(a) (1) The resolution of the county committee approving a proposal to establish or abolish trustee areas, to adopt one of the alternative methods of electing governing board members specified in Section 5030, or to increase or decrease the number of members of the governing board shall constitute an order of election, and the proposal shall be presented to the electors of the district not later than the next succeeding election for members of the governing board.

(2) Notwithstanding paragraph (1), a county committee may, by resolution, approve a proposal to establish trustee areas and to elect governing board members using district-based elections, as defined in subdivision (b) of § 14026 of the Elections Code, without being required to submit the resolution to the electors of the district for approval. A resolution adopted pursuant to this paragraph shall include a declaration that the change in the method of electing members of the governing body is being made in furtherance of the purposes of the California Voting Rights Act of 2001 (Chapter 1.5 (commencing with Section 14025) of Division 14 of the Elections Code). The resolution shall take effect upon adoption and shall govern all elections for governing board members occurring at least 125 days after the adoption of the resolution.

(b) If a petition requesting an election on a proposal to rearrange trustee area boundaries is filed, containing at least 5 percent of the signatures of the district’s registered voters as determined by the elections official, the proposal shall be presented to the electors of the district, at the next succeeding election for the members of the governing board, at the next succeeding statewide primary or general election, or at the next succeeding regularly scheduled election at which the electors of the district are otherwise entitled to vote if there is sufficient time to place the issue on the ballot. The rearranged trustee areas shall comply with the criteria and requirements in § 21130 of the Elections Code.

(c) If a petition requesting an election on a proposal to establish or abolish trustee areas, to increase or decrease the number of members of the board, or to adopt one of the alternative methods of electing governing board members specified in Section 5030 is filed, containing at least 10 percent of the signatures of the district’s registered voters as determined by the elections official, the proposal shall be presented to the electors of the district, at the next succeeding election for the members of the governing board, at the next succeeding statewide primary or general election, or at the next succeeding regularly scheduled election at which the electors of the district are otherwise entitled to vote if there is sufficient time to place the issue on the ballot. Before the proposal is presented to the electors, the county committee on school district organization may call and conduct one or more public hearings on the proposal.

(d) The resolution of the county committee approving a proposal to establish or abolish a common governing board for a high school and an elementary school district within the boundaries of the high school district shall constitute an order of election. The proposal shall be presented to the electors of the district at the next succeeding statewide primary or general election, or at the next succeeding regularly scheduled election at which the electors of the district are otherwise entitled to vote if there is sufficient time to place the issue on the ballot.

(e) For each proposal there shall be a separate proposition on the ballot. The ballot shall contain the following words:

“For the establishment (or abolition or rearrangement) of trustee areas in ____ (insert name) School District-Yes” and “For the establishment (or abolition or rearrangement) of trustee areas in ____ (insert name) School District-No.”

“For increasing the number of members of the governing board of ____ (insert name) School District from five to seven-Yes” and “For increasing the number of members of the governing board of ____ (insert name) School District from five to seven-No.”

“For decreasing the number of members of the governing board of ____ (insert name) School District from seven to five-Yes” and “For decreasing the number of members of the governing board of ____ (insert name) School District from seven to five-No.”

“For the election of each member of the governing board of the ____ (insert name) School District by the registered voters of the entire ____ (insert name) School District-Yes” and “For the election of each member of the governing board of the ____ (insert name) School District by the registered voters of the entire ____ (insert name) School District-No.”

“For the election of one member of the governing board of the ____ (insert name) School District residing in each trustee area elected by the registered voters in that trustee area-Yes” and “For the election of one member of the governing board of the ____ (insert name) School District residing in each trustee area elected by the registered voters in that trustee area-No.”

“For the election of one member, or more than one member for one or more trustee areas, of the governing board of the ____ (insert name) School District residing in each trustee area elected by the registered voters of the entire ____ (insert name) School District-Yes” and “For the election of one member, or more than one member for one or more trustee areas, of the governing board of the ____ (insert name) School District residing in each trustee area elected by the registered voters of the entire ____ (insert name) School District-No.”

“For the establishment (or abolition) of a common governing board in the ____ (insert name) School District and the ____ (insert name) School District-Yes” and “For the establishment (or abolition) of a common governing board in the ____ (insert name) School District and the ____ (insert name) School District-No.”

(f) If more than one proposal appears on the ballot, all must carry in order for any to become effective, except as follows:

(1) A proposal to adopt one of the methods of election of board members specified in Section 5030 that is approved by the voters shall become effective unless a proposal that is inconsistent with that proposal has been approved by a greater number of voters.

(2) An inconsistent proposal approved by a lesser number of voters than the number which have approved a proposal to adopt one of the methods of election of board members specified in Section 5030 shall not be effective.

(Amended by Stats. 2023, Ch. 343, Sec. 9. (AB 764) Effective January 1, 2024.)