Existing law authorizes a school district, with the approval of its governing board, to procure design-build contracts for public works projects in excess of $1,000,000, awarding the contract to either the low bid or the best value, as provided. Existing law requires specified information relating to design-build bid proposals to be verified under penalty of perjury.

This bill would authorize a school district, on or before December 31, 2031, and with the approval of its governing board, to procure multiple design-build contracts for comparable shade structure projects at various sites, bundled through a single solicitation, if the total value of the projects exceeds $1,000,000 but does not exceed $10,000,000, awarding the bundled contracts to the lowest bid or the best value. The bill would require each contract awarded through the bundled solicitation to be a separate contract for a single project, as provided. By expanding the crime of perjury, the bill would impose a state-mandated local program.

The Field Act requires the Department of General Services under the police power of the state to supervise the design and construction of any school building or the reconstruction or alteration of or addition to any school building, if not exempted, to ensure that plans and specifications comply with adopted rules and regulations and building standards published in regulations, and to ensure that the work of construction is performed in accordance with the approved plans and specifications for the protection of life and property.

The California Building Standards Code requires that specified buildings, structures, and facilities be accessible to, and useable by, persons with disabilities, including that when alterations or additions are made to existing buildings or facilities, an accessible path of travel to the specific area of alteration or addition is provided.

Existing law limits the cost of complying with the requirement to provide an accessible path of travel to the installation of a free-standing, open-sided shade structure project that meets specified requirements and that is on a school district, county office of education, charter school, or community college campus to 20% of the adjusted construction cost, as defined, of the shade structure project.

This bill would additionally limit the cost of complying with the requirement to provide an accessible path of travel to the installation of a shade structure integrated with playground equipment that meets specified requirements and that is on a school district, county office of education, charter school, or community college campus to 20% of the adjusted construction cost, as defined, of the shade structure project.

This bill would incorporate additional changes to Section 17250.20 of the Education Code proposed by AB 1860 to be operative only if this bill and AB 1860 are enacted and this bill is enacted last.

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 no reimbursement is required by this act for a specified reason.

Existing law authorizes a school district, with the approval of its governing board, to procure design-build contracts for public works projects in excess of $1,000,000, awarding the contract to either the low bid or the best value, as provided. Existing law requires specified information relating to design-build bid proposals to be verified under penalty of perjury.

This bill would authorize a school district, on or before December 31, 2031, and with the approval of its governing board, to procure multiple design-build contracts for comparable shade structure projects at various sites, bundled through a single solicitation, if the total value of the projects exceeds $1,000,000 but does not exceed $10,000,000, awarding the bundled contracts to the lowest bid or the best value. The bill would require each contract awarded through the bundled solicitation to be a separate contract for a single project, as provided. By expanding the crime of perjury, the bill would impose a state-mandated local program.

The Field Act requires the Department of General Services under the police power of the state to supervise the design and construction of any school building or the reconstruction or alteration of or addition to any school building, if not exempted, to ensure that plans and specifications comply with adopted rules and regulations and building standards published in regulations, and to ensure that the work of construction is performed in accordance with the approved plans and specifications for the protection of life and property.

The California Building Standards Code requires that specified buildings, structures, and facilities be accessible to, and useable by, persons with disabilities, including that when alterations or additions are made to existing buildings or facilities, an accessible path of travel to the specific area of alteration or addition is provided.

Existing law limits the cost of complying with the requirement to provide an accessible path of travel to the installation of a free-standing, open-sided shade structure project that meets specified requirements and that is on a school district, county office of education, charter school, or community college campus to 20% of the adjusted construction cost, as defined, of the shade structure project.

This bill would additionally limit the cost of complying with the requirement to provide an accessible path of travel to the installation of a shade structure integrated with playground equipment that meets specified requirements and that is on a school district, county office of education, charter school, or community college campus to 20% of the adjusted construction cost, as defined, of the shade structure project.

This bill would incorporate additional changes to Section 17250.20 of the Education Code proposed by AB 1860 to be operative only if this bill and AB 1860 are enacted and this bill is enacted last.

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 no reimbursement is required by this act for a specified reason.

Existing law authorizes a school district, with the approval of its governing board, to procure design-build contracts for public works projects in excess of $1,000,000, awarding the contract to either the low bid or the best value, as provided. Existing law requires specified information relating to design-build bid proposals to be verified under penalty of perjury.

This bill would authorize a school district, on or before December 31, 2031, and with the approval of its governing board, to procure multiple design-build contracts for comparable shade structure projects at various sites, bundled through a single solicitation, if the total value of the projects exceeds $1,000,000 but does not exceed $10,000,000, awarding the bundled contracts to the lowest bid or the best value. The bill would require each contract awarded through the bundled solicitation to be a separate contract for a single project, as provided. By expanding the crime of perjury, the bill would impose a state-mandated local program.

The Field Act requires the Department of General Services under the police power of the state to supervise the design and construction of any school building or the reconstruction or alteration of or addition to any school building, if not exempted, to ensure that plans and specifications comply with adopted rules and regulations and building standards published in regulations, and to ensure that the work of construction is performed in accordance with the approved plans and specifications for the protection of life and property.

The California Building Standards Code requires that specified buildings, structures, and facilities be accessible to, and useable by, persons with disabilities, including that when alterations or additions are made to existing buildings or facilities, an accessible path of travel to the specific area of alteration or addition is provided.

Existing law limits the cost of complying with the requirement to provide an accessible path of travel to the installation of a free-standing, open-sided shade structure project that meets specified requirements and that is on a school district, county office of education, charter school, or community college campus to 20% of the adjusted construction cost, as defined, of the shade structure project.

This bill would additionally limit the cost of complying with the requirement to provide an accessible path of travel to the installation of a shade structure integrated with playground equipment that meets specified requirements and that is on a school district, county office of education, charter school, or community college campus to 20% of the adjusted construction cost, as defined, of the shade structure project.

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 no reimbursement is required by this act for a specified reason.

Existing law authorizes a school district, with the approval of its governing board, to procure design-build contracts for public works projects in excess of $1,000,000, awarding the contract to either the low bid or the best value, as provided. Existing law requires specified information relating to design-build bid proposals to be verified under penalty of perjury.

This bill would authorize a school district, on or before December 31, 2031, and with the approval of its governing board, to procure multiple design-build contracts for comparable shade structure projects at various sites, including, but not limited to, shade structure projects, bundled through a single solicitation, if the total value of the projects exceeds $1,000,000, $1,000,000 but does not exceed $10,000,000, awarding the bundled contracts to the lowest bid or the best value. The bill would require each contract awarded through the bundled solicitation to be a separate contract for a single project, as provided. By expanding the crime of perjury, the bill would impose a state-mandated local program.

The Field Act requires the Department of General Services under the police power of the state to supervise the design and construction of any school building or the reconstruction or alteration of or addition to any school building, if not exempted, to ensure that plans and specifications comply with adopted rules and regulations and building standards published in regulations, and to ensure that the work of construction is performed in accordance with the approved plans and specifications for the protection of life and property.

The California Building Standards Code requires that specified buildings, structures, and facilities be accessible to, and useable by, persons with disabilities, including that when alterations or additions are made to existing buildings or facilities, an accessible path of travel to the specific area of alteration or addition is provided.

Existing law limits the cost of complying with the requirement to provide an accessible path of travel to the installation of a free-standing, open-sided shade structure project that meets specified requirements and that is on a school district, county office of education, charter school, or community college campus to 20% of the adjusted construction cost, as defined, of the shade structure project.

This bill would additionally limit the cost of complying with the requirement to provide an accessible path of travel to the installation of a shade structure integrated with playground equipment that meets specified requirements and that is on a school district, county office of education, charter school, or community college campus to 20% of the adjusted construction cost, as defined, of the shade structure project.

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 no reimbursement is required by this act for a specified reason.

The Field Act requires the Department of General Services under the police power of the state to supervise the design and construction of any school building or the reconstruction or alteration of or addition to any school building, if not exempted, to ensure that plans and specifications comply with adopted rules and regulations and building standards published in regulations, and to ensure that the work of construction is performed in accordance with the approved plans and specifications for the protection of life and property.

The California Building Standards Code requires that specified buildings, structures, and facilities be accessible to, and useable by, persons with disabilities, including that when alterations or additions are made to existing buildings or facilities, an accessible path of travel to the specific area of alteration or addition is provided.

Existing law limits the cost of complying with the requirement to provide an accessible path of travel to the installation of a free-standing, open-sided shade structure project that meets specified requirements and that is on a school district, county office of education, charter school, or community college campus to 20% of the adjusted construction cost, as defined, of the shade structure project.

This bill would additionally limit the cost of complying with the requirement to provide an accessible path of travel to the installation of a shade structure integrated with playground equipment that meets specified requirements and that is on a school district, county office of education, charter school, or community college campus to 20% of the adjusted construction cost, as defined, of the shade structure project.

The Field Act requires the Department of General Services under the police power of the state to supervise the design and construction of any school building or the reconstruction or alteration of or addition to any school building, if not exempted, to ensure that plans and specifications comply with adopted rules and regulations and building standards published in regulations, and to ensure that the work of construction is performed in accordance with the approved plans and specifications for the protection of life and property.

The California Building Standards Code requires that specified buildings, structures, and facilities be accessible to, and useable by, persons with disabilities, including that when alterations or additions are made to existing buildings or facilities, an accessible path of travel to the specific area of alteration or addition is provided.

Existing law limits the cost of complying with the requirement to provide an accessible path of travel to the installation of a free-standing, open-sided shade structure project that meets specified requirements and that is on a school district, county office of education, charter school, or community college campus to 20% of the adjusted construction cost, as defined, of the shade structure project.

The Field Act requires the Department of General Services under the police power of the state to supervise the design and construction of any school building or the reconstruction or alteration of or addition to any school building, if not exempted, to ensure that plans and specifications comply with adopted rules and regulations and building standards published in regulations, and to ensure that the work of construction is performed in accordance with the approved plans and specifications for the protection of life and property.

The California Building Standards Code requires that specified buildings, structures, and facilities be accessible to, and useable by, persons with disabilities, including that when alterations or additions are made to existing buildings or facilities, an accessible path of travel to the specific area of alteration or addition is provided.

Existing law limits the cost of complying with the requirement to provide an accessible path of travel to a free-standing, open-sided shade structure project that meets specified requirements and that is on a school district, county office of education, charter school, or community college campus to 20% of the adjusted construction cost, as defined, of the shade structure project.

This bill would increase the above-described limit on the cost of complying with the requirement to provide an accessible path of travel to a shade structure project to instead be 25% of the adjusted construction cost of the shade structure project.

 UNFINISHED BUSINESS  

Bill No: SB 1107

Author: Stern (D)

Amended: 8/13/26

Vote: 21

SENATE EDUCATION COMMITTEE: 7-0, 4/8/26

AYES: Pérez, Ochoa Bogh, Cabaldon, Choi, Cortese, Gonzalez, Reyes

SENATE APPROPRIATIONS COMMITTEE: Senate Rule 28.8

SENATE FLOOR: 37-0, 4/23/26 (Consent)

AYES: Allen, Alvarado-Gil, Archuleta, Arreguín, Ashby, Becker, Blakespear, Cabaldon, Caballero, Cervantes, Choi, Cortese, Dahle, Durazo, Gonzalez, Grayson, Grove, Hurtado, Jones, Laird, Limón, McGuire, McNerney, Menjivar, Niello, Padilla, Pérez, Richardson, Rubio, Seyarto, Smallwood-Cuevas, Stern, Strickland, Umberg, Valladares, Weber Pierson, Wiener

NO VOTE RECORDED: Ochoa Bogh, Reyes, Wahab

ASSEMBLY FLOOR: 79-0, 8/26/26 - See last page for vote

SUBJECT: School facilities: design-build: shade structures

SOURCE: Los Angeles Unified School District

DIGEST:

This bill authorizes school districts to bundle multiple comparable shade structure projects at different sites into a single design-build solicitation, subject to specified requirements, and expands an existing exemption from accessible path-of-travel requirements under the California Building Standards Code for certain freestanding shade structures to also apply to shade structures that are integrated into playground equipment.

Assembly Amendments

authorize school districts, until January 1, 2032, to bundle multiple comparable shade structure projects at different sites into a single design-build solicitation when the combined value of the projects exceeds $1 million, even if individual projects are below the $1 million threshold for use of design-build, and make related chaptering amendments.

ANALYSIS:

Existing law:

1) Defines “construction or alteration” for purposes of school facilities projects to include any construction, reconstruction, or alteration of, or addition to, any school building.

2) Requires the Department of General Services (DGS) to pass upon and approve or reject all plans for the construction or, if the estimated cost exceeds $100,000, the alteration of any school building.

3) Generally requires the governing board of each school and community college district, before adopting construction or alteration plans, to submit the plans to DGS for approval and pay all associated fees.

4) Requires construction projects over $209,208 (cost threshold) to provide “an accessible path of travel” from the building entrance to the project location.

5) Specifies that an area that has been altered without providing an accessible path of travel to that area, and subsequent alterations of that area or a different area on the same path of travel are undertaken within three years of the original alteration, the total cost of alterations for the preceding three-year period shall be considered in determining whether the cost threshold has been met.

6) Limits the cost of complying with the requirement to provide an accessible path of travel to a free-standing, open-sided shade structure project to 20% of the adjusted construction cost, as defined, of the shade structure project.

7) Authorizes a school district, with the approval of its governing board, to use the design-build procurement process for public works projects in excess of $1 million and to award a design-build contract to either the low bid or the best value, as specified.

This bill:

1. Authorizes a school district, until January 1, 2032, with the approval of its governing board, to bundle multiple comparable shade structure projects at different sites through a single design-build solicitation if the combined value of the projects exceeds $1 million, even if an individual project is valued at less than $1 million, provided that no individual project exceeds $10 million.
2. Requires each project awarded through a bundled solicitation to be a separate contract with an individual contract value, scope of work, location, schedule, design, and construction, and authorizes a contract entered into by December 31, 2031, to be completed after that date.
3. Expands an existing exemption from accessible path-of-travel requirements under the Building Code for certain freestanding shade structures to also apply to integrated shade structures attached to playground equipment that are included on DSA’s approved pre-check design list.

Comments

1) Need for the bill. According to the author, “Spending time outside plays a vital role in supporting children’s overall health and academic achievement. Regular access to outdoor environments can reduce stress and inattentiveness while strengthening cognitive growth and emotional well-being. However, students in urban areas face greater exposure to extreme temperatures, which can undermine the benefits of outdoor play by increasing their vulnerability to heat-related illnesses and diminishing their ability to focus and learn. Proper shading structures are essential to lower surrounding temperatures and protect children from dangerous heat.

“We are proud to continue the important work SB 515 had started by expanding its provisions to include overheard playground structure shading, further empowering our schools to quickly and cost-effectively provide schoolyard shading that keeps our children cool while they play.”

2) Plan review for construction projects. The DSA reviews plans for public school construction and certain other state-funded building projects to ensure that plans, specifications, and construction comply with California’s building codes (Title 24 of the California Code of Regulations). The majority of DSA’s plan review and construction oversight focuses on new construction and alteration projects for California school and community college districts. DSA’s plan review ensures the project’s compliance with code requirements related to:

a) Structural safety, ensuring that facilities meet the high standards set in the Field Act to withstand an earthquake.

b) Fire and life safety, addressing the safety of occupants in buildings, as related to fire resistive building materials, fire alarms, fire suppression equipment, safe occupant egress, and firefighting equipment access.

c) Access compliance, ensuring that public schools and state-funded construction projects meet accessibility requirements for people with disabilities.

d) Energy efficiency, including compliance with applicable California Green Building Standards Code requirements for sustainability.

3) The Field Act. All school facilities must be built in compliance with specified earthquake safety standards, commonly known as the “Field Act.” The Field Act was enacted following a severe earthquake in Long Beach in 1933. The Field Act requires a comprehensive design specification and construction inspection process for K-12 public school educational facilities. Community college facilities may be constructed in accordance with either the Field Act or the Building Code.

The Field Act requires the DSA (within DGS) to review the construction plans for school buildings and requires school districts to hire onsite construction inspectors to ensure compliance with the structural safety standards. School and community college construction contracts may only be awarded after DSA approval of the plans and specifications on which the contracts are based.

4) State Architect’s pre-check approval process. The DSA maintains a pre-check design list that includes over 25 “off the shelf” shade structures that schools and community colleges can install according to an expedited review and approval process. The pre-check approval process is intended to streamline DSA plan review by providing a procedure for approving the design of commonly used structures prior to the submittal of plans to DSA for construction projects. The pre-check approval process allows designers to incorporate designs for structures that have already been “pre-checked” by DSA into their plans for actual site-specific construction projects.

5) Bundling shade structure projects for design-build procurement. Existing law generally authorizes a school district to use design-build procurement for public works projects exceeding $1 million. The Assembly amendments authorize a school district undertaking multiple comparable shade structure projects at different sites to bundle those projects through a single design-build solicitation if their combined value exceeds $1 million, even if individual projects are valued at less than $1 million. Each project must remain a separate contract with its own contract value, scope of work, location, schedule, design, and construction.

This approach may be particularly useful for districts seeking to install similar shade structures across multiple campuses. Bundling comparable projects could allow districts to reduce administrative costs, achieve economies of scale, and make design-build available for shade projects that would otherwise fall below the statutory threshold. The authority sunsets at the end of 2031, providing an opportunity to assess whether this approach reduces the cost or time associated with installing shade structures before considering whether it should be continued or applied more broadly.

6) Expanding SB 515’s exemption for shade structures. SB 515 (Stern, Chapter 489, Statutes of 2023) created a narrow exception to accessible path-of-travel requirements under the Building Code for freestanding, open-sided shade structures included DSA’s pre-check design list. That measure was intended to reduce project costs and facilitate the installation of shade structures on school campuses in response to increasing concerns about extreme heat exposure for students during outdoor activity.

Under the Building Code, alterations to existing school facilities that exceed a specified valuation threshold (currently $209,208) must also include the provision of an accessible path of travel to the area being altered. Smaller projects that fall below the valuation threshold are generally exempt from these requirements. However, if additional projects or repairs at the same campus within a three-year period cause the cumulative cost of alterations to exceed the threshold, the path-of-travel improvements may be required retroactively for the earlier project. According to the author, this framework may result in relatively small projects, such as playground shade structures, triggering broader accessibility upgrades if other campus work has occurred during the prior three years.

This bill proposes to extend the exemption created by SB 515 to integrated shade structures attached to playground equipment, allowing these projects to remain subject to the 20% path-of-travel cap regardless of whether the valuation threshold would otherwise be exceeded.

7) Balancing climate adaptation with accessibility improvements. School districts and advocates increasingly view playground shade structures as an important strategy for protecting students from extreme heat during outdoor activity. For example, Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD) reports that approximately 380 schools lack shade over play structures. With a $40 million budget dedicated to shade shelters, LAUSD estimates it can install structures at approximately 49 schools, prioritizing campuses using its Student Equity Need Index to target investments toward communities most vulnerable to extreme heat. According to LAUSD, reducing project costs associated with accessibility triggers allows available funding to reach a greater number of campuses.

At the same time, accessible path-of-travel requirements serve an important policy purpose: ensuring that accessibility improvements are incorporated into existing school facilities over time as campuses undergo alterations. For students, staff, and visitors who use wheelchairs or have other mobility challenges, these incremental upgrades can determine whether new or improved spaces on campus are reachable. Expanding exemptions from these requirements may allow new amenities to be installed without triggering broader accessibility improvements that might otherwise occur during facility upgrades. As the Committee considers expanding the exemption created by SB 515, it may wish to weigh the benefits of facilitating additional shade installations against the potential for fewer accessibility improvements to be made on aging school campuses.

FISCAL EFFECT: Appropriation: No Fiscal Com.: Yes Local: Yes

According to the Assembly Appropriations Committee:

1. Ongoing General Fund costs of $1.1 million for the Labor Commissioner's Office (under the Department of Industrial Relations (DIR)) to accommodate the additional number of projects subject to enforcement of skilled and trained workforce requirements by the Division of Labor Standards Enforcement. According to DIR, under existing law, school districts are required to use a skilled and trained workforce to perform all work for design-build projects or contracts that fall within an apprenticeable occupation in the building and construction trades.
2. Minor and absorbable costs to the Division of the State Architect (DSA) within the Department of General Services (DGS).

SUPPORT: (Verified 8/26/26)

Los Angeles Unified School District (source)

OPPOSITION: (Verified 8/26/26)

None received

ASSEMBLY FLOOR: 79-0 8/26/26

AYES: Addis, Aguiar-Curry, Ahrens, Alanis, Alvarez, Arambula, Ávila Farías, Bains, Bauer-Kahan, Bennett, Berman, Boerner, Bonta, Bryan, Calderon, Caloza, Carrillo, Castillo, Chen, Connolly, Davies, DeMaio, Dixon, Elhawary, Ellis, Flora, Fong, Gabriel, Garcia, Gipson, Jeff Gonzalez, Mark González, Hadwick, Haney, Harabedian, Hart, Hoover, Irwin, Jackson, Johnson, Kalra, Krell, Lackey, Lee, Lowenthal, Macedo, McKinnor, Muratsuchi, Nguyen, Ortega, Pacheco, Papan, Patel, Patterson, Pellerin, Petrie-Norris, Quirk-Silva, Ramos, Ransom, Celeste Rodriguez, Michelle Rodriguez, Rogers, Blanca Rubio, Sanchez, Schiavo, Schultz, Sharp-Collins, Solache, Soria, Stefani, Ta, Tangipa, Valencia, Wallis, Ward, Wicks, Wilson, Zbur, Rivas

Prepared by: Ian Johnson / ED. / (916) 651-4105

9/22/26 11:44:40

**** END ****

 UNFINISHED BUSINESS  

Bill No: SB 1107

Author: Stern (D)

Amended: 8/13/26

Vote: 21

SENATE EDUCATION COMMITTEE: 7-0, 4/8/26

AYES: Pérez, Ochoa Bogh, Cabaldon, Choi, Cortese, Gonzalez, Reyes

SENATE APPROPRIATIONS COMMITTEE: Senate Rule 28.8

SENATE FLOOR: 37-0, 4/23/26 (Consent)

AYES: Allen, Alvarado-Gil, Archuleta, Arreguín, Ashby, Becker, Blakespear, Cabaldon, Caballero, Cervantes, Choi, Cortese, Dahle, Durazo, Gonzalez, Grayson, Grove, Hurtado, Jones, Laird, Limón, McGuire, McNerney, Menjivar, Niello, Padilla, Pérez, Richardson, Rubio, Seyarto, Smallwood-Cuevas, Stern, Strickland, Umberg, Valladares, Weber Pierson, Wiener

NO VOTE RECORDED: Ochoa Bogh, Reyes, Wahab

ASSEMBLY FLOOR: Passed, 8/26/26

SUBJECT: School facilities: shade structures

SOURCE: Los Angeles Unified School District

DIGEST:

This bill authorizes school districts to bundle multiple comparable shade structure projects at different sites into a single design-build solicitation, subject to specified requirements, and expands an existing exemption from accessible path-of-travel requirements under the California Building Standards Code for certain freestanding shade structures to also apply to shade structures that are integrated into playground equipment.

Assembly Amendments

authorize school districts, until January 1, 2032, to bundle multiple comparable shade structure projects at different sites into a single design-build solicitation when the combined value of the projects exceeds $1 million, even if individual projects are below the $1 million threshold for use of design-build, and make related chaptering amendments.

ANALYSIS:

Existing law:

1) Defines “construction or alteration” for purposes of school facilities projects to include any construction, reconstruction, or alteration of, or addition to, any school building.

2) Requires the Department of General Services (DGS) to pass upon and approve or reject all plans for the construction or, if the estimated cost exceeds $100,000, the alteration of any school building.

3) Generally requires the governing board of each school and community college district, before adopting construction or alteration plans, to submit the plans to DGS for approval and pay all associated fees.

4) Requires construction projects over $209,208 (cost threshold) to provide “an accessible path of travel” from the building entrance to the project location.

5) Specifies that an area that has been altered without providing an accessible path of travel to that area, and subsequent alterations of that area or a different area on the same path of travel are undertaken within three years of the original alteration, the total cost of alterations for the preceding three-year period shall be considered in determining whether the cost threshold has been met.

6) Limits the cost of complying with the requirement to provide an accessible path of travel to a free-standing, open-sided shade structure project to 20% of the adjusted construction cost, as defined, of the shade structure project.

7) Authorizes a school district, with the approval of its governing board, to use the design-build procurement process for public works projects in excess of $1 million and to award a design-build contract to either the low bid or the best value, as specified.

This bill:

1. Authorizes a school district, until January 1, 2032, with the approval of its governing board, to bundle multiple comparable shade structure projects at different sites through a single design-build solicitation if the combined value of the projects exceeds $1 million, even if an individual project is valued at less than $1 million, provided that no individual project exceeds $10 million.
2. Requires each project awarded through a bundled solicitation to be a separate contract with an individual contract value, scope of work, location, schedule, design, and construction, and authorizes a contract entered into by December 31, 2031, to be completed after that date.
3. Expands an existing exemption from accessible path-of-travel requirements under the Building Code for certain freestanding shade structures to also apply to integrated shade structures attached to playground equipment that are included on DSA’s approved pre-check design list.

Comments

1) Need for the bill. According to the author, “Spending time outside plays a vital role in supporting children’s overall health and academic achievement. Regular access to outdoor environments can reduce stress and inattentiveness while strengthening cognitive growth and emotional well-being. However, students in urban areas face greater exposure to extreme temperatures, which can undermine the benefits of outdoor play by increasing their vulnerability to heat-related illnesses and diminishing their ability to focus and learn. Proper shading structures are essential to lower surrounding temperatures and protect children from dangerous heat.

“We are proud to continue the important work SB 515 had started by expanding its provisions to include overheard playground structure shading, further empowering our schools to quickly and cost-effectively provide schoolyard shading that keeps our children cool while they play.”

2) Plan review for construction projects. The DSA reviews plans for public school construction and certain other state-funded building projects to ensure that plans, specifications, and construction comply with California’s building codes (Title 24 of the California Code of Regulations). The majority of DSA’s plan review and construction oversight focuses on new construction and alteration projects for California school and community college districts. DSA’s plan review ensures the project’s compliance with code requirements related to:

a) Structural safety, ensuring that facilities meet the high standards set in the Field Act to withstand an earthquake.

b) Fire and life safety, addressing the safety of occupants in buildings, as related to fire resistive building materials, fire alarms, fire suppression equipment, safe occupant egress, and firefighting equipment access.

c) Access compliance, ensuring that public schools and state-funded construction projects meet accessibility requirements for people with disabilities.

d) Energy efficiency, including compliance with applicable California Green Building Standards Code requirements for sustainability.

3) The Field Act. All school facilities must be built in compliance with specified earthquake safety standards, commonly known as the “Field Act.” The Field Act was enacted following a severe earthquake in Long Beach in 1933. The Field Act requires a comprehensive design specification and construction inspection process for K-12 public school educational facilities. Community college facilities may be constructed in accordance with either the Field Act or the Building Code.

The Field Act requires the DSA (within DGS) to review the construction plans for school buildings and requires school districts to hire onsite construction inspectors to ensure compliance with the structural safety standards. School and community college construction contracts may only be awarded after DSA approval of the plans and specifications on which the contracts are based.

4) State Architect’s pre-check approval process. The DSA maintains a pre-check design list that includes over 25 “off the shelf” shade structures that schools and community colleges can install according to an expedited review and approval process. The pre-check approval process is intended to streamline DSA plan review by providing a procedure for approving the design of commonly used structures prior to the submittal of plans to DSA for construction projects. The pre-check approval process allows designers to incorporate designs for structures that have already been “pre-checked” by DSA into their plans for actual site-specific construction projects.

5) Bundling shade structure projects for design-build procurement. Existing law generally authorizes a school district to use design-build procurement for public works projects exceeding $1 million. The Assembly amendments authorize a school district undertaking multiple comparable shade structure projects at different sites to bundle those projects through a single design-build solicitation if their combined value exceeds $1 million, even if individual projects are valued at less than $1 million. Each project must remain a separate contract with its own contract value, scope of work, location, schedule, design, and construction.

This approach may be particularly useful for districts seeking to install similar shade structures across multiple campuses. Bundling comparable projects could allow districts to reduce administrative costs, achieve economies of scale, and make design-build available for shade projects that would otherwise fall below the statutory threshold. The authority sunsets at the end of 2031, providing an opportunity to assess whether this approach reduces the cost or time associated with installing shade structures before considering whether it should be continued or applied more broadly.

6) Expanding SB 515’s exemption for shade structures. SB 515 (Stern, Chapter 489, Statutes of 2023) created a narrow exception to accessible path-of-travel requirements under the Building Code for freestanding, open-sided shade structures included DSA’s pre-check design list. That measure was intended to reduce project costs and facilitate the installation of shade structures on school campuses in response to increasing concerns about extreme heat exposure for students during outdoor activity.

Under the Building Code, alterations to existing school facilities that exceed a specified valuation threshold (currently $209,208) must also include the provision of an accessible path of travel to the area being altered. Smaller projects that fall below the valuation threshold are generally exempt from these requirements. However, if additional projects or repairs at the same campus within a three-year period cause the cumulative cost of alterations to exceed the threshold, the path-of-travel improvements may be required retroactively for the earlier project. According to the author, this framework may result in relatively small projects, such as playground shade structures, triggering broader accessibility upgrades if other campus work has occurred during the prior three years.

This bill proposes to extend the exemption created by SB 515 to integrated shade structures attached to playground equipment, allowing these projects to remain subject to the 20% path-of-travel cap regardless of whether the valuation threshold would otherwise be exceeded.

7) Balancing climate adaptation with accessibility improvements. School districts and advocates increasingly view playground shade structures as an important strategy for protecting students from extreme heat during outdoor activity. For example, Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD) reports that approximately 380 schools lack shade over play structures. With a $40 million budget dedicated to shade shelters, LAUSD estimates it can install structures at approximately 49 schools, prioritizing campuses using its Student Equity Need Index to target investments toward communities most vulnerable to extreme heat. According to LAUSD, reducing project costs associated with accessibility triggers allows available funding to reach a greater number of campuses.

At the same time, accessible path-of-travel requirements serve an important policy purpose: ensuring that accessibility improvements are incorporated into existing school facilities over time as campuses undergo alterations. For students, staff, and visitors who use wheelchairs or have other mobility challenges, these incremental upgrades can determine whether new or improved spaces on campus are reachable. Expanding exemptions from these requirements may allow new amenities to be installed without triggering broader accessibility improvements that might otherwise occur during facility upgrades. As the Committee considers expanding the exemption created by SB 515, it may wish to weigh the benefits of facilitating additional shade installations against the potential for fewer accessibility improvements to be made on aging school campuses.

FISCAL EFFECT: Appropriation: No Fiscal Com.: Yes Local: Yes

According to the Assembly Appropriations Committee:

1. Ongoing General Fund costs of $1.1 million for the Labor Commissioner's Office (under the Department of Industrial Relations (DIR)) to accommodate the additional number of projects subject to enforcement of skilled and trained workforce requirements by the Division of Labor Standards Enforcement. According to DIR, under existing law, school districts are required to use a skilled and trained workforce to perform all work for design-build projects or contracts that fall within an apprenticeable occupation in the building and construction trades.
2. Minor and absorbable costs to the Division of the State Architect (DSA) within the Department of General Services (DGS).

SUPPORT: (Verified 8/26/26)

Los Angeles Unified School District (source)

OPPOSITION: (Verified 8/26/26)

None received

Prepared by: Ian Johnson / ED. / (916) 651-4105

8/26/26 16:22:12

**** END ****

SENATE THIRD READING

STR Bill Id:SB 1107

Author:(Stern)

As Amended Ver:August 13, 2026

Majority vote

SUMMARY

Authorizes a school district, with approval of its governing board, through December 31, 2031, to procure multiple design-build contracts for comparable shade structure projects at multiple sites through a bundled single solicitation, if the cumulative project value exceeds $1 million, but is not more than $10 million, even if individual projects within the bundle total less than $1 million.

Major Provisions

1. Authorizes that projects solely for the installation of shade structures integrated with playground equipment included on the Division of the State Architect (DSA) approved pre-checked design list, that do not exceed the valuation threshold for alterations, structural repairs, or additions to existing buildings, on a school district, county office of education (COE), charter school, or community college campus are not required to comply with specified sections of the California Code of Regulations (CCR) related to providing an accessible path-of-travel.
2. Addresses double jointing with AB 1860 (McKinnor) of the 2025-26 Session.

COMMENTS

Bundling multiple design-build contracts. This bill authorizes a school district, with approval of its governing board, through December 31, 2031, to procure multiple design-build contracts for comparable shade structure projects at multiple sites, through a bundled single solicitation, if the cumulative project value exceeds $1 million, but is not more than $10 million, even if individual projects within the bundle total less than $1 million.

This bill expands SB 515's exemption for shade structures. SB 515 (Stern), Chapter 489, Statutes of 2023, created a narrow exception to accessible path-of-travel requirements under the Building Code for freestanding, open-sided shade structures, included on the DSA's pre-check design list. That measure was intended to reduce project costs and facilitate the installation of shade structures on school campuses in response to increasing concerns about extreme heat exposure for students during outdoor activity.

Under the Building Code, alterations to existing school facilities that exceed a specified valuation threshold (currently $209,208) must also include the provision of an accessible path of travel to the area being altered. Smaller projects that fall below the valuation threshold are generally exempt from these requirements. However, if additional projects or repairs at the same campus within a three-year period cause the cumulative cost of alterations to exceed the threshold, the path-of-travel improvements may be required retroactively for the earlier project. According to the author, this framework may result in relatively small projects, such as playground shade structures, triggering broader accessibility upgrades if other campus work has occurred during the prior three years.

This bill proposes extending the exemption created by SB 515 to integrated shade structures attached to playground equipment, allowing these projects to remain subject to the 20% path-of-travel cap regardless of whether the valuation threshold would otherwise be exceeded.

Plan review for construction projects. The DSA reviews plans for public school construction and certain other state-funded building projects to ensure that plans, specifications, and construction comply with the Building Code. The majority of DSA's plan review and construction oversight focuses on new construction and alteration projects for California school and community college districts. DSA's plan review ensures the project's compliance with code requirements related to:

1. Structural safety, ensuring that facilities meet the high standards set in the Field Act to withstand an earthquake;
2. Fire and life safety, addressing the safety of occupants in buildings, as related to fire resistant building materials, fire alarms, fire suppression equipment, safe occupant egress, and firefighting equipment access;
3. Access compliance, ensuring that public schools and state-funded construction projects meet accessibility requirements for people with disabilities; and
4. Energy efficiency, including compliance with applicable California Green Building Standards Code requirements for sustainability.

State Architect's pre-check approval process. The DSA maintains a pre-check design list that includes over 25 "off the shelf" shade structures that schools and community colleges can install according to an expedited review and approval process. The pre-check approval process is intended to streamline DSA plan review by providing a procedure for approving the design of commonly used structures prior to the submittal of plans to DSA for construction projects. The pre-check approval process allows designers to incorporate designs for structures that have already been "pre-checked" by DSA into their plans for actual site-specific construction projects. This bill would not exempt school district projects altogether from the DSA plan review process, but only from the review of the shade structures integrated into playground equipment. Reviews would likely continue to include fire and life safety, and access compliance at a minimum. DSA notes in the document, IR A-22 Construction Projects and Items Exempt from DSA Review, "When authorizing construction of exempt projects, the school district assumes responsibility to assure compliance with all code provisions."

According to the Author

"Spending time outside plays a vital role in supporting children's overall health and academic achievement. Regular access to outdoor environments can reduce stress and inattentiveness while strengthening cognitive growth and emotional well-being. However, students in urban areas face greater exposure to extreme temperatures, which can undermine the benefits of outdoor play by increasing their vulnerability to heat-related illnesses and diminishing their ability to focus and learn. Proper shading structures are essential to lower surrounding temperatures and protect children from dangerous heat. We are proud to continue the important work of SB 515 had started by expanding its provisions to include overhead playground structure shading, further empowering our schools to quickly and cost-effectively provide schoolyard shading that keeps our children cool while they play."

Arguments in Support

The Los Angeles Unified School District writes, "Schoolyard shading mitigates the urban heat island effect and reduce ambient temperatures by at last 15 degrees, safeguarding children's physical and mental health and promoting educational progress. As school districts invest in greening projects, particularly in areas where students have the least access to parks or green space, regulatory barriers have made the installation of shade structures cost prohibitive. This measure builds off the progress from our prior collaboration, Senate Bill 515, to reduce costs and streamline the process for approving and installing schoolyard shade structures. Whereas that effort was limited to free standing, open-sided shade structures that are detached from the playground structures themselves, this version would include shade structures attached to playground equipment. In all cases, the structures will be pre-approved by the Division of the State Architect. Moreover, no general funds would be used for these projects."

Arguments in Opposition

None on file

FISCAL COMMENTS

According to the Assembly Appropriations Committee:

1. Ongoing General Fund costs of $1.1 million for the Labor Commissioner's Office (under the Department of Industrial Relations (DIR)) to accommodate the additional number of projects subject to enforcement of skilled and trained workforce requirements by the Division of Labor Standards Enforcement. According to DIR, under existing law, school districts are required to use a skilled and trained workforce to perform all work for design-build projects or contracts that fall within an apprenticeable occupation in the building and construction trades.
2. Minor and absorbable costs to the Division of the State Architect (DSA) within the Department of General Services (DGS).

VOTES

SENATE FLOOR: 37-0-3

YES: Allen, Alvarado-Gil, Archuleta, Arreguín, Ashby, Becker, Blakespear, Cabaldon, Caballero, Cervantes, Choi, Cortese, Dahle, Durazo, Gonzalez, Grayson, Grove, Hurtado, Jones, Laird, Limón, McGuire, McNerney, Menjivar, Niello, Padilla, Pérez, Richardson, Rubio, Seyarto, Smallwood-Cuevas, Stern, Strickland, Umberg, Valladares, Weber Pierson, Wiener

ABS, ABST OR NV: Ochoa Bogh, Reyes, Wahab

ASM EDUCATION: 8-0-1

YES: Patel, Hoover, Alvarez, Bonta, Castillo, Lowenthal, Pellerin, Zbur

ABS, ABST OR NV: Garcia

ASM APPROPRIATIONS: 11-0-4

YES: Wicks, Arambula, Calderon, Caloza, Fong, Mark González, Krell, Pacheco, Pellerin, Sharp-Collins, Solache

ABS, ABST OR NV: Hoover, Dixon, Ta, Tangipa

UPDATED

VERSION: August 13, 2026

CONSULTANT: Marguerite Ries / ED. / (916) 319-2087 FN: 0003538

Date of Hearing: August 5, 2026

ASSEMBLY COMMITTEE ON APPROPRIATIONS

Buffy Wicks, Chair

SBPCA Bill Id:SB 1107

Author:(Stern) – As Amended Ver:July 2, 2026

Urgency: No State Mandated Local Program: Yes Reimbursable: No

SUMMARY:

This bill authorizes a school district, with approval of its governing board, through December 31, 2031, to procure multiple design-build contracts for comparable shade structure projects at multiple sites, through a bundled single solicitation, if the cumulative project value exceeds $1 million, but is not more than $10 million, even if individual projects within the bundle total less than $1 million. The bill also expands an existing exemption from California Building Standards Code regarding path of travel compliance improvements to integrated playground shade structures by adding such structures to the Division of the State Architect’s (DSA) pre-checked designs list.

FISCAL EFFECT:

1. Ongoing General Fund costs of $1.1 million for the Labor Commissioner’s Office (under the Department of Industrial Relations (DIR)) to accommodate the additional number of projects subject to enforcement of skilled and trained workforce requirements by the Division of Labor Standards Enforcement. According to DIR, under existing law, school districts are required to use a skilled and trained workforce to perform all work for design-build projects or contracts that fall within an apprenticeable occupation in the building and construction trades.
2. Minor and absorbable costs to the Division of the State Architect (DSA) within the Department of General Services (DGS).

COMMENTS:

1. Purpose. According to the author:

Spending time outside plays a vital role in supporting children’s overall health and academic achievement. Regular access to outdoor environments can reduce stress and inattentiveness while strengthening cognitive growth and emotional well-being. However, students in urban areas face greater exposure to extreme temperatures, which can undermine the benefits of outdoor play by increasing their vulnerability to heat-related illnesses and diminishing their ability to focus and learn. Proper shading structures are essential to lower surrounding temperatures and protect children from dangerous heat. We are proud to continue the important work of SB 515 had started by expanding its provisions to include overhead playground structure shading, further empowering our schools to quickly and cost-effectively provide schoolyard shading that keeps our children cool while they play.

1. Background. Design Build. Under current law, public schools and community colleges may choose from multiple construction delivery methods for projects on their campuses. Under the design-build method, authorized for projects over $1 million, the school district first engages a general contractor, and the general contractor engages an architect or engineer to design the project and then subcontracts with a third party who builds the project. This method can lead to greater price certainty than the alternatives and is oftentimes an overall quicker process.

This bill authorizes a school district, through December 31, 2031, to procure multiple design-build contracts for comparable shade structure projects at multiple sites through a bundled single solicitation with a cumulative project value of more than $1 million, but not more than $10 million, even if individual projects within the bundle have a value of less than $1 million, and award them to either the lowest bid or the best value.

Shade Structures. DSA, housed under DGS, reviews plans for public school construction and certain other state-funded building projects to ensure that plans, specifications, and construction comply with the California Building Standards Code, including accessibility requirements for people with disabilities. To streamline plan review and approval for certain projects, DSA maintains a pre-check design list that includes over 25 “off the shelf” shade structures LEAs and community colleges may install according to an expedited review and approval process.

The California Building Standards Code requires construction projects over a certain valuation threshold (currently $195,358) to also provide “an accessible path of travel” from the building entrance to the project location. Shade structures and other small projects that fall below the threshold amount are exempt from these path of travel requirements. The California Building Standards Code also requires that if an area has been altered without providing an accessible path of travel to that area, and subsequent alterations of that area or a different area on the same path of travel are undertaken within three years of the original alteration, therefore causing the total expenditure to exceed the valuation threshold, the original path of travel alterations must be made retroactively. SB 515 (Stern), Chapter 489, Statutes of 2023, exempted LEAs and community colleges from having to make these retroactive alterations.

This bill extends that exemption to integrated play structures attached to playground equipment.

Analysis Prepared by: Aaron Heredia / APPR. / (916) 319-2081

 THIRD READING  

Bill No: SB 1107

Author: Stern (D)

Amended: 3/23/26

Vote: 21

SENATE EDUCATION COMMITTEE: 7-0, 4/8/26

AYES: Pérez, Ochoa Bogh, Cabaldon, Choi, Cortese, Gonzalez, Reyes

SENATE APPROPRIATIONS COMMITTEE: Senate Rule 28.8

SUBJECT: School facilities: shade structures

SOURCE: Los Angeles Unified School District

DIGEST:

This bill expands an existing exemption from accessible path-of-travel requirements under the California Building Standards Code (Building Code) for certain freestanding shade structures to also apply to shade structures that are integrated into playground equipment.

ANALYSIS:

Existing law:

1) Defines “construction or alteration” for purposes of school facilities projects to include any construction, reconstruction, or alteration of, or addition to, any school building.

2) Requires the Department of General Services (DGS) to pass upon and approve or reject all plans for the construction or, if the estimated cost exceeds $100,000, the alteration of any school building.

3) Generally requires the governing board of each school and community college district, before adopting construction or alteration plans, to submit the plans to DGS for approval and pay all associated fees.

4) Requires construction projects over $209,208 (cost threshold) to provide “an accessible path of travel” from the building entrance to the project location.

5) Specifies that an area that has been altered without providing an accessible path of travel to that area, and subsequent alterations of that area or a different area on the same path of travel are undertaken within three years of the original alteration, the total cost of alterations for the preceding three-year period shall be considered in determining whether the cost threshold has been met.

6) Limits the cost of complying with the requirement to provide an accessible path of travel to a free-standing, open-sided shade structure project to 20% of the adjusted construction cost, as defined, of the shade structure project.

This bill expands an existing exemption from accessible path-of-travel requirements under the Building Code for certain freestanding shade structures to also apply to integrated shade structures attached to playground equipment that are included on the Division of the State Architect’s (DSA’s) approved pre-check design list.

Comments

1) Need for the bill. According to the author, “Spending time outside plays a vital role in supporting children’s overall health and academic achievement. Regular access to outdoor environments can reduce stress and inattentiveness while strengthening cognitive growth and emotional well-being. However, students in urban areas face greater exposure to extreme temperatures, which can undermine the benefits of outdoor play by increasing their vulnerability to heat-related illnesses and diminishing their ability to focus and learn. Proper shading structures are essential to lower surrounding temperatures and protect children from dangerous heat.

“We are proud to continue the important work SB 515 had started by expanding its provisions to include overheard playground structure shading, further empowering our schools to quickly and cost-effectively provide schoolyard shading that keeps our children cool while they play.”

2) Plan review for construction projects. The DSA reviews plans for public school construction and certain other state-funded building projects to ensure that plans, specifications, and construction comply with California’s building codes (Title 24 of the California Code of Regulations). The majority of DSA’s plan review and construction oversight focuses on new construction and alteration projects for California school and community college districts. DSA’s plan review ensures the project’s compliance with code requirements related to:

a) Structural safety, ensuring that facilities meet the high standards set in the Field Act to withstand an earthquake.

b) Fire and life safety, addressing the safety of occupants in buildings, as related to fire resistive building materials, fire alarms, fire suppression equipment, safe occupant egress, and firefighting equipment access.

c) Access compliance, ensuring that public schools and state-funded construction projects meet accessibility requirements for people with disabilities.

d) Energy efficiency, including compliance with applicable California Green Building Standards Code requirements for sustainability.

3) The Field Act. All school facilities must be built in compliance with specified earthquake safety standards, commonly known as the “Field Act.” The Field Act was enacted following a severe earthquake in Long Beach in 1933. The Field Act requires a comprehensive design specification and construction inspection process for K-12 public school educational facilities. Community college facilities may be constructed in accordance with either the Field Act or the Building Code.

The Field Act requires the DSA (within DGS) to review the construction plans for school buildings and requires school districts to hire onsite construction inspectors to ensure compliance with the structural safety standards. School and community college construction contracts may only be awarded after DSA approval of the plans and specifications on which the contracts are based.

4) State Architect’s pre-check approval process. The DSA maintains a pre-check design list that includes over 25 “off the shelf” shade structures that schools and community colleges can install according to an expedited review and approval process. The pre-check approval process is intended to streamline DSA plan review by providing a procedure for approving the design of commonly used structures prior to the submittal of plans to DSA for construction projects. The pre-check approval process allows designers to incorporate designs for structures that have already been “pre-checked” by DSA into their plans for actual site-specific construction projects.

5) Expanding SB 515’s exemption for shade structures. SB 515 (Stern, Chapter 489, Statutes of 2023) created a narrow exception to accessible path-of-travel requirements under the Building Code for freestanding, open-sided shade structures included DSA’s pre-check design list. That measure was intended to reduce project costs and facilitate the installation of shade structures on school campuses in response to increasing concerns about extreme heat exposure for students during outdoor activity.

Under the Building Code, alterations to existing school facilities that exceed a specified valuation threshold (currently $209,208) must also include the provision of an accessible path of travel to the area being altered. Smaller projects that fall below the valuation threshold are generally exempt from these requirements. However, if additional projects or repairs at the same campus within a three-year period cause the cumulative cost of alterations to exceed the threshold, the path-of-travel improvements may be required retroactively for the earlier project. According to the author, this framework may result in relatively small projects, such as playground shade structures, triggering broader accessibility upgrades if other campus work has occurred during the prior three years.

This bill proposes to extend the exemption created by SB 515 to integrated shade structures attached to playground equipment, allowing these projects to remain subject to the 20% path-of-travel cap regardless of whether the valuation threshold would otherwise be exceeded.

6) Balancing climate adaptation with accessibility improvements. School districts and advocates increasingly view playground shade structures as an important strategy for protecting students from extreme heat during outdoor activity. For example, Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD) reports that approximately 380 schools lack shade over play structures. With a $40 million budget dedicated to shade shelters, LAUSD estimates it can install structures at approximately 49 schools, prioritizing campuses using its Student Equity Need Index to target investments toward communities most vulnerable to extreme heat. According to LAUSD, reducing project costs associated with accessibility triggers allows available funding to reach a greater number of campuses.

At the same time, accessible path-of-travel requirements serve an important policy purpose: ensuring that accessibility improvements are incorporated into existing school facilities over time as campuses undergo alterations. For students, staff, and visitors who use wheelchairs or have other mobility challenges, these incremental upgrades can determine whether new or improved spaces on campus are reachable. Expanding exemptions from these requirements may allow new amenities to be installed without triggering broader accessibility improvements that might otherwise occur during facility upgrades. As the Committee considers expanding the exemption created by SB 515, it may wish to weigh the benefits of facilitating additional shade installations against the potential for fewer accessibility improvements to be made on aging school campuses.

FISCAL EFFECT: Appropriation: No Fiscal Com.: Yes Local: No

SUPPORT: (Verified 4/16/26)

Los Angeles Unified School District (source)

OPPOSITION: (Verified 4/16/26)

None received

Prepared by: Ian Johnson / ED. / (916) 651-4105

4/21/26 16:19:39

**** END ****

SENATE COMMITTEE ON EDUCATION

Senator Sasha Renée Pérez, Chair

2025 - 2026 Regular

Bill No: Hearing Date: April 8, 2026

Subject: .

SUMMARY

This bill expands an existing exemption from accessible path-of-travel requirements under the California Building Standards Code (Building Code) for certain freestanding shade structures to also apply to shade structures that are integrated into playground equipment.

BACKGROUND

Existing law:

1. Defines “construction or alteration” for purposes of school facilities projects to include any construction, reconstruction, or alteration of, or addition to, any school building.
2. Requires the Department of General Services (DGS) to pass upon and approve or reject all plans for the construction or, if the estimated cost exceeds $100,000, the alteration of any school building.
3. Generally requires the governing board of each school and community college district, before adopting construction or alteration plans, to submit the plans to DGS for approval and pay all associated fees.
4. Requires construction projects over $209,208 (cost threshold) to provide “an accessible path of travel” from the building entrance to the project location.
5. Specifies that an area that has been altered without providing an accessible path of travel to that area, and subsequent alterations of that area or a different area on the same path of travel are undertaken within three years of the original alteration, the total cost of alterations for the preceding three-year period shall be considered in determining whether the cost threshold has been met.
6. Limits the cost of complying with the requirement to provide an accessible path of travel to a free-standing, open-sided shade structure project to 20% of the adjusted construction cost, as defined, of the shade structure project.

ANALYSIS

This bill expands an existing exemption from accessible path-of-travel requirements under the Building Code for certain freestanding shade structures to also apply to integrated shade structures attached to playground equipment that are included on the Division of the State Architect’s (DSA’s) approved pre-check design list.

STAFF COMMENTS

1. Need for the bill. According to the author, “Spending time outside plays a vital role in supporting children’s overall health and academic achievement. Regular access to outdoor environments can reduce stress and inattentiveness while strengthening cognitive growth and emotional well-being. However, students in urban areas face greater exposure to extreme temperatures, which can undermine the benefits of outdoor play by increasing their vulnerability to heat-related illnesses and diminishing their ability to focus and learn. Proper shading structures are essential to lower surrounding temperatures and protect children from dangerous heat.

“We are proud to continue the important work SB 515 had started by expanding its provisions to include overheard playground structure shading, further empowering our schools to quickly and cost-effectively provide schoolyard shading that keeps our children cool while they play.”

1. Plan review for construction projects. The DSA reviews plans for public school construction and certain other state-funded building projects to ensure that plans, specifications, and construction comply with California’s building codes (Title 24 of the California Code of Regulations). The majority of DSA’s plan review and construction oversight focuses on new construction and alteration projects for California school and community college districts. DSA’s plan review ensures the project’s compliance with code requirements related to:
   1. Structural safety, ensuring that facilities meet the high standards set in the Field Act to withstand an earthquake.
   2. Fire and life safety, addressing the safety of occupants in buildings, as related to fire resistive building materials, fire alarms, fire suppression equipment, safe occupant egress, and firefighting equipment access.
   3. Access compliance, ensuring that public schools and state-funded construction projects meet accessibility requirements for people with disabilities.
   4. Energy efficiency, including compliance with applicable California Green Building Standards Code requirements for sustainability.
2. The Field Act. All school facilities must be built in compliance with specified earthquake safety standards, commonly known as the “Field Act.” The Field Act was enacted following a severe earthquake in Long Beach in 1933. The Field Act requires a comprehensive design specification and construction inspection process for K-12 public school educational facilities. Community college facilities may be constructed in accordance with either the Field Act or the Building Code.

The Field Act requires the DSA (within DGS) to review the construction plans for school buildings and requires school districts to hire onsite construction inspectors to ensure compliance with the structural safety standards. School and community college construction contracts may only be awarded after DSA approval of the plans and specifications on which the contracts are based.

1. State Architect’s pre-check approval process. The DSA maintains a pre-check design list that includes over 25 “off the shelf” shade structures that schools and community colleges can install according to an expedited review and approval process. The pre-check approval process is intended to streamline DSA plan review by providing a procedure for approving the design of commonly used structures prior to the submittal of plans to DSA for construction projects. The pre-check approval process allows designers to incorporate designs for structures that have already been “pre-checked” by DSA into their plans for actual site-specific construction projects.
2. Expanding SB 515’s exemption for shade structures. SB 515 (Stern, Chapter 489, Statutes of 2023) created a narrow exception to accessible path-of-travel requirements under the Building Code for freestanding, open-sided shade structures included DSA’s pre-check design list. That measure was intended to reduce project costs and facilitate the installation of shade structures on school campuses in response to increasing concerns about extreme heat exposure for students during outdoor activity.

Under the Building Code, alterations to existing school facilities that exceed a specified valuation threshold (currently $209,208) must also include the provision of an accessible path of travel to the area being altered. Smaller projects that fall below the valuation threshold are generally exempt from these requirements. However, if additional projects or repairs at the same campus within a three-year period cause the cumulative cost of alterations to exceed the threshold, the path-of-travel improvements may be required retroactively for the earlier project. According to the author, this framework may result in relatively small projects, such as playground shade structures, triggering broader accessibility upgrades if other campus work has occurred during the prior three years.

This bill proposes to extend the exemption created by SB 515 to integrated shade structures attached to playground equipment, allowing these projects to remain subject to the 20% path-of-travel cap regardless of whether the valuation threshold would otherwise be exceeded.

1. Balancing climate adaptation with accessibility improvements. School districts and advocates increasingly view playground shade structures as an important strategy for protecting students from extreme heat during outdoor activity. For example, Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD) reports that approximately 380 schools lack shade over play structures. With a $40 million budget dedicated to shade shelters, LAUSD estimates it can install structures at approximately 49 schools, prioritizing campuses using its Student Equity Need Index to target investments toward communities most vulnerable to extreme heat. According to LAUSD, reducing project costs associated with accessibility triggers allows available funding to reach a greater number of campuses.

At the same time, accessible path-of-travel requirements serve an important policy purpose: ensuring that accessibility improvements are incorporated into existing school facilities over time as campuses undergo alterations. For students, staff, and visitors who use wheelchairs or have other mobility challenges, these incremental upgrades can determine whether new or improved spaces on campus are reachable. Expanding exemptions from these requirements may allow new amenities to be installed without triggering broader accessibility improvements that might otherwise occur during facility upgrades. As the Committee considers expanding the exemption created by SB 515, it may wish to weigh the benefits of facilitating additional shade installations against the potential for fewer accessibility improvements to be made on aging school campuses.

SUPPORT

Los Angeles Unified School District (sponsor)

OPPOSITION

None received

-- END --