The watchtower for Faith, Family, and Freedom Legislation

California AB86: Instructional materials: health education.

☆ Watch
  1. Introduced
  2. Passed Assembly
  3. Passed Senate
  4. To Governor
  5. Vetoed

Overview

AB86 adds requirements to California Education Code regarding instructional materials used in health education, establishing new standards for what materials schools must use or how health education is taught.

Law Today

California law already requires the State Board of Education to adopt instructional materials for kindergarten through grade 8 in various subjects. The bill extends this requirement specifically to health education materials, which must align with the state's 2019 health curriculum framework.

If Passed

School districts will be required to use state-approved health education materials for K–8 by July 1, 2028. This removes local control over which health textbooks and curricula are used in classrooms, centralizing approval authority at the state level and binding schools to whatever content the state board decides aligns with its 2019 health curriculum framework.

AI-generated from the bill text — verify against the official text.

Should I support this?

  1. Strongly Oppose
  2. This billLikely Oppose
  3. Neutral
  4. Likely Support
  5. Strongly Support

Likely Oppose

This bill removes local control and parental input over health education materials, mandating alignment with California's 2019 framework—which Christian parents often find objectionable on topics like comprehensive sex education and gender ideology. By centralizing approval at the state level and eliminating district or parent discretion, it restricts the ability of Christian families to guide their children's values education in line with their faith.

AI assessment using F3’s editorial criteria — faith, family, and freedom. This is F3’s policy judgment; verify the provisions in the official bill text.

Likely supporters & opponents

Likely support

  • education-consistency advocates — Statewide adoption of approved materials ensures all California students receive consistent, evidence-based health instruction across districts.
  • public-health organizations — Standardized, vetted health materials help ensure accurate, medically sound information reaches all students uniformly.

Likely opposition

  • parental-rights and homeschool advocacy organizations — State control over health curriculum materials reduces parental choice and local community input over what health and sex education content children encounter.
  • religious-liberty organizations — Mandatory state-approved health materials may conflict with family values and religious beliefs about topics like sexuality, contraception, and gender, leaving parents no alternative within public schools.
  • school-choice advocates — Centralizing curriculum removes flexibility for schools and districts to tailor instruction to their communities' needs and preferences.

AI-inferred typical positions based on the bill’s substance — general stakeholder categories, not confirmed endorsements.

💬 Chat about this bill ↗Official bill text ↗View on LegiScan ↗

Official summary

An act to add Section 60209 to the Education Code, relating to pupil instruction.

Sponsors

  • Tasha Boerner Horvath (D)

Status timeline

  1. 2026-01-22Consideration of Governor's veto stricken from file.A
  2. 2025-10-01Consideration of Governor's veto pending.A
  3. 2025-10-01Vetoed by Governor.A
  4. 2025-09-16Enrolled and presented to the Governor at 2 p.m.
  5. 2025-09-09In Assembly. Ordered to Engrossing and Enrolling.A
  6. 2025-09-09Read third time. Passed. Ordered to the Assembly. (Ayes 30. Noes 10. Page 2745.).S
  7. 2025-08-29Read second time. Ordered to third reading.S
  8. 2025-08-29From committee: Do pass. (Ayes 5. Noes 2.) (August 29).S
  9. 2025-07-07In committee: Referred to APPR. suspense file.S
  10. 2025-06-25From committee: Do pass and re-refer to Com. on APPR. (Ayes 5. Noes 1.) (June 25). Re-referred to Com. on APPR.S
  11. 2025-06-11Referred to Com. on ED.S
  12. 2025-05-29In Senate. Read first time. To Com. on RLS. for assignment.S
  13. 2025-05-29Read third time. Passed. Ordered to the Senate. (Ayes 62. Noes 0. Page 1780.)A
  14. 2025-05-27Read second time. Ordered to third reading.A
  15. 2025-05-23From committee: Do pass. (Ayes 13. Noes 0.) (May 23).A
  16. 2025-04-09In committee: Set, first hearing. Referred to APPR. suspense file.A
  17. 2025-03-13From committee: Do pass and re-refer to Com. on APPR. (Ayes 8. Noes 0.) (March 12). Re-referred to Com. on APPR.A
  18. 2025-02-03Referred to Com. on ED.A
  19. 2025-01-07From printer. May be heard in committee February 6.A
  20. 2025-01-06Read first time. To print.A

H = House · S = Senate · A = Assembly