SACRAMENTO, Calif. – Senate Bill 531 (SB 531), authored by Senator Susan Rubio (D-Baldwin Park), failed to pass out of the Senate Education Committee today. The bill would have ensured that all students in grades 1 through 12 receive age-appropriate mental health education.

Senator Rubio, who spent two decades as a classroom teacher and vice principal, expressed deep frustration and disappointment following the vote.

---

“We run fire drills and lockdown drills, but we still won’t teach students how to talk about depression, anxiety, or trauma – things that quietly harm thousands of kids every day,” said Senator Rubio. “We say we care about school safety, but ignore the root causes. This vote was a missed opportunity. I’m not done fighting and will continue to stand with teachers, students, and mental health professionals.”

“It’s unfortunate and frustrating that a panel of lawmakers tasked with overseeing education couldn’t see what every teacher sees: our kids are in crisis,” Rubio continued. “I was the only classroom teacher in the room. The only elementary school teacher with two decades of experience. And still, I couldn’t get enough support from the committee that’s supposed to put students first.”

---

SB 531 aimed to normalize mental health conversations from an early age. Under the bill, students would begin learning how to identify feelings, recognize warning signs, and ask for help, just like they’re already taught about physical health and safety. The instruction would grow with them over time, empowering them to support themselves and others as they move through adolescence.

---

“One year, I had an 8-year-old girl threaten to kill me every single day. And she meant it. Her mother had to lock her in her room at night, not to punish her, but to protect her younger son. That little girl wasn’t bad. She was in crisis. But no one gave her the words, the tools, or the support to talk about what she was going through. SB 531 would have done that – for her and for every student like her.”

---

SB 531 is sponsored by a broad coalition of advocacy and professional organizations, including:

• National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) California
• National Center for Youth Law
• CA Academy of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry
• The Children’s Partnership
• California Alliance

As a classroom teacher, Senator Rubio remains deeply committed to strengthening California’s education system. She continues to advocate for policies that center on student well-being, support classroom educators, and ensure every child has access to the mental health tools and services they deserve.