Employees: workplace violence prevention plans: topics and trainings.

Assembly Member Elhawary's workplace violence prevention legislation mandates in-person training requirements and expanded safety protocols for California educational institutions, with implementation required by July 2026. The measure applies to employees of school districts, county offices of education, charter schools, and community college districts.

The bill requires workplace violence prevention plans to incorporate research-informed training on physical and verbal de-escalation techniques aimed at preventing violent incidents involving students. Training sessions must allow for real-time questions and answers with a live instructor. The plans must also include strategies for safely reintegrating students into learning environments following violent incidents, with particular attention to accommodating students who have exceptional needs or behavioral health concerns.

Under the measure's timeline, new employees hired after July 2026 must complete the enhanced training before beginning work, while existing staff must receive updated training "as soon as practicable." All employees would then participate in annual refresher sessions. As a state-mandated local program, the bill provides for reimbursement to educational agencies for costs associated with implementing these new requirements, subject to review by the Commission on State Mandates.