Copyright© 2004 by School Services of California, Inc.

Volume 17                   For Publication Date: December 17, 2004             No. 24

Legislature Kicks off 2005 Legislative Session
by Introducing More Than 100 Bills In One Day  

When the Legislature returned to Sacramento on December 6, 2004, it marked the beginning of the 2005 legislative session and the introduction of new legislation. Although the 120 legislators were in town for one day, they were able to introduce more than 100 new pieces of legislation, almost one bill for each member. Some of the bills introduced are not new ideas—like the driver’s license bill for non-documented immigrants. By the time the Legislature adjourns in 2006, more than 5,000 bills will have been introduced over the two-year legislative cycle.  

The following is a summary of the new bills introduced which have a direct impact on California community colleges:

§       AB 9 (Coto, D-San Jose)  Education Finance: This bill would declare that it is the intent of the Legislature to ensure that per-pupil funding for California’s K-12 public schools and public postsecondary educational institutions increases annually over the next five years to reach a level ranking California among the five highest states in the nation in per-pupil funding.

K-12 schools, community colleges, and public four-year higher education institutions would receive higher levels of funding conditional upon the implementation of best practices-based reforms, to reform and refine current funding formulas. Additional funding would be provided as a result of economic growth, broadening of the tax base, and development of government-business partnerships.  

§       AB 23 (Liu, D-La Canada Flintridge) Community College Finance: This bill would provide that the California Community Colleges have three primary missions: lower-division instruction for students seeking to transfer to a university in pursuit of the baccalaureate degree, workforce training and preparation, and adult literacy. The bill would require that first priority in the use of state funds be given to courses and services directly responsive to these three priorities. The bill would also provide that the community colleges may provide instruction and courses relating to remedial instruction, adult noncredit education, and community services to the extent funding is available. This bill would express the intent of the Legislature to replace the program-based distribution of funds to community college districts with a simpler, more equitable method, and to implement, commencing with the 2007-08 fiscal year, a funding model developed pursuant to the bill. The bill would require the Department of Finance and the Legislative Analyst’s Office, working collaboratively with representatives of the Chancellor’s Office of the California Community Colleges, to jointly recommend the appropriate funding levels for community college full-time equivalent students prior to January 1, 2007.  

§       AB 49 (Benoit, R-Riverside) Contracting for Noninstructional Services: Exiting law authorizes K-12 school districts and community college districts to enter into contracts for personal services customarily performed by classified employees to achieve cost savings if prescribed conditions are met. This bill would repeal these provisions and instead would authorize K-14 districts to contract for any noninstructional services.  

§       AB 58 (Nunez, D- Los Angeles ) Kindergarten-University Public Education Facilities Bond Act of 2006: This bill would enact the Kindergarten-University Public Education Facilities Bond Act of 2006, to become operative only if approved by the voters at the November 7, 2006, statewide general election. The bond act would provide for the issuance of state general obligation bonds. The amount, however, is not specified in the bill. The bill would provide that, for each bond act, a prescribed amount would be deposited in the 2006 State School Facilities Fund to provide aid to school districts, county superintendents of schools, and county boards of education. A prescribed amount would also be deposited in the 2006 Higher Education Capital Outlay Bond Fund, which would be established by this bill to provide aid for California public higher education facilities.  

§       SB 5 (Morrow, R-Oceanside) Student Bill of Rights: This bill would request the University of California , and direct the California State University and California Community Colleges , to develop guidelines and implement specified principles relating to academic freedom in a Student Bill of Rights.  

§       SCA 2 (McClintock, R-Thousand Oaks) Budget Process: Among many other provisions, this measure would require that the Assembly and Senate each pass a Budget Bill by May 15 of each year. It would provide that, if either house does not pass a Budget Bill by that date, the timely adopted Budget Bill of the other house, if available, would be sent to the Governor for approval. If both houses fail to pass a Budget Bill, the Governor’s Budget would be deemed adopted, except for those items made contingent on new revenue sources. If the Assembly and Senate adopt different Budget Bills by May 15, a conference committee would be convened to address only the differences between the two bills. The measure would also provide that no action may be taken in either house on a Budget Bill lacking a 3% surplus. Current law requires a two-thirds vote to pass a State Budget; this measure would exempt the Budget Bill from this vote requirement, and would require only a majority vote in each house for the passage of a Budget Bill as an urgency statute.  

Conclusion:  More to come, this is just the beginning.

— Arnold Bray