Introduced by Senator Eloise Gómez Reyes in February 2025, California Senate Bill 334 (2025-2026 Session) aims to enhance sexual harassment education and awareness in California public schools. SSAIS sent the following letter in support of this legislation.
April 15, 2025
Senate Judiciary Committee
1021 O Street, Room 3240
Sacramento, CA 95814
Subject: Letter of Support for Senate Bill 334 (SB 334) – Pupil Instruction: Sexual Harassment: Title IX Safety
Dear Chair and Members of the Senate Judiciary Committee,
I am writing on behalf of Stop Sexual Assault in Schools (SSAIS) to express our strong support for Senate Bill 334 (SB 334), authored by Senator Reyes, which seeks to strengthen pupil instruction and protections related to sexual harassment and Title IX safety in California’s K-12 public schools.
Founded in 2015, SSAIS is a unique national nonprofit dedicated to ending the negative effects of sexual harassment and assault on K-12 students’ education and well-being. Our mission is to provide the education, support, and resources that students and advocates can use to make systemic change in their local environment so they can access all educational opportunities free from sexual harassment and assault, and stay safe off campus too.
SB 334 is a critical step forward in ensuring that all students have access to a safe and equitable educational environment, free from sexual harassment and discrimination. The bill proposes several crucial measures, including:
- Requiring the California Department of Education, upon approval by the Attorney General, to make available and update training materials related to sexual harassment for students and their parents or guardians, as developed by the Redlands Unified School District pursuant to a stipulated judgment. Many California school districts lack a robust, differentiated student training and climate program related to issues of anti-discrimination rights awareness, positive bystander intervention, consent, gender identity and clear instructions around boundaries pertaining to bullying, sexual harassment and assault. Establishing a high quality and easily accessible training library on these topics will help to ensure that all school districts engage in these issues with their K-12 students.
- Mandating a review of the California School Climate, Health, and Learning Surveys system to identify opportunities for incorporating age-appropriate questions related to Title IX safety, thereby improving data collection and responsiveness to student concerns. Adding questions to the surveys is the best way to collect data on whether students know how to get help with these issues and, relatedly, can point to district LEAs that have weak programs and infrastructure in this area.
- Encouraging public schools to host interactive activities that cover school policies related to preventing sexual harassment, sexual assault, and sexual abuse. Establishing a practice of focus on these issues and how to de-escalate, intervene or report incidents is a proven approach to normalizing behaviors that discourage bullying, harassment and sexual violence.
As incidents of sexual harassment and discrimination continue to impact students across California, it is essential that our education system provides robust protections and clear pathways for reporting and addressing these issues. We are proud to stand in support of SB 334 and the legislature’s efforts to ensure that all California students can attend school and access school resources free from discrimination, harassment and violence.
Thank you for your consideration.
Joel Levin, Ph.D
Director of Programs, Co-founder Stop Sexual Assault in Schools