The Legislative Advocacy Team, February 16, 2026

California State PTA has taken a support position on California Senate Bill 747 authored by State Senator Scott Wiener (San Francisco), and has signed on as a co-sponsor. Here’s what PTA members need to know.

What Does SB 747 Do?

Right now, if a state or local police officer violates your constitutional rights — through an unlawful search or excessive force, for example — you can take them to court and seek damages. But if a federal agent does the same thing, it’s much harder to hold them accountable. Recent U.S. Supreme Court decisions have narrowed the legal options available to people harmed by federal officers, leaving a significant gap in protections.

SB 747 closes that gap. It creates a clear pathway under California state law for individuals to sue any government official — federal, state, or local — who violates their constitutional rights. The bill does not create new rights. It simply ensures there is a meaningful way to enforce the rights we already have, including protections for free speech and peaceful assembly.  It also protects us from unreasonable search and seizure, and for equal protection under the law.

The bill passed the State Senate on January 27, 2026 on a 30-10 vote and now heads to the Assembly.

Why Is California State PTA Supporting This Bill?

Our position is grounded in our Democracy in Practice: Constitutional Principles, Human Rights and Civic Integrity position statement, adopted in August 2025, which states:

To preserve and protect our democracy, elected officials, government agencies, and the public must understand, honor, and uphold the established principles embedded in the U.S. Constitution.

That statement also calls on PTA to speak out to protect fundamental constitutional rights — rights that belong to young people and adults, citizens and immigrants alike. SB 747 directly advances these values. When constitutional rights can be violated without consequence, those rights exist only on paper. This bill ensures that Californians — including the children, youth, and families we serve — have a real path to accountability.

What About Concerns?

Some law enforcement organizations argue that SB 747 overlaps with California’s existing Tom Bane Civil Rights Act. However, the Bane Act requires showing that a violation involved “threats, intimidation, or coercion,”  a higher bar that can make claims difficult to pursue. SB 747 provides a more straightforward cause of action while maintaining the same legal immunities that already protect government officials from frivolous suits.

What Can PTA Members Do?

As SB 747 moves to the Assembly, PTA members can help by spreading the word within their local units and councils. Share this blog post, SB747 (Weiner) bill language, and California State PTA’s Democracy Position Statement. Sign up for advocacy information and take action alerts. When we understand our constitutional rights and the tools available to protect them, we are stronger advocates for every child and every family.

California State PTA’s Legislative Advocacy Commission voted to support and co-sponsor SB 747 on February 12, 2026. For more information on California State PTA legislative positions, visit capta.org.

The Legislative Advocacy Team, February 16, 2026

California State PTA has taken a support position on Senate Bill 1048, authored by State Senator Josh Becker and sponsored by Ten Strands and Undaunted K12. PTA has also signed on as a co-sponsor of the bill, which was introduced on February 12. Here is some preliminary information for PTA members. 

What would a State Seal of Climate Literacy signify?

The intent of SB 1048 is to create a voluntary climate literacy diploma endorsement program for California high school students. Participating school districts would offer students the opportunity to graduate with a Seal of Climate Literacy on their diplomas, signifying their completion of relevant science and climate literacy coursework and hands-on experiential learning projects in their communities. In attaining the Seal, students will gain college-preparatory and career-relevant skills and experiences that will enable them to both understand and act on the challenges of a changing climate.

The choice of approved courses in the area of climate literacy would be up to school districts. They could include existing high-level science courses, career technical courses (including through dual enrollment), and courses in other subject areas that integrate the state’s environmental principles and concepts. Students would also need to complete a final experiential learning project that focuses on the effects of climate change in the pupil’s local community and which demonstrates an academic understanding of climate literacy. 

The bill also calls for the creation of two special distinctions to recognize students who demonstrate proficiency in technical green skills or earn college credit while attaining the Seal of Climate Literacy. 

Why is a State Seal needed?

California students are feeling the impacts of climate change in their communities and at school. During the 2025 fall semester, for example, they lost 55,000 hours of instructional time due to extreme weather, including wildfires, flooding, and heatwaves. As students feel these impacts, it is clear they want more climate education. For example, a recent UN study found that 98% of young people surveyed felt climate education should be taught in primary, secondary, and higher education classrooms. 

Research shows that employers are seeking climate-literate workers who have both technical knowledge and essential skills. Climate change is reshaping the workforce, and students need preparation that reflects that reality.

The California Seal of Climate Literacy will recognize students who develop the skills to understand climate change and its impacts, to engage their communities with innovative solutions, and to prepare for careers and further study in environmental fields. 

The first state to adopt the Seal of Climate Literacy was Colorado, doing so in 2024. What began as a student-led movement there has become a growing national effort to recognize climate-ready graduates. Today, states across the country are considering adoption of this model in the hope that it helps prepare students for their futures. 

Why Is California State PTA Supporting This Bill?

California State PTA has a long history of supporting the need for students to be educated about environmental issues.

More than a decade ago, PTA Convention delegates adopted a resolution affirming that Climate Change is a Children’s Issue. As part of that resolution, our organization committed to urging school districts to educate students on climate and energy literacy, and human sustainability. 

But California State PTA first went on record in 2007 supporting a comprehensive K-12 environmental education curriculum for all students. That position statement, entitled Environmental Health and Environmental Education, states: 

“… protecting the environment and human health is a complex, interconnected and perpetual endeavor. PTA encourages schools, families, and communities to support environmental decision-making processes that are open to all and that are based on stewardship of the environment and concern for the people who live in it, especially the most vulnerable, our children.” 

What Can PTA Members Do?

PTA members can help raise awareness about SB 1048 and the Seal of Climate Literacy by spreading the word within their local units and councils. Share this blog post, the SB 1048 (Becker) bill language, and California State PTA’s resolution Climate Change is a Children’s Issue. Sign up for advocacy information and Take Action alerts. Our students want and need to be climate literate and the Seal of Climate Literacy can help further that goal.

California State PTA’s Legislative Advocacy Commission voted to support and co-sponsor SB 1048 on February 13, 2026. For more information on California State PTA legislative positions, visit capta.org.

By the California State PTA Legislative Advocacy Team

On February 17, 1897, Alice McLellan Birney and Phoebe Apperson Hearst convened over 2,000 people in Washington, D.C. to launch what would become the nation’s largest volunteer child advocacy organization. In 1926, Selena Sloan Butler founded the National Congress of Colored Parents and Teachers to advocate for all children, especially those in segregated communities. These three PTA founders believed parents working together could eliminate threats endangering children—and they were right. Their vision built an organization that has championed kindergarten classes, child labor laws, public health services, school lunch programs, juvenile justice reform, and mandatory immunizations. 

Today, California State PTA’s Legislative Advocacy Team carries this mission forward.

California State PTA has a bold history of creating and supporting laws that improve the lives of all children. Our advocacy protects the rights of all children, youth, and families regardless of background, status, or identity. We work to assure high-quality, inclusive, and equitable public education with meaningful opportunities for family participation. We safeguard the health, safety, and well-being of children and families while supporting measures that equip students, schools, and communities to address the effects of climate change.

This work produces tangible results. California State PTA has been recognized with the Outstanding State Advocacy Award from National PTA for our efforts on behalf of children. For decades, we have advocated for adequate and equitable school funding in California. Our support helped pass the Local Control Funding Formula, which fundamentally changed how schools are funded and how parents participate in educational decisions. We have pushed for accountability measures that consider the needs of the whole child—not just test scores, but also graduation rates, access to the arts and enrichment, and school social climate. We continue advancing efforts to ensure all students have access to a full curriculum that includes the arts.

The Legislative Advocacy Team prepares PTA members to engage effectively in the democratic process. We train local advocacy chairs and legislative officers, providing resources and guidance to streamline their work. The annual Legislation Conference brings PTA advocates to Sacramento to meet with legislators, learn advocacy skills, and strengthen our collective voice for children.

Every PTA member can continue the legacy of our founders. 

• Sign up for action alerts at capta.org to receive notifications when your voice is needed on legislation affecting children. 
• Attend your local school board meetings and participate in the Local Control Accountability Plan process. 
• Use social media to amplify the PTA’s voice on education issues. 
• Complete the free Ed100.org online course to deepen your understanding of California education and share it with others in your PTA. 
• Most importantly, get informed, vote, and encourage others to do the same, including high school students.

Our founders understood the power of individual action. They worked beyond the accepted barriers of their day and took action to change the world for all children. When you join your local PTA in advocacy work, you become part of a tradition that has been making a difference for 129 years. The challenges facing today’s families may differ from those of 1897, but the solution remains the same: families and educators working together to make the world better for children.