The California governor signed the legislation after the Assembly passed an amended version.
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California Gov. Gavin Newsom signed legislation on Friday expanding the ability of the state’s community colleges to offer baccalaureate degrees.
The two bills he approved, AB 2694 and SB 960, remove a ban on community colleges awarding any bachelor’s degrees already available at either of the state’s public university systems. The law also establishes a framework for determining how many and which degrees community colleges can offer, in conjunction with local workforce needs.
The legislation has faced a tumultuous ride. Initially community college leaders and advocates supported the bills—designed to make it easier for two-year colleges to offer bachelor’s degrees when a similar program isn’t offered at a four-year institution nearby, or when that program does not meet workforce demand—while the University of California and California State University systems opposed them, fearful of losing head count.
But late amendments prompted a reversal of positions: Public university leaders removed their objections, while the California Community Colleges system argued that the new provisions—including limits on the annual number of four-year programs a college can propose and more opportunities for four-year colleges to object to those programs—create rather than reduce barriers for community colleges.
Nevertheless, the California Assembly passed the legislation earlier this month.
After Newsom signed the bills, CCC Chancellor Sonya Christian struck a measured tone.
“The California Community Colleges remain committed to high-quality, affordable bachelor’s degrees that meet workforce needs and are accessible where students live and work,” she said in a statement to the Los Angeles Times. “We will work with the Legislature and the Administration on technical cleanup, with a shared goal of expanding access to affordable bachelor’s degrees in communities across California.”
The new laws will take effect on Jan. 1, 2028.
At the same time, Newsom vetoed a separate bill that would have established a pilot program for 10 community college districts to award bachelor’s degrees in nursing. He has declined to sign similar legislation in the past, arguing it is unnecessary because community colleges already have partnerships with universities that offer such degrees.
Christian expressed disappointment at the move.
“At a time when California faces significant healthcare workforce shortages, affordable pathways to a bachelor of science in nursing are especially important in rural and underserved communities,” she said.
