AB1985: Student health: athletic coaches and trainers: mental health training.

Amended IN Senate June 18, 2026 Amended IN Assembly April 23, 2026 Amended IN Assembly April 09, 2026 Amended IN Assembly March 16, 2026 CALIFORNIA LEGISLATURE— 2025–2026 REGULAR SESSION Assembly Bill No. 1985 Introduced by Assembly Members Irwin and Pacheco (Coauthors: Assembly Members Alanis and Harabedian) February 13, 2026 An act to add Section 67387 to the Education Code, relating to student health. LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST AB 1985, as amended, Irwin. Student health: athletic coaches: coaches and trainers: mental health training. Existing law establishes the California Community Colleges, the California State University, the University of California, independent institutions of higher education, and private postsecondary educational institutions as the segments of postsecondary education in the state. This bill, which would be known as Sarah Shulze’s Law, would require the California State University, the office of the Chancellor of the California Community Colleges, and each private postsecondary educational institution and independent institution of higher education that receives state financial assistance, and would request the University of California, on or before July 1, 2028, to identify and compile a list of mental health training programs that can be used to train athletic coaches. The bill would require the trainings, at a minimum, to cover suicide prevention education. The bill would require each campus of the California State University, each community college of a community college district, and each private postsecondary educational institution and independent institution of higher education that receives state financial assistance, and would request each campus of the University of California, to require a person who serves as a coach or trainer in an athletic program, as a condition of the person’s employment or volunteer service, to complete one of the identified a student mental health trainings training on or before July 1, 2028, and every 2 years thereafter. The bill would require the training, at minimum, to cover suicide prevention education and would authorize the training to be provided by an entity that offers free, online, or other types of training courses. By imposing new duties on community college districts, the bill would impose a state-mandated local program. The California Constitution requires the state to reimburse local agencies and school districts for certain costs mandated by the state. Statutory provisions establish procedures for making that reimbursement. This bill would provide that, if the Commission on State Mandates determines that the bill contains costs mandated by the state, reimbursement for those costs shall be made pursuant to the statutory provisions noted above. Digest Key Vote: MAJORITY Appropriation: NO Fiscal Committee: YES Local Program: YES Bill Text The people of the State of California do enact as follows: SECTION 1. Section 67387 is added to the Education Code, immediately following Section 67386, to read: 67387. (a) This section shall be known, and may be cited, as Sarah Shulze’s Law. (b) On or before July 1, 2028, the California State University, the office of the Chancellor of the California Community Colleges, and each private postsecondary educational institution and independent institution of higher education that receives state financial assistance shall, and the University of California is requested to, identify and compile a list of mental health training programs that can be used to train athletic coaches. All trainings shall, at a minimum, cover suicide prevention education. Trainings may also cover mental health first aid education if suicide prevention education is included. (c) (b) On or before July 1, 2028, and every two years thereafter, each campus of the California State University, each community college of a community college district, and each private postsecondary educational institution and independent institution of higher education that receives state financial assistance shall, and each campus of the University of California is requested to, require a person who serves as a coach coach, including an assistant coach, or trainer in an athletic program, as a condition of the person’s employment or volunteer service, to complete a student mental health training that has been identified pursuant to subdivision (b). that, at minimum, covers suicide prevention education. The student mental health training may cover mental health first aid education and may be provided by an entity that offers free, online, or other types of training courses. SEC. 2. If the Commission on State Mandates determines that this act contains costs mandated by the state, reimbursement to local agencies and school districts for those costs shall be made pursuant to Part 7 (commencing with Section 17500) of Division 4 of Title 2 of the Government Code.