SACRAMENTO, Calif. – AB 746, the Cyber Bully Prevention bill by Assemblymember Nora Campos (D-San José), today became California law following Governor Brown’s signature. AB 746 declares that posts made on social network sites are covered under the Education Code anti-bullying provisions and allows school officials to suspend student violators.

California law allows for the suspension of a student for bullying, including bullying by electronic acts. Prior to AB 746, however, the law did not expressly provide that transmission by posting messages on a social network site is included in the definition of an electronic act.

“The increase in popularity of social networks has also brought an increase in abuse and in some instances depression and suicide,” Campos said, adding that "preventing these tragedies is why I introduced this legislation.”

AB 746 recognizes the rise in popularity of social networking sites since the inception of the California anti-bully law in 2006, and the potential for cyber bullies to use social networks to spread their harmful messages. The most popular social network in existence today had 20,000 users when the California Anti-Bully law was first drafted and is expected to hit one billion users before the end of this year.

Campos’ AB 746 enjoyed bipartisan legislative support along with many education, law enforcement, and civil rights groups, including California Commission on the Status of Women, California Probation Parole and Correctional Association, California State PTA, California Teachers Association, Peace Partners, Inc., Sacramento Regional Human Rights/Fair Housing Commission, The Arc, United Cerebral Palsy, CA. There was no opposition.

CONTACT: Dana Mitchell, (916) 319-3453 or Javier Gonzalez, (408) 277-1220