with the institution’s rules and regulations governing student behavior.

(e)Nothing in this section shall prohibit the institution from including information

about the appropriate rehabilitation program completed pursuant to subdivision (d) and the exemption from disciplinary action provided pursuant to subdivision (b) in a student’s administrative file.

(f)The prohibition on disciplinary action for drug and alcohol use described in paragraph (1) of subdivision (b), and the requirement that the student be offered the chance to complete an appropriate rehabilitation program, as described in paragraph (2) of subdivision (b), shall only

apply to a student once in an academic

semester, quarter, or term, as defined by the campus. For subsequent violations of rules and regulations related to drug and alcohol use in the same academic semester, quarter, or term, the institution shall subject the student to disciplinary proceedings, at the conclusion of which the institution may impose disciplinary action or offer the student the chance to complete an appropriate rehabilitation program, as that term is described in subdivision (d).

(g)It is the intent of the Legislature for a campus of the California State University and the University of California to provide restorative justice practices for disciplinary proceedings for violations of the institution’s rules and regulations related to drug

and alcohol

use, when deemed appropriate based on the totality of circumstances.

(h)This section does not in any way modify or affect the requirements under state or federal law for the reporting of crimes that occur on campus as it pertains to drug possession, drug manufacturing, drug distribution, and drug use.

(i)For purposes of this section, “appropriate rehabilitation program” means an appropriate counseling, treatment, rehabilitation, or other diversion program, and may include, but is not limited to, participating in meetings with a school counselor or attending a drug education group.

§ 66301

Amended by Stats. 2008, Ch. 525, Sec. 4. Effective January 1, 2009.

(a)Neither the Regents of the University of California, the Trustees of the California State University, the governing board of a community college district, nor an administrator of any campus of those institutions, shall make or enforce a rule subjecting a student to disciplinary sanction solely on the basis of conduct that is speech or other communication that, when engaged in outside a campus of those institutions, is protected from governmental restriction by the First Amendment to the United States Constitution or Section 2 of Article I of the California Constitution.

(b)A student enrolled in an institution, as specified in subdivision (a), at the time that the institution has made or enforced a rule in violation of subdivision (a) may commence a civil action to obtain appropriate injunctive and declaratory relief as determined by the court. Upon a motion, a court may award attorney’s fees to a prevailing plaintiff in a civil action pursuant to this section.

(c)This section does not authorize a prior restraint of student speech or the student press.

(d)This section does not prohibit the imposition of discipline for harassment, threats, or intimidation, unless constitutionally protected.

(e)This section does not prohibit an institution from adopting rules and regulations that are designed to prevent hate violence, as defined in subdivision (a) of Section 4 of Chapter 1363 of the Statutes of 1992, from being directed at students in a manner that denies them their full participation in the educational process, if the rules and regulations conform to standards established by the First Amendment to the United States Constitution and Section 2 of Article I of the California Constitution for citizens generally.

(f)An employee shall not be dismissed, suspended, disciplined, reassigned, transferred, or otherwise retaliated against solely for acting to protect a student engaged in conduct authorized under this section, or refusing to infringe upon conduct that is protected by this section, the First Amendment to the United States Constitution, or Section 2 of Article I of the California Constitution.

§ 66302

Amended by Stats. 2024, Ch. 490, Sec. 4. (SB 1491) Effective January 1, 2025.

(a)The Trustees of the California State University and the governing board of each community college district shall adopt and publish policies on harassment, intimidation, and bullying, and shall include these policies within the rules and regulations governing student behavior within their respective segments of public postsecondary education.

(b)It is the intent of the Legislature that rules and regulations governing student conduct be published, at a minimum, on the

internet website of each public postsecondary educational campus and as part of any printed material covering those rules and regulations within the respective public postsecondary education system.

(c)The University of California is requested to comply with this section. This section shall apply to the University of California only to the extent that the Regents of the University of California, by appropriate resolution, make it applicable.

§ 66302.5

Added by Stats. 2019, Ch. 146, Sec. 1. (SB 366) Effective January 1, 2020.

The Trustees of the California State University shall provide, and the Regents of the University of California are requested to provide, as a part of established campus orientations, educational and preventive information about cyberbullying to students at all campuses of their respective segments.

§ 66303

Added by Stats. 2012, Ch. 581, Sec. 1. (AB 1955) Effective January 1, 2013.

For purposes of promoting peaceful campus demonstrations, the Trustees of the California State University shall require each campus of the California State University to designate an individual to serve as a liaison between campus law enforcement agencies and students exercising rights guaranteed by the First Amendment to the United States Constitution

or Section 2 of Article I of

the California Constitution, or both. The Regents of the University of California are requested to designate an individual at each campus of the University of California to serve as a liaison between campus law enforcement agencies and students exercising rights guaranteed by the First Amendment to the United States Constitution or Section 2 of Article I of the California Constitution, or both.