Bill Text: CA SB711 | 2023-2024 | Regular Session | Amended

NOTE: There are more recent revisions of this legislation. Read Latest Draft

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Bill Title: Community colleges: blockchain industry report.

Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 2-0)

Status: (Engrossed) 2023-09-01 - September 1 hearing: Held in committee and under submission. [SB711 Detail]

Download: California-2023-SB711-Amended.html

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Amended  IN  Senate  March 20, 2023

CALIFORNIA LEGISLATURE— 2023–2024 REGULAR SESSION

Senate Bill

No. 711

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Introduced by Senator Caballero
(Coauthor: Assembly Member Grayson)

February 16, 2023

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An act to add and repeal Article 5 (commencing with Section 78280) of Chapter 2 of Part 48 of Division 7 of Title 3 of the Education Code, relating to community colleges.

LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST

SB 711, as amended, Caballero. Community colleges: blockchain degree and certification programs: programs and technology: working group.

Existing law establishes the California Community Colleges, under the administration of the Board of Governors of the California Community Colleges, as one of the segments of postsecondary education in this state. Existing law requires the board of governors to appoint a chief executive officer, known as the Chancellor of the California Community Colleges.

Existing law establishes the California Career Technical Education Incentive Grant Program, administered by the State Department of Education, with the purpose of encouraging, maintaining, and strengthening the delivery of high-quality career technical education programs.

This bill would require the office of the Chancellor of the California Community Colleges to to, in collaboration with the department, convene, until July 1, 2026, a working group to take certain actions related to blockchain certification and degree programs a blockchain associate of arts degree program at community colleges, including identifying key elements of creating a blockchain associate of arts degree program and a blockchain technical certification program and developing training manuals, guidelines, and other materials necessary to duplicate the blockchain associate of arts degree and certification programs program at community colleges statewide. The bill would require the working group to ensure that course materials for the blockchain associate of arts degree program and related guidelines can be incorporated into career technical education programs offered by school districts and county offices of education and explore the feasibility of incorporating blockchain technology into curricula currently offered in community college associate degree programs and career technical education programs offered by school districts and county offices of education, as provided. The bill would authorize the working group to explore the feasibility of creating a blockchain baccalaureate degree program at community colleges. The bill would require the working group to submit a report on or before July 1, 2026, to the Legislature and Legislature, the chancellor’s office outlining office, and the department that outlines, at minimum, recommendations and guidance for the creation of blockchain certification and degree programs, as specified. a blockchain associate of arts degree program at community colleges and the feasibility of incorporating blockchain technology into curricula currently offered in community college associate degree programs and career technical education programs offered by school districts and county offices of education, as specified.

Digest Key

Vote: MAJORITY   Appropriation: NO   Fiscal Committee: YES   Local Program: NO  

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Bill Text

The people of the State of California do enact as follows:

SECTION 1.

 The Legislature finds and declares all of the following:

(a) Blockchain technology, synonymous with distributed ledger technology, is a significant innovation with the potential to revolutionize nearly every economic sector in the state.

(b) The state is poised to capitalize on blockchain innovation and continue serving as a leader in embracing new technologies while creating a stable environment in which the blockchain sector can flourish.

(c) To properly support the nascent blockchain sector, the state should support efforts to create a reliable source of skilled workers.

(d) Jobs in the blockchain sector are high-skill, high-wage, and embrace remote work, giving Californians access to good, flexible jobs of the future while meeting the goals of Executive Order No. N-9-22.

(e) There are only a few limited courses relating to the blockchain sector currently offered at community colleges.

SEC. 2.

 Article 5 (commencing with Section 78280) is added to Chapter 2 of Part 48 of Division 7 of Title 3 of the Education Code, to read:

Article  5. Blockchain Degree and Certification Programs Programs and Technology

78280.

 (a) (1) The office of the Chancellor of the California Community Colleges Colleges, in collaboration with the department, shall convene, until July 1, 2026, a working group consisting of representatives for the chancellor’s office, the Governor, the department, local educational agencies, student-led blockchain university clubs, industry fields within the blockchain sector, and blockchain consumer protection groups that specialize in education.

(2) No more than two representatives for an entity in paragraph (1) shall be selected for the working group. The working group shall have equal representation between educational entities, industry fields, and consumer protection groups. The Governor shall select one representative to represent the Governor. Each entity described in paragraph (1) shall select its representatives. The Governor Governor, the Superintendent of Public Instruction, and the chancellor may confirm or reject representatives selected by any educational entity in paragraph (1), select additional representatives for the working group, as necessary, and select representatives to represent industry fields and consumer protection groups if no representatives are selected to represent these entities.

(b) (1) The working group shall do all of the following:

(A) Identify key elements of creating a blockchain associate of arts degree program, a blockchain technical certification program, program and related guidelines for offering these programs the program at community colleges.

(B) Ensure that the blockchain degree and certification programs associate of arts degree program and related guidelines meet all aspects of the blockchain industry’s growth and development and all applicable use cases.

(C) Ensure that course materials developed for the blockchain degree and certification programs associate of arts degree program and related guidelines can be incorporated into career technical education programs offered by local educational agencies, align with the state’s plans for career technical education education, and incorporate skill badging, student-centered flexibility, and customizability.

(D) Develop training manuals, guidelines, and other materials necessary to duplicate the blockchain degree and certification programs associate of arts degree program at community colleges statewide.

(E) Explore the feasibility of incorporating blockchain technology into curricula currently offered in community college technical certification and community college associate degree programs and career technical education programs offered by local educational agencies in the fields of social sciences, arts, humanities, and science, technology, engineering, and mathematics.

(F) Analyze the benefits, challenges, and viability of storing certification and degree information on blockchain technology.

(G) Ensure that the final frameworks and recommendations developed by the working group include a requirement for a course covering blockchain ethics and risk management to ensure compliance with applicable state and federal regulations and emphasize consumer protections.

(2) The working group may explore the feasibility of creating a blockchain baccalaureate degree program at community colleges.

(c) The working group shall meet at least once per month and may consult with other individuals, groups, and organizations for additional insight and expertise on issues under consideration by the working group.

(d) On or before July 1, 2026, the working group shall submit to the Legislature, pursuant to Section 9795 of the Government Code, and the chancellor’s office office, and the department a report that, at minimum, outlines that outlines, at minimum, recommendations and guidance for the creation of blockchain certification and degree programs as described in a blockchain associate of arts degree program pursuant to paragraph (1) of subdivision (b) at community colleges. colleges, and the feasibility of incorporating blockchain technology into curricula currently offered in community college associate degree programs and career technical education programs offered by local educational agencies in the fields of social sciences, arts, humanities, and science, technology, engineering, and mathematics, as determined by the working group pursuant to subparagraph (E) of paragraph (1) of subdivision (b).

(e) As used in this section, “local educational agencies” means school districts and county offices of education.

78281.

 This article shall remain in effect only until January 1, 2027, and as of that date is repealed.