California community colleges will gain the authority to offer bachelor's degrees that may duplicate programs already available at California State University (CSU) and University of California (UC) schools, following legislation signed into law by Governor Gavin Newsom on Friday. This marks the most significant change in degree-granting power within the state's public university systems in decades.
The new laws, which will take effect on January 1, 2028, eliminate the existing prohibition on community colleges offering bachelor's degrees that are also provided by CSU or UC institutions. Instead, the system will now prioritize regional workforce needs and a district college’s performance. The legislation, comprised of SB 960, authored by Senator Christopher Cabaldon (D-West Sacramento), and AB 2694, written by Assemblymembers David A. Alvarez (D-San Diego) and Blanca Pacheco (D-Downey), cleared the state legislature earlier this month after earlier objections from CSU and UC were withdrawn. Governor Newsom signed the bills without providing public comment.
Chancellor Sonya Christian, who leads the state’s community college system, had expressed opposition to the two related bills in the final days of the legislative session. In an August 29 letter to Sen. Cabaldon, Christian stated that last-minute amendments had altered the measures from what community colleges had originally supported, potentially creating "more barriers" to establishing new degree programs than currently exist.
Christian specifically criticized a detailed five-tier system designed to cap the number of degrees a community college district can offer based on its student outcomes compared to other districts statewide. She noted that a district could improve its performance and still face caps, or see its eligibility shift simply because the statewide average changed. Christian warned that rural and single-college districts could be most negatively affected, contending that communities most needing greater access to affordable bachelor's degrees should not end up with the fewest options for them. Despite her prior concerns, Chancellor Christian offered a conciliatory message on Friday. She affirmed that 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 added that the system will collaborate with the Legislature and the Administration on "technical cleanup" to expand access to affordable degrees across the state.
Both California State University and the University of California systems adopted neutral positions on the final versions of the bills. A CSU spokesperson indicated appreciation for Governor Newsom signing the bills into law, describing them as "a thoughtful, student-centered approach to expanding community colleges’ ability to offer bachelor’s degrees." The spokesperson emphasized that the laws would broaden opportunities for "place-bound and underserved students" throughout California, while maintaining a focus on documented regional workforce needs and continued coordination among the three higher education systems. A UC spokesperson commented that the state’s master plan guiding the higher education systems should be reimagined "for today’s higher education needs" but did not directly address the specific legislation.
Under the new law, a community college could offer a degree program that overlaps with an existing nearby CSU program under specific conditions. This would be permissible if the CSU program has been difficult to enter for several years, or if state labor officials identify a local job shortage that the CSU program is not adequately addressing.
Sen. Cabaldon, a proponent of the legislation, described community colleges as "one of the more nimble parts of our higher education system in California," and asserted that the bills maintain a strong focus on associate degrees, certificates, and transfer pathways. Assemblymember Alvarez highlighted that many students are working adults, parents, caregivers, and first-generation students who are rooted in their communities and cannot relocate or commute long distances to earn a degree.
This new legislation builds upon a 2021 law that permits community colleges to establish up to 30 new bachelor’s degree programs annually, provided they do not duplicate offerings from CSU, UC, or private four-year institutions. Over 60 such programs have been approved since that time, in fields including respiratory care, cybersecurity, and water resource management.
In a separate action, Governor Newsom vetoed AB 2301, a bill that would have allowed 10 community college districts to offer bachelor’s degrees in nursing through a pilot program. This marks the fourth time he has vetoed similar measures since 2024. In past vetoes, Newsom argued that such programs could undermine existing partnerships between community colleges, CSU, and other universities that already award nursing degrees. Chancellor Christian expressed disappointment with the veto, noting that California faces significant healthcare workforce shortages and that affordable pathways to a bachelor of science in nursing are particularly important in rural and underserved communities.
