Legislation
MISSION STATEMENT
Our mission is to reflect students’ needs and interests in the California public education system by improving youth representation and promoting student civic engagement in local and statewide legislative procedures, accomplished through transparent ground-up advocacy that makes the legislative process accessible to the statewide student population.
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VISION
All K-12 students in the state of California feel empowered to succeed within inclusive educational environments that provide them with equitable access to opportunities and resources, such that they are familiar with the civic process, regardless of background or identity.
IMPACT
We've introduced sixteen student-written bills into the California State Legislature and passed twelve into law, spanning issues from student representation and civic engagement, to mental health and sexual violence and drug overdose prevention, across K-12 and higher education institutions.
In addition, we've co-sponsored and supported over 200 pro-student bills since 2020, and over 100 have passed into law.
Through our peer-to-peer legislative training model, built from knowledge passed down between GENup students, we've taught dozens of students how to navigate the legislative process and make their voices heard at the statewide level.
2026 POLICY SLATE
Our 2026-2027 policy slate will be announced at our upcoming Policy Reveal on April 9, 2026 at 4pm on Zoom. RSVP link coming soon!
2026 VALUES & PRIORITIES
The following guiding principles were determined by public student town halls and surveying GENup members, then consolidated by GENup students at our annual retreat. These were used to inform our bill proposals and construct our policy slate.
Funding & Basic Rights - GENup aims to ensure funding is equitably allocated such that basic resources are accessible to all students, cultivating a culture of learning and academic freedom.
A Safe School Environment - GENup aims to balance responsive campus security and safety infrastructure with a culture of trust between students and staff, including restrictions on gun violence, trafficking, and physical violence, and protections for immigrant students on campus.
Equal Access - GENup aims to ensure students with disabilities and nontraditional students have sufficient resources to improve each student’s educational achievements and reduce chronic absenteeism. Targeted resources may include increased academic counseling support, mental health resources, and college/career readiness.
Curriculum - GENup aims to ensure students receive a vibrant, rich curriculum reflective of California’s diversity. The curriculum should equip students with the academic and life skills required for success, whether it be in secondary education or career readiness.
Technology in Schools - GENup aims to ensure schools respond to technological advancements with online literacy and an emphasis on ethics.
OUR TRACK RECORD: TWELVE STUDENT-WRITTEN BILLS PASSED SINCE 2021
2021
AB 824 (Bennett): Authorizes county boards of education and charter schools to appoint one or more high school students to their governing boards.
2022
SB 955 (Leyva): Enhances student civic engagement by authorizing excused absences for participation in civic or political events.
SB 997 (Pan): Requires school districts and county superintendents serving middle/high school students to include at least two pupils as full members on the parent advisory committee (PAC) or establish a separate student advisory committee.
AB 2122 (Choi): Requires California Community Colleges and California State University campuses—and requests UC campuses—to print the telephone number of their campus mental health hotline on student identification cards.
AB 2683 (Gabriel): Requirement for annual comprehensive training on sexual violence and harassment at certain California postsecondary institutions.
2023
AB 873 (Berman): Integration of media literacy in the core subjects for California public K-12 education.
AB 1138 (Weber): Requires California colleges and universities to provide free, safe, and anonymous transportation to and from forensic medical exams (SART exams).
AB 461 (Ramos): Requires California Community College districts and the California State University (CSU) system to stock fentanyl test strips in campus health centers.
2024
SB 1288 (Becker): Requires a team specific for artificial intelligence oversight to determine the necessities and lapses in education.
AB 1939 (Maienschein): Requires each school attendance review board (SARB) to, at least annually, consult with pupils that reflect the diversity of all the schools to gain a better understanding of, and propose interventions for, pupil attendance or behavioral challenges.
AB 2771 (Maienschein): Requires establishment of county and local school attendance review boards that may promote the use of alternatives to the juvenile court system if available public and private services are insufficient or inappropriate to correct school attendance or school behavioral problems.
AB 1841 (Weber): Requires community colleges and CSUs (and requests UCs) to ensure opioid overdose reversal medication (e.g., Naloxone) is available in campus housing and to train residential advisors. It mandates email notifications to students regarding the location of this medication and prohibits disciplinary action for drug possession violations for those seeking help.