AB 1858 California Assembly · 2025-2026 Regular Session

California State University: Joint Associate's Degree Pilot Program.

Summary

Existing law sets forth the missions and functions of California's public and independent segments of higher education, and details the ways in which their respective institutions are to be differentiated. Existing law specifies that the California State University shall offer undergraduate and graduate instruction through the master's degree in the liberal arts and sciences and professional education. This bill, upon appropriation by the Legislature, would require the Chancellor of the California State University to establish a pilot program to offer an associate degree in general studies or, if applicable, an associate degree with an area of emphasis that is consistent with the former student's completed coursework, that is jointly conferred by a California State University campus and a community college or independent institution of higher education that awards associate degrees to former California State University students who are no longer enrolled at a California State University campus but have successfully completed coursework equivalent to the requirements for an associate degree and not previously earned an associate degree. The bill would require the associate degree to be awarded at no cost to the former student. The bill would require California State University, Long Beach, to participate in the pilot program and would authorize the chancellor to include up to 4 additional California State University campuses in the pilot program. The bill would require the chancellor, on or before January 1, 2032, to submit a report to the Legislature evaluating the effectiveness of the pilot program, as provided. The bill would make these provisions inoperative on June 30, 2032, and would repeal them as of January 1, 2033.

Issues: ✓ Education

Bill status passed 3 of 5 stages cleared

Introduction

Feb 2026

Committee Review

Aug 2026

Assembly Passage

May 2026

Senate Passage

Governor

Introduced Feb 11, 2026 Last action Aug 13, 2026

Maddy AI version diff · 5 comparisons

What changed between versions

02/11/26 - Introduced → 04/14/26 - Amended Assembly · 7 edits · Apr 14, 2026

MODERATE

The amendment adds an entirely new Article 12 (Sections 89298-89298.3) to the Education Code creating a CSU-led Joint Associate's Degree Pilot Program that can partner with independent (private) institutions of higher education, while retaining the original Section 66013.5 CCC-CSU joint program essentially unchanged. This effectively creates two parallel pilot program tracks: one led solely by the CSU Chancellor with broader institutional eligibility, and the original jointly-governed CCC-CSU program. The state-mandated local program designation was also changed from yes to no.

SCOPE

A new Article 12 (Sections 89298-89298.3) is added creating a separate CSU-led pilot program that can partner with independent institutions of higher education that award associate degrees, not just California Community Colleges

The definition of eligible partner institutions in the new Article 12 includes 'a campus or district of the California Community Colleges or an independent institution of higher education, as defined in Section 66010, that awards associate degrees' - expanding beyond public community colleges to private institutions

REQUIREMENT

In the new Article 12, only the Chancellor of the California State University establishes and administers the pilot program (reporting, campus selection), rather than requiring joint action with the Chancellor of the California Community Colleges as in the original Section 66013.5

In the new Article 12, only CSU Long Beach is required to participate, and additional CSU campuses are determined by the CSU Chancellor alone, rather than requiring joint determination by both chancellors as in Section 66013.5

ELIGIBILITY

In the new Article 12, the eligibility requirement for former students is that they have not previously earned an associate degree from 'a postsecondary educational institution' (broader), compared to the original which specified 'a community college or any other accredited postsecondary educational institution'

FISCAL

The state-mandated local program designation was changed from 'yes' to 'no', removing the requirement for state reimbursement of locally mandated costs under the Government Code

TIMELINE

The new Article 12 includes its own operative and sunset provisions: operative upon legislative appropriation, inoperative June 30, 2032, and repealed as of January 1, 2033

04/14/26 - Amended Assembly → 04/23/26 - Amended Assembly · 7 edits · Apr 23, 2026

MODERATE

The April 23 amendment significantly narrows the bill by removing the California Community Colleges Chancellor as a joint participant in establishing the pilot program, eliminating the separate Section 66013.5 that governed the community college side, and dropping the requirement that Long Beach Community College District participate. The CSU Chancellor now acts alone to establish the program with CSU campuses partnering with postsecondary educational institutions (which can still be community colleges or independent institutions). A new provision requires the degree be awarded at no cost to the former student.

SCOPE

The California Community Colleges Chancellor is no longer required to jointly establish the pilot program. Only the CSU Chancellor has that responsibility, shifting the program from a joint CCC/CSU initiative to a CSU-led one.

Section 66013.5 (the separate Education Code section governing the community college side of the joint program) is entirely removed from the bill. The act now only adds and repeals Article 12 within the CSU chapter.

Expansion of the pilot program previously allowed the two chancellors to jointly add 3 additional community college districts and CSU campuses. Now the CSU Chancellor alone may add additional CSU campuses (no numeric cap specified, no community college districts mentioned).

ELIGIBILITY

The requirement that Long Beach Community College District participate in the pilot program is eliminated. Only CSU Long Beach is now required to participate.

REQUIREMENT

A new provision requires that any associate degree awarded under the pilot program be provided at no cost to the former student.

FISCAL

The state-mandated local program designation is changed from 'yes' to 'no,' and the entire Section 2 providing for mandate reimbursement to local agencies is removed, since no community college district is now mandated to participate.

TECHNICAL

Assembly Member Fong is added as a coauthor of the bill.

Floor votes · Assembly May 21, 2026

How they voted

72–0

Passed · 7 other

Total votes 79

May 21, 2026

D Democratic59

55 Yea 4

93% Yea

R Republican20

17 Yea 3

85% Yea

Vote distribution

All Yea All Nay Mixed No data

Full legislative history

Actions timeline

Total actions

Key actions

Committee

Amendments

Aug 13, 2026

Upper · Passed

In committee: Held under submission.

upper

Aug 3, 2026

Committee

In committee: Referred to APPR. suspense file.

upper

Jul 6, 2026

Upper · Passed

Read second time and amended. Re-referred to Com. on APPR.

upper

Jul 6, 2026

Introduced

From committee: Amend, and do pass as amended and re-refer to Com. on APPR. (Ayes 6. Noes 0.) (July 1).

upper

Jun 9, 2026

Upper · Passed

In committee: Hearing postponed by committee.

upper

Jun 8, 2026

Introduced

From committee chair, with author's amendments: Amend, and re-refer to committee. Read second time, amended, and re-referred to Com. on ED.

upper

Jun 3, 2026

Committee

Referred to Com. on ED.

upper

May 21, 2026

Lower · Passed

Read third time. Passed. Ordered to the Senate. (Ayes 73. Noes 0. Page 5208.)

lower

May 14, 2026

Lower · Passed

From committee: Do pass. (Ayes 15. Noes 0.) (May 14).

lower

May 6, 2026

Committee

In committee: Set, first hearing. Referred to APPR. suspense file.

lower

Apr 27, 2026

Committee

Re-referred to Com. on APPR.

lower

Apr 23, 2026

Lower · Passed

Read second time and amended.

lower

Apr 22, 2026

Introduced

From committee: Amend, and do pass as amended and re-refer to Com. on APPR. (Ayes 10. Noes 0.) (April 21).

lower

Apr 15, 2026

Committee

Re-referred to Com. on HIGHER ED.

lower

Apr 14, 2026

Introduced

From committee chair, with author's amendments: Amend, and re-refer to Com. on HIGHER ED. Read second time and amended.

lower

Apr 13, 2026

Lower · Passed

In committee: Hearing postponed by committee.

lower

Feb 23, 2026

Committee

Referred to Com. on HIGHER ED.

lower

Feb 12, 2026

Lower · Passed

From printer. May be heard in committee March 14.

lower

1 primary · 1 co-sponsor