Bill Text: CA AB240 | 2025-2026 | Regular Session | Introduced
Bill Title: Community colleges: study: Counties of Amador, Alpine, Mariposa, Modoc, and Sierra.
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Republican 1-0)
Status: (Introduced) 2025-01-15 - From printer. May be heard in committee February 14. [AB240 Detail]
Download: California-2025-AB240-Introduced.html
CALIFORNIA LEGISLATURE—
2025–2026 REGULAR SESSION
Assembly Bill
No. 240
| Introduced by Assembly Member Alanis |
January 14, 2025 |
An act to amend Section 74000 of, and to add and repeal Section 74000.5 of, the Education Code, relating to community colleges.
LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST
AB 240, as introduced, Alanis.
Community colleges: study: Counties of Amador, Alpine, Mariposa, Modoc, and Sierra.
Existing law establishes the Milton Marks “Little Hoover” Commission on California State Government Organization and Economy (Little Hoover Commission) for purposes of securing assistance for the Governor and the Legislature in promoting economy, efficiency, and improved service in the transaction of the public business in the various departments, agencies, and instrumentalities of the executive branch of the state government, and in making the operation of all state departments, agencies, and instrumentalities, and all expenditures of public funds, more directly responsive to the wishes of the people as expressed by their elected representatives, as provided.
Existing law declares as legislative policy that all of the territory of the state shall be included within a community college district, except that territory located within a county where
the county residents accounted for fewer than 350 units of average daily attendance in the state’s community colleges during the preceding fiscal year, and that territory located within such a county may be included within a community college district pursuant to prescribed procedures.
This bill instead would declare as legislative policy that all of the territory of the state shall be included within a community college district or otherwise provided with equivalent opportunities for residents to participate in both in-person and online postsecondary education programs and courses.
This bill would require the Little Hoover Commission to conduct a study and prepare a report evaluating the provision of postsecondary education services and opportunities to residents of the underserved Counties of Amador, Alpine, Mariposa, Modoc, and Sierra that are not fully included within the territory of a community college district, and
would require the report to include policy recommendations regarding how the state can ensure that residents of those 5 counties have opportunities to participate in both in-person and online postsecondary education programs and courses equivalent to those of similarly sized communities that are fully included within the territory of a community college district, as provided. To assist with and inform the development of the report and recommendations, the bill would require the Little Hoover Commission to convene and consult a working group that includes specified voluntary representatives, and would authorize the Little Hoover Commission to request and receive information from specified entities. The bill would require the Little Hoover Commission to submit the report and recommendations to the appropriate fiscal and policy committees of the Legislature and to the Governor on or before December 31, 2026. The bill would repeal these provisions as of January 1, 2031.
This bill would make legislative findings and declarations as to the necessity of a special statute for the Counties of Amador, Alpine, Mariposa, Modoc, and Sierra.
Digest Key
Vote: MAJORITY Appropriation: NO Fiscal Committee: YES Local Program: NOBill Text
The people of the State of California do enact as follows:
SECTION 1.
Section 74000 of the Education Code is amended to read:74000.
The Legislature hereby declares as its policy that all of the territory of the state shall be included within a community collegeSEC. 2.
Section 74000.5 is added to the Education Code, to read:74000.5.
(a) The Milton Marks “Little Hoover” Commission on California State Government Organization and Economy shall conduct a study and prepare a report evaluating the provision of postsecondary education services and opportunities to residents of the underserved Counties of Amador, Alpine, Mariposa, Modoc, and Sierra that are not fully included within the territory of a community college district. The report shall include policy recommendations regarding how the state can ensure that residents of these five counties have opportunities to participate in both in-person and online postsecondary education programs and courses equivalent to those of similarly sized communities that are fully included within the territory of a community college district.(b) The report and recommendations required by subdivision (a) shall include consideration of all of the following:
(1) An analysis of the educational and economic impacts of the existing deficit of community college services and opportunities in the five underserved counties identified in subdivision (a), and the potential benefits of providing equivalent opportunities to these communities.
(2) An analysis of the current availability of, and opportunities to strengthen, dual enrollment and transfer pathways.
(3) Identification of outreach and recruitment services in the five underserved counties identified in subdivision (a) by public and private postsecondary educational institutions, and collaborations that are operating or in process to expand access to postsecondary education programs and services
in other parts of the state.
(4) Identification of potential providers of both in-person and online postsecondary education programs and services within the five underserved counties identified in subdivision (a), and options for implementing those programs and services.
(5) Identification of opportunities and resources needed to provide in-person postsecondary education programs and courses in locations reasonably accessible to a majority of residents of the five underserved counties identified in subdivision (a).
(6) Identification of opportunities for partnership with local educational agencies, public and private postsecondary educational institutions, local governments, and nonprofit organizations to facilitate expanded community college opportunities to serve the residents of the five underserved counties
identified in subdivision (a).
(7) An analysis of resource needs and potential funding sources for expanding postsecondary education services and opportunities to the residents of the five underserved counties identified in subdivision (a).
(8) Identification of potential legislative and administrative actions that may be taken to ensure that residents of the five underserved counties identified in subdivision (a) have opportunities to participate in both in-person and online postsecondary education programs and courses equivalent to those of similarly sized communities that are fully included within the territory of a community college district.
(c) For purposes of this section, the commission may request and receive, but not require, information from the Board of Governors of the California Community Colleges and
the Chancellor of the California Community Colleges, the State Department of Education, any community college district, any local educational agency, the office of the Chancellor of the California State University, the office of the President of the University of California, or any organization representing independent institutions of higher education in the state.
(d) To assist with and inform the development of the report and recommendations required by this section, the commission shall convene and consult a working group that includes voluntary representatives from all of the following:
(1) One representative from each of the five underserved counties identified in subdivision (a).
(2) One representative of an organization representing rural counties.
(3) Representatives from one or more of the community college districts adjacent to each of the five underserved counties identified in subdivision (a).
(4) One representative of the office of the Chancellor of the California Community Colleges.
(5) One representative of the office of the Chancellor of the California State University.
(6) One representative of the office of the President of the University of California.
(7) One representative of an organization of independent, nonprofit colleges and universities in California.
(8) One representative of the State Department of Education.
(9) Representatives from
one or more local educational agencies located within each of the five underserved counties identified in subdivision (a).
(e) (1) On or before December 31, 2026, the commission shall submit the report and recommendations required by this section to the appropriate fiscal and policy committees of the Legislature and the Governor.
(2) The report and recommendations to be submitted pursuant to paragraph (1) shall be submitted in compliance with Section 9795 of the Government Code.
(f) For purposes of this section the following definitions apply:
(1) “Commission” means the Milton Marks “Little Hoover” Commission on California State Government Organization and Economy.
(2) “Local educational agency” means a school district, county office of education, or charter school.
(g) Pursuant to Section 10231.5 of the Government Code, this section is repealed on January 1, 2031.
