CA AB2234

Establishes comprehensive procedures for minor witness testimony in dismissal or suspension hearings for school district employees involving alleged egregious misconduct, including options for closed-circuit television testimony or videotaped depositions to protect minor witnesses from emotional distress.

Requires judges to take special care protecting minor witnesses from harassment, embarrassment, and unnecessary question repetition, and permits exclusion of public and press from hearings if testimony would cause substantial psychological harm to the minor.

Mandates appointment of a support person for each minor witness to protect their mental health and welfare, with parents or guardians presumed qualified; prohibits respondents from using private investigators to contact minors and requires contact through the support person.

Requires school districts to make reasonable efforts to enter confidentiality agreements when pupil contact information is obtained via court order or subpoena, and prohibits parties from using such information for purposes other than those authorized by the court order or subpoena.

Applies these protections to dismissal and suspension proceedings for certificated employees before administrative law judges and to classified employee disciplinary cases before governing boards or personnel commissions in school districts with merit systems.