Senate Bill 341 Update & Next Steps
Senate Bill 341 Update & Next Steps
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LATEST STRATEGY: We submitted letters of support for GGRF budget requests
Thank you to everyone who supported the Coalition and SB 341 this year! We remain inspired and dedicated to continue this important work!
Thank you to everyone who supported the Coalition and SB 341 this year! We remain inspired and dedicated to continue this important work!
We are actively exploring next steps to revive the unused, unfunded Instructional School Garden Program.
We are actively exploring next steps to revive the unused, unfunded Instructional School Garden Program.
On May 23, 2025, SB 341 was held in the Senate Appropriations Committee’s suspense file, meaning it will not advance further in the legislative process. This is not the end of the road—just the beginning!
On May 23, 2025, SB 341 was held in the Senate Appropriations Committee’s suspense file, meaning it will not advance further in the legislative process. This is not the end of the road—just the beginning!
While the bill's outcome is disappointing, we remain incredibly proud of the momentum, visibility, and community we built:
While the bill's outcome is disappointing, we remain incredibly proud of the momentum, visibility, and community we built:
135+ organizations and many individuals signed on in support from across sectors and regions
5 bipartisan co-authors joined to champion the bill
600+ advocates, educators, and community leaders are now included on our contact list
Garnered committee approvals in Education and Agriculture, with unanimous, bipartisan support
Developed key case-making materials and resources
SB 341 press release with principal co-authors Senator Sasha Renée Perez and Senator Rosilicie Ochoa Bogh from the April press conference! Learn more at sd25.senate.ca.gov. Video by the California State Senate.
Alice Waters Video.movSB 341 endorsement from Alice Waters, Founder of the Edible Schoolyard Project.
Feedback on SB 341 remaining on the suspense file
Feedback on SB 341 remaining on the suspense file
The bill’s actual intent—to establish a working group and program guidelines—was overlooked in the fiscal analysis, which projected an outdated cost estimates and Prop 98 funding source. Although we shared clarification about the bill's intent, we faced other challenges
With a rough budget year and a $50,000 Senate cost threshold, even small startup costs triggered fiscal scrutiny
The Governor’s Office indicated no new programs would be supported this budget cycle
Key bills responding to the Los Angeles fires were competing for space
SB 341 Flier_2.0.pdfAbout SB 341
About SB 341
SB 341 (Perez, 2025) is the bill that was a result of our legislation proposal that we shared with nearly 30 legislators prior to securing 5 co-authors
SB 341 (Perez, 2025) is the bill that was a result of our legislation proposal that we shared with nearly 30 legislators prior to securing 5 co-authors
SB 341 outlined a critical first step in restarting and expanding California's unused, unfunded Instructional School Garden Program (ISGP) to include instruction and maintenance, so school districts would be able to integrate garden-based learning into the curriculum, fostering the next generation of environmentally literate, engaged, and thriving students.
As proposed, the bill would have re-established the ISGP by setting up a working group as a part of phase 1. Program implementation would take place in a separate phase 2.
Authors
Authors
Senator Sasha Renee Perez (D-Alhambra), Chair, Senate Education Committee and Member, Senate Budget Subcommittee on Education
Senator Rosilicie Ochoa Bogh (R-Yucaipa), Vice Chair, Education Committee and Member, Senate Budget Subcommittee on Education
Senator Susan Rubio (D-Baldwin Park), Member, Committee on Health, and Member, Committee on Energy, Utilities, and Communications
Senator Henry Stern (D-Calabasas), Vice-Chair of the Joint Legislative Committee on Climate Change Policies
Senator Monique Limon (R-Santa Barbara)
Phase 1 (2026-27): Update the program
Phase 1 (2026-27): Update the program
what SB 341 does
what SB 341 does
Establish a working group to develop grant criteria and requirements, and ensure equity-focused implementation.
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Named Working Group Representation:
California Department of Education
California Department of Food and Agriculture (grant administrator)
California Department of Public Health
CalRecycle
Community-based organizations focused on school gardens
We recommend specific/additional representation:
Agriculture representation
Additional education representation
California Teachers Association
Career Technical Education representation
Garden School Foundation
Green Schoolyards America
Growing Together
Life Lab
Living Classroom
SEI
Ten Strands
Phase 2 (ideally 2027-28): Launch the program
Phase 2 (ideally 2027-28): Launch the program
not included in SB341
not included in SB341
Secure multi-year funding from federal, state, special funds, enabling underserved school districts to apply for garden-based education grants.
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We are connecting with relevant state agencies and researching other possible funding streams for the ISGP:
California Department of Education School Facilities
California Public Health Department
Community Schools
Extended Opportunity Learning Program
Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund
Outdoors for All Initiative
Project Cal-Well
Proposition 4
SNAP-Ed
Amendments
Amendments
SB341 has been amended twice with important changes that strengthen the bill:
The bill was changed to be acknowledged as the Delaine Eastin Instructional School Garden Bill in honor of the former State Superintendent who championed "A Garden in Every School" initiative
Language was clarified to recommend that community-based organizations should be able to apply for funds independent of Local Education Agencies such as school districts in the future program
Language was added regarding school gardens supporting students' learning about composting as part of statewide efforts to reduce organic waste going to landfills
CalFire was added to the state agency partners in the working group to advise the creation of a school garden instructional grant program
Turning a Proposal Into a Bill
Turning a Proposal Into a Bill
Based on our research, case studies, and conversations with key partners, we developed a legislation proposal to restart and expand California's unused, unfunded Instructional School Garden Program (ISGP) to include instruction and maintenance. This program aims to provide equitable access to environmental education, empowering students with lifelong skills and fostering environmental stewardship.
We drafted bill language and suggested edits to the Education Code in consultation with relevant legislative offices, state agencies, key consultants, and partners. Senator Lena Gonzalez's office submitted our draft bill language to Legislative Counsel and our assigned attorney drafted a bill that matched up with our proposal.
Who We Shared Our Proposal With
Who We Shared Our Proposal With
Key partners:
California Campaign for Outdoor Learning
Broader Coalition Organizations with advocacy expertise (e.g.; Center for Ecoliteracy, Children & Nature Network, Nature Conservancy, NextGenPolicy, Ten Strands, TreePeople, Trust for Public Land)
School districts (e.g.; San Francisco USD, Los Angeles USD, Upland USD, Santa Clara USD)
State Agencies:
California Department of Education (CDE) - Community Schools, Green Ribbons, Government Affairs
California Department of Food and Agriculture
CalRecycle
Oregon Department of Education
Urban forestry groups (e.g.; Green Schoolyards America)
As a result of these meetings, we:
As a result of these meetings, we:
Refined our proposal
Outlined the absorbable costs for phase 1 - establishing and updating the program
Projected costs for phase 2 - launching the program
Drafted bill language
Legislative offices:
Senator Ben Allen
Assemblymember David A. Alvarez
Assemblymember Cecilia Aguiar-Curry
Senator Josh Becker
Assemblymember Marc Berman
Assemblymember Isaac Bryan
Senator Christopher Cabaldon
Senator Steven Choi
Senator Dave Cortese
Assemblymember Jesse Gabriel
Assemblymember Robert Garcia
Senator Lena Gonzalez
Senator John Laird
Senator Monique Limon
Assemblymember Josh Lowenthal
Assemblymember Tina McKinnor
Assemblymember Al Muratsuchi
Senator Rosilicie Ochoa Bogh
Assemblymember Gail Pellerin
Senator Sasha Renée Pérez
Senator Scott Wiener
Key legislative consultants:
Brandon Darnell, Deputy Legislative Counsel
Lenin Del Castillo, Senate Appropriations Committee
Erin Gable, Assembly K-12 Education Finance Subcommittee
Debbie Look, Assembly Education Committee
Andrew Medina, Policy Consultant, Senate pro Tempore
Yong Salas, Senate K-12 Education Finance Subcommittee
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