California legal term
Safe school zone in California Criminal Law
Current through 2026 California legislative session
In California criminal law, “Safe school zone” is a term defined by statute rather than by its everyday meaning. Its statutory definition — quoted verbatim below — controls how the term is applied throughout the California criminal code.
What does “Safe school zone” mean in California criminal law?
“Safe school zone” means an area that encompasses any of the following places during regular school hours or within 60 minutes before or after the schoolday or 60 minutes before or after a school-sponsored activity at the schoolsite: (A) Within 100 feet of a bus stop, whether or not a public transit bus stop, that has been publicly designated by the school district as a schoolbus stop. (Cal. Penal Code § 626)
Statutes defining or using this term
Related terms in the same statutes
This reference is informational and is not legal advice.