Assembly BillFailedEducation
AB 240: Community colleges: study: Counties of Amador, Alpine, Mariposa, Modoc, and Sierra.
What AB 240 does, verified February 3, 2026
The bill aims to provide community college services and opportunities to residents of underserved counties in California. It declares as legislative policy that all California territory should be included in community college districts or have equivalent opportunities for in-person and online participation. A study will be conducted to evaluate the provision of community college services in the counties of Amador, Alpine, Mariposa, Modoc, and Sierra, which are not fully included in existing districts. The study will include policy recommendations to ensure residents of these counties have access to equivalent community college programs. A working group will be convened to assist with the study and report development. The report and recommendations will be submitted to the governor and the education committees by December 31, 2027. The provisions will be repealed after January 1, 2032.
Bill journey
✓IntroducedComplete
2In CommitteeCurrent
3First Chamber FloorPending
4Second ChamberPending
5GovernorPending
6ChapteredPending
Last action: From committee: Filed with the Chief Clerk pursuant to Joint Rule 56. (2026-02-02)Alert me
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| Feb. 02, 2026 | From committee: Filed with the Chief Clerk pursuant to Joint Rule 56. |
| Jan. 31, 2026 | Died pursuant to Art. IV, Sec. 10(c) of the Constitution. |
| May. 23, 2025 | In committee: Held under submission. |
| Apr. 09, 2025 | In committee: Set, first hearing. Referred to APPR. suspense file. |
| Mar. 19, 2025 | From committee: Do pass and re-refer to Com. on APPR. with recommendation: To Consent Calendar. (Ayes 9. Noes 0.) (March 18). Re-referred to Com. on APPR. |
Latest bill textAmended version, March 10, 2025 · 1,254 words
| Amended IN Assembly March 10, 2025 |
CALIFORNIA LEGISLATURE— 2025–2026 REGULAR SESSION
Assembly Bill
No. 240
| Introduced by Assembly (Coauthors: Assembly Members Flora, Ortega, Schiavo, and Wallis) |
January 14, 2025 |
An act to amend Section 74000 of, and to add and repeal Section 74000.5 of, the Education Code, relating to community colleges.
LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST
AB 240, as amended, Alanis. Community colleges: study: Counties of Amador, Alpine, Mariposa, Modoc, and Sierra.
Existing law establishes the Milton Marks “Little Hoover” Commission on California State Government Organization and Economy (Little Hoover Commission) for purposes of securing assistance for the Governor and the Legislature in promoting economy, efficiency, and improved service in the transaction of the public business in the various departments, agencies, and instrumentalities of the executive branch of the state government, and in making the operation of all state departments, agencies, and instrumentalities, and all expenditures of public funds, more directly responsive to the wishes of the people as expressed by their elected representatives, as provided.
Existing law establishes the California State Library, which includes the California Research Bureau, under the control of an executive known as the “State Librarian.” Existing law authorizes the California State Library to serve as the central reference and research library for the departments of state government and to, among other things, maintain adequate legislative reference and research library services for the Legislature.
Existing law declares as legislative policy that all of the territory of the state shall be included within a community college district, except that territory located within a county where the county residents accounted for fewer than 350 units of average daily attendance in the state’s community colleges during the preceding fiscal year, and that territory located within such a county may be included within a community college district pursuant to prescribed procedures.
This bill instead would declare as legislative policy that all of the territory of the state shall be included within a community college district or otherwise provided with equivalent opportunities for residents to participate in both in-person and online postsecondary education community college programs and courses.
This bill would require the Little Hoover Commission California Research Bureau to conduct a study and prepare a report evaluating the provision of postsecondary education community college services and opportunities to residents of the underserved Counties of Amador, Alpine, Mariposa, Modoc, and Sierra that are not fully included within the territory of a community college district, and would require the report to include policy recommendations regarding how the state can ensure that residents of those 5 counties have opportunities to participate in both in-person and online postsecondary education community college programs and courses equivalent to those of similarly sized communities that are fully included within the territory of a community college district, as provided. To assist with and inform the development of the report and recommendations, the bill would require the Little Hoover Commission California Research bureau to convene and consult a working group that includes specified voluntary representatives, and would authorize the Little Hoover Commission bureau to request and receive information from specified entities. The bill would require the Little Hoover Commission California Research bureau to submit the report and recommendations to the appropriate fiscal and policy committees of the Legislature and to Assembly Committee on Higher Education, the Senate Committee on Education, and the Governor on or before December 31, 2026. 2027. The bill would repeal these provisions as of January 1, 2031. 2032.
This bill would make legislative findings and declarations as to the necessity of a special statute for the Counties of Amador, Alpine, Mariposa, Modoc, and Sierra.
The people of the State of California do enact as follows:
SECTION 1.
Section 74000 of the Education Code is amended to read:74000.
The Legislature hereby declares as its policy that all of the territory of the state shall be included within a community college district or otherwise provided with equivalent opportunities for residents to participate in both in-person and onlineSEC. 2.
Section 74000.5 is added to the Education Code, to read:74000.5.
(a) The(b) The report and recommendations required by subdivision (a) shall include consideration of include, but are not limited to, all of the following:
(1) An analysis of the educational and economic impacts of the existing deficit of community college services and opportunities in the five underserved counties identified in subdivision (a), and the potential benefits of providing equivalent opportunities to these communities. (a).
(2) (A) An analysis of the potential benefits of providing equivalent community college services and opportunities in the five underserved counties identified in subdivision (a).
(B) For purposes of subparagraph (A), “equivalent community colleges services and opportunities” means community college services and opportunities offered in communities of a similar size to the five underserved counties identified in subdivision (a) that are fully included within the territory of a community college district.
(2)
(3)
An analysis of the current availability of, and opportunities to strengthen, dual enrollment opportunities with community colleges and transfer(3)Identification of outreach and recruitment services in the five underserved counties identified in subdivision (a) by public and private postsecondary educational institutions, and collaborations that are operating or in process to expand access to postsecondary education programs and services in other parts of the state.
(4) Identification of existing community colleges, four-year public postsecondary educational institutions, and independent institutions of higher education that are conducting outreach, recruitment, and providing in-person or online postsecondary education programs and services within the five underserved counties identified in subdivision (a).
(4)
(5)
Identification of potential providers of both in-person and online postsecondary education programs and services within the five underserved counties identified in subdivision (a), and options for implementing those programs and services.(5)
(6)
Identification of opportunities and resources needed to provide in-person(6)
(7)
Identification of opportunities for partnership with local educational agencies, public(7)
(8)
An analysis of resource needs and potential funding sources for expanding(8)
(9)
Identification of potential legislative and administrative actions that may be taken to ensure that residents of the five underserved counties identified in subdivision (a) have opportunities to participate in both in-person and onlineText of AB 240 as amended, from the official record. Connect Plus keeps every version and highlights what changed.Compare versions