Gov. Jerry Brown has signed a bill into law to prevent California schools from expelling students for willfully defying school authorities.



The legislation signed Saturday aims to put an end to a punishment that activists say is unevenly applied and disproportionately affects minority students.



Until now, state law has given school officials discretion to decide what constitutes willful defiance of a supervisor, teacher, administrator or other school employee. They can suspend students or recommend them for expulsion for such behavior.



The new law removes the discretion and instead would divert disruptive students to in-school suspensions intended to help them. Schools still could expel students for violating school rules or laws and could suspend students for willful defiance of authorities in grades 4 through 12.