Bill Bans Pay-To-Play In K-12 Classes And Sports

SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) -- California's K-12 schools have been charging fees for certain classes, sports and clubs, a practice the state Assembly has voted to end.

Democratic Assemblyman Ricardo Lara of Bell Gardens said Thursday it is unconstitutional to require students to pay for books, lab equipment and art supplies, among other fees.

His bill, AB165, passed 50-17 and goes to the Senate. It also prohibits schools from making such payments a prerequisite for joining teams or clubs.

Republican Assemblyman Donald Wagner of Irvine says he opposes the legislation because it puts too many restrictions on schools.

Lara based his proposal on a lawsuit the ACLU filed in September that argued the pay-to-play system violated the California Constitution. In a pending settlement, former Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger agreed to allow monitoring to prevent those fees.

(Copyright 2011 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)