Copyright© 2000 by School Services of California, Inc.
Board of Governors 2000 Legislative
Program Falls Short of System's Goals
At the front end of this legislative year, the California Community College Board of Governors adopted a 2000 legislative program that contained nine sponsored bills. The following is a summary of the final action on all Board of Governor's sponsored bills:
Measures Approved by Governor Davis
AB 1441 (Lempert, D-San Carlos), Chapter 36/00: Chancellor's Office Contracting
Current law specifies that all contracts entered into by any state agency be approved by the Department of General Services. That law exempts certain transactions from that law, including transactions entered into by the Trustees of the California State University. This exempts transactions entered into by the Board of Governors from that law.
AB 2159 (Robert Pacheco, R-Walnut), Chapter 460/00: Graduate Assumption Program of Loans for Education
The Grad APLE provides loan assumption benefits to recipients who earn an advanced degree, and go on to teach in a public segment of higher education in California. This bill expands the eligibility requirements for the Grad APLE to allow community college students who are enrolled on a part-time basis to be eligible to receive a Grad APLE award. In addition, this bill expands eligibility for individuals that teach on a part-time basis.
AB 2337 (Ducheny, D-San Diego), Chapter 746/00: Community College Finance
This bill appropriates the sum of $3.3 million to fund a deficiency request within the community college apprenticeship programs. The Governor deleted $2.1 million for the Part-time Faculty Office Hours Program from the bill because of his concern about the current level of district matching funds.
AB 2794 (Havice, D-Cerritos), Chapter 939/00: EdNet Reauthorization
This bill extends the sunset date on the California Community Colleges Economic Development Program until January 1, 2003.
Measures Vetoed by Governor Davis
AB 172 (Firebaugh, D-E-Los Angeles): International Education
This measure sought to provide community college districts the authority to waive the non-resident tuition charges for students of foreign countries whose home campus was engaged in a one-for-one student exchange program with a California community college.
AB 2384 (Lempert, D-San Carlos): Higher Education Omnibus Bill
This measure proposed a variety of technical amendments to current law. Issues specific to community colleges included provisions exempting the Chancellor's Office from Department of General Services contracting oversight, and a provision clarifying that districts could use local district funds for community service classes.
AB 2388 (Lempert, D-San Carlos): Education Code Rewrite
This measure sought to update and streamline the Education Code to reflect proposals proposed by the Chancellor's Education Code Rewrite Task Force.
AB 2565 (Zettel, R-Poway): Technology and Telecommunications Program
This bill proposed a state investment plan for telecommunications and technology for the California community colleges as proposed in the forthcoming Technology Plan II report.
SCR 83 (Polanco, D-Los Angeles): State Bond Fund Allocation
This resolution sought to allocate the proceeds of capital outlay bonds for public higher education among the segments on an equitable basis among the three public education systems. This measure died in the Assembly.
Although four-for-nine is a wonderful batting average in baseball, it is somewhat disappointing in Capitol lobbying.
--Arnold Bray