Los Angeles Community College District: California Center for Climate Change Education.

Existing law establishes the California Community Colleges, under the administration of the Board of Governors of the California Community Colleges, as one of the 3 segments of public postsecondary education in this state. Existing law establishes community college districts throughout the state, and authorizes them to provide instruction to students at community college campuses. One of these districts is the Los Angeles Community College District. This bill would establish the California Center for Climate Change Education, as part of the Los Angeles Community College District, to be located at West Los Angeles College, to promote climate change education at the California Community Colleges and establish opportunities for students to engage in hands-on internships and other learning opportunities. The bill would appropriate $5,000,000 from the General Fund for the development and initial operations of the center. To the extent the bill would impose additional obligations on the Los Angeles Community College District, the bill would impose a state-mandated local program. This bill would make legislative findings and declarations as to the necessity of a special statute for the Los Angeles Community College District. The California Constitution requires the state to reimburse local agencies and school districts for certain costs mandated by the state. Statutory provisions establish procedures for making that reimbursement. This bill would provide that, if the Commission on State Mandates determines that the bill contains costs mandated by the state, reimbursement for those costs shall be made pursuant to the statutory provisions noted above.