California SB 960: Public postsecondary education: community colleges: statewide baccalaureate degree program.

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 Bill Text - SB-960 Public postsecondary education: community colleges: statewide baccalaureate degree program.

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 |Add To My Favorites |Track Bill | Version: 06/25/26 - Amended Assembly
 04/22/26 - Amended Senate
 02/03/26 - Introduced

 SB-960 Public postsecondary education: community colleges: statewide baccalaureate degree program.(2025-2026)

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 Date Published: 06/25/2026 09:00 PM

SB960:v97#DOCUMENTBill Start

 Amended
 IN 
 Assembly
 June 25, 2026

 Amended
 IN 
 Senate
 April 22, 2026

 CALIFORNIA LEGISLATURE—
 2025–2026 REGULAR SESSION

 Senate Bill

No. 960

Introduced by Senator Cabaldon

February 03, 2026

An act to amend Sections 78040 and 78042 of the Education Code, relating to public postsecondary education.

LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST

SB 960, as amended, Cabaldon.
 Public postsecondary education: community colleges: statewide baccalaureate degree program.

Existing law authorizes the Board of Governors of the California Community Colleges, in consultation with the California State University and the University of California, to authorize the establishment of community college district baccalaureate degree programs, as provided. Existing law prohibits a community college district baccalaureate degree program from offering a baccalaureate degree program or program curricula already offered by the California State University or the University of California.

This bill would instead prohibit a community college district from offering a baccalaureate degree program or program curricula already offered by the University of California, or a campus of the California State University whose local service area includes, or overlaps with, the territory of the community college district. Beginning July 1,
 2030, the bill would authorize a district to offer a baccalaureate degree program or program curricula offered by a campus of the California State University whose local service area includes, or overlaps with, the territory of the district if the California State University program has been impacted for 3 consecutive years before the date the program is approved, as provided.

Existing law requires, as part of the application and review process, the Chancellor of the California Community Colleges to ensure, among other things, that the total number of baccalaureate degree programs offered by a community college district does not exceed 25% of the total number of associate degree programs offered by the community college district, as specified.

This bill would reduce that limitation from 25% to 15%. The bill would require the chancellor to
 annually report to the Legislature, on or before March 1, on the status of all baccalaureate degree programs approved under these provisions, as specified.

Digest Key

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

Bill Text

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

SECTION 1.

 Section 78040 of the Education Code is amended to read:

78040.

 For purposes of this article, the following definitions apply:

(a) “District” means any community college district identified by the Chancellor of the California Community Colleges as participating in the statewide baccalaureate degree program.

(b) “Impacted program” means a specific baccalaureate degree program offered by a campus of the California State University that has been designated as impacted by the California State University in accordance with its established policies and procedures and for which the number of eligible applications received in the initial filing period is greater than the number that can be accommodated by the
 program.

(c) “Local service area” means the same as defined in subdivision (c) of Section 89030.5.

SEC. 2.

 Section 78042 of the Education Code is amended to read:

78042.

 (a) A district shall seek approval to offer baccalaureate degree programs through the appropriate accreditation body.

(b) When seeking approval from the Board of Governors of the California Community Colleges, a district shall maintain the primary mission of the California Community Colleges specified in paragraph (3) of subdivision (a) of Section 66010.4. The district, as part of the baccalaureate degree program, shall have the additional mission to provide high-quality undergraduate education at an affordable price for students and the state.

(c) As a condition of eligibility for