California lawmakers advance community college bachelor's degree bill

California lawmakers advanced Assembly Bill 664 on Jan. 26, clearing the state Assembly with a 69-1 vote. The measure would allow community colleges to offer more bachelor’s degrees, setting up another clash with Gov. Gavin Newsom, who has vetoed three similar bills in the past two years despite supporting increased access to four-year degrees.

The bill intensifies a dispute over a 2021 law that permits 30 bachelor’s degrees per year at community colleges only when they do not duplicate UC and CSU programs. Lawmakers and community colleges argue that the state is too large and geographically dispersed to restrict four-year degrees to traditional universities, while the public university systems fear revenue loss and program erosion.

The Bill and Its Path Forward

Assemblymember David Alvarez, a Democrat representing Chula Vista, authored Assembly Bill 664 to expand bachelor’s degree access in his region. The measure passed the state Assembly on Jan. 26 with overwhelming support: a 69-1 vote. The bill would allow Southwestern College, located near the U.S.-Mexico border, to establish up to four additional bachelor’s programs in applied disciplines, including teaching English to speakers of other languages and website design.

On Jan. 13, Alvarez urged fellow lawmakers to follow his lead in creating programs where local labor markets demand them. According to legislative hearing reporting, he said the 2021 law limiting community college bachelor’s degree creation “has fallen short.”

In an interview, Alvarez emphasized California’s obligation to its students. “California is about providing opportunity and access to students,” he said. “Are we actually doing that in the state? I would say the answer to that today is we are falling very, very short.”

Legislators will have until Aug. 31 to send the bill to the governor, who has not indicated whether he plans to sign or veto it.

The Governor’s Vetoes

Newsom has repeatedly stated his opposition to circumventing the 2021 law, even while supporting broader access to bachelor’s degrees. In the past two years, he vetoed three bills attempting to expand community college baccalaureate programs. This record suggests another veto is likely.

Alvarez expressed hope that the emphasis on collaboration with nearby universities in his bill might persuade Newsom to sign it. Southwestern is already launching bachelor’s degree programs with nearby university professors teaching on its campus, a model that partially aligns with suggestions from higher education experts who oppose independent community college expansion.

University System Opposition

Both UC and California State University oppose the bill, arguing it circumvents the 2021 law by allowing Southwestern to bypass the duplication-review process both university systems are entitled to participate in. They fear that more community colleges will seek degrees, unraveling the negotiated framework.

Eloy Ortiz Oakley, who led the California Community Colleges system when the first community college bachelor’s degrees were underway, opposes the expansion. “I have, from the beginning, been opposed to community colleges offering baccalaureate degrees,” Oakley said. “I think it is a mistake.”

Oakley proposed an alternative: sending professors from under-enrolled CSU campuses to teach at community colleges wanting bachelor’s programs. This approach would address local workforce needs and duplication concerns while controlling costs during a period of state budget deficits.

Geographic Access and Cost

Community colleges emphasize a geographic reality: California is expansive and its higher education institutions unevenly distributed. Twenty-nine of the state’s 116 community colleges sit at least 25 miles from a public university, leaving approximately 150,000 students in regions with limited four-year degree access.

The affordability difference is substantial. Community college bachelor’s degrees cost roughly $10,000 for four years, compared to higher costs at UC and CSU. About 300 students earn bachelor’s degrees at community colleges annually, compared to around 160,000 at UC and CSU.

Yet the state’s public universities are not meeting demand evenly. Cal State, in particular, has struggled financially. Thirteen of its 23 campuses had enrollment below state targets last year. An estimated 113,000 California students attend for-profit colleges that award bachelor’s degrees, despite Cal State’s relatively low tuition.

The Duplication Dispute

At the heart of this disagreement is a fundamental question: what qualifies as program duplication? Since the 2021 law, community colleges submitted 52 bachelor’s programs for approval. Of those, 28 received approval without duplication concerns. But 16 remain pending because Cal State opposes them, raising questions about whether the university system is using the duplication standard to limit competition.

One example illustrates the tension: Southwestern College sought a bachelor’s program in binational environmental architecture. Cal Poly Pomona disputed the program for more than a year, despite offering a similar program without the binational emphasis. The question remained unresolved: does geographic difference and specialized focus matter when evaluating duplication, or only course similarity?

Despite their opposing views on solutions, Alvarez and Oakley agree on one point: California’s public universities are not meeting current demand for bachelor’s degrees. Whether that demand is better served through expanded community college programs or through improved coordination among existing institutions remains the central debate as lawmakers push toward the Aug. 31 deadline.