Legislative Actions
California's community colleges are encouraged to take action on the following bills (to be updated) during the 2023-24 California legislative cycle. For questions about any of the bills or suggested actions, contact Andrew Martinez, Director of Government Relations, at amartinez@ccleague.org.
AB 1699 (McCarty)
AB 1699 – VETOED BY GOVERNOR
AB 1699 by Assemblymember Kevin McCarty would require job opportunities to be posted for internal applicants 10 days before external candidates may be considered. It also requires that an internal candidate that meets the minimum qualifications, or “could” meet the minimum qualifications with paid on-the-job training completed before their start date, have the right of first refusal for a position. This measure would impede current timely hiring processes and exacerbate vacancies.
The Governor has 30 days to sign or veto AB 1699, as all bills must be acted on by October 14th. Request for Veto letters are due to the Governor's legislative unit as soon as possible. Please email letters to leg.unit@gov.ca.gov and amartinez@ccleague.org with the subject line “AB 1699 (McCarty) - Request for Veto”
Letters from organizations must be on letterhead and include a signature. Click here for the template letter.
The League has developed the talking points to help you explain the need for opposing AB 1699.
Our K-12 partners have also created a coalition letter with logos and signatures (view a prior version here), and they intend to send a floor alert very soon. Please share your logo and signature with Andrew Martinez at amartinez@ccleague.org as quickly as possible if you would like to sign on to this group effort.
AB 299 (Holden)
AB 299 – VETOED BY GOVERNOR
AB 299 by Assemblymember Holden would authorize civil action against higher educational institutions, including community colleges, for instances of student hazing that the educational institution knew or should have known of.
To establish a legal defense, institutions can show that they acted to prevent hazing by 1) Adopting and distributing a written anti-hazing policy consisting of rules and procedures for hazing prevention, intervention, and discipline 2) Implementing an anti-hazing investigation, enforcement, and reporting program and 3) Implementing an institution wide anti-hazing education and training program. The California Community College Chancellor’s Office estimates this bill will have Proposition 98 General Fund costs of $35.2 million, of which $22.6 million is ongoing. Unfortunately, even after implementing the above policies, educational institutions are not given any legal protections against the civil action.
The Governor has 30 days to sign or veto AB 299, as all bills must be acted on by October 14th. Request for Veto letters are due to the Governor's legislative unit as soon as possible. Please email letters to leg.unit@gov.ca.gov and nune@ccleague.org with the subject line “AB 299 (Holden) - Request for Veto”
Letters from organizations must be on letterhead and include a signature. Click here for the template letter.
AB 1400 (Bryan)
AB 1400 – SIGNED!
AB 1400 by Assemblymember Bryan would provide up to $5,000 financial aid scholarships to community college students who are transferring to Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs). Students must have completed an Associate Degree for Transfer (ADT) pathway, and HBCUs must have an ADT memorandum of understanding (MOU) with the California Community Colleges Chancellor’s Office. For funding purposes, this bill would redirect current funds received through the College Access Tax Credit Fund.
The Governor has 30 days to sign or veto AB 1400, as all bills must be acted on by October 14th. Request for signature letters are due to the Governor's legislative unit as soon as possible. Please email letters to leg.unit@gov.ca.gov and nune@ccleague.org with the subject line “AB 1400 (Bryan) - Request for Signature”
Letters from organizations must be on letterhead and include a signature. Click here for the template letter.
AB 689 (Carrillo)
AB 689 – HELD
AB 689 by Assemblymember Wendy Carrillo would require that at least 15% of students that are admitted into limited enrollment programs, such as nursing, are incumbent healthcare workers. If a college utilizes a priority enrollment system, incumbent healthcare workers would be eligible for priority enrollment. By mandating strict quotas or priority registration for incumbent healthcare workers, AB 689 would circumvent current selection processes for these high-demand programs.
AB 689 was held on the Senate Suspense File on September 1st. This bill is no longer moving forward in the current legislative year.
AB 358 (Addis)
AB 358 – SIGNED
AB 358 by Assemblymember Dawn Addis would exempt California Community College district student housing architectural plans from requiring approval from the Department of General Services’ (DGS) Division of the State Architect (DSA). Districts can choose to receive DSA oversight on housing plans upon request.
AB 358 was signed into law by Governor Newsom on July 21, 2023, and will go into effect on January 1, 2024. Thank you to all the colleges and advocates who submitted letters of support for this important measure.
