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Measure SB 744
Authors Cabaldon  
Subject Accrediting agencies.
Relating To relating to postsecondary education.
Title An act to add and repeal Section 144.7 of the Business and Professions Code, and to amend, repeal, and add Section 66010 of the Education Code, relating to postsecondary education.
Last Action Dt 2025-10-06
State Chaptered
Status Chaptered
Active? Y
Vote Required Majority
Appropriation No
Fiscal Committee Yes
Local Program No
Substantive Changes None
Urgency No
Tax Levy No
Leginfo Link Bill
Actions
2025-10-06     Chaptered by Secretary of State. Chapter 425, Statutes of 2025.
2025-10-06     Approved by the Governor.
2025-09-23     Enrolled and presented to the Governor at 2 p.m.
2025-09-13     Assembly amendments concurred in. (Ayes 30. Noes 5. Page 3026.) Ordered to engrossing and enrolling.
2025-09-12     Read third time. Passed. (Ayes 60. Noes 18. Page 3391.) Ordered to the Senate.
2025-09-12     In Senate. Concurrence in Assembly amendments pending.
2025-09-03     Read third time and amended.
2025-09-03     Ordered to third reading.
2025-09-02     Read second time. Ordered to third reading.
2025-08-29     From committee: Do pass. (Ayes 11. Noes 4.) (August 29).
2025-08-20     August 20 set for first hearing. Placed on APPR. suspense file.
2025-07-09     From committee: Do pass and re-refer to Com. on APPR. (Ayes 7. Noes 3.) (July 8). Re-referred to Com. on APPR.
2025-06-11     From committee with author's amendments. Read second time and amended. Re-referred to Com. on HIGHER ED.
2025-06-05     Referred to Com. on HIGHER ED.
2025-05-29     In Assembly. Read first time. Held at Desk.
2025-05-29     Read third time. Passed. (Ayes 38. Noes 0. Page 1329.) Ordered to the Assembly.
2025-05-27     Ordered to special consent calendar.
2025-05-23     From committee: Do pass. (Ayes 6. Noes 0. Page 1211.) (May 23).
2025-05-23     Read second time. Ordered to third reading.
2025-05-16     Set for hearing May 23.
2025-04-21     April 21 hearing: Placed on APPR. suspense file.
2025-04-10     Set for hearing April 21.
2025-04-09     From committee: Do pass and re-refer to Com. on APPR. (Ayes 7. Noes 0. Page 736.) (April 9). Re-referred to Com. on APPR.
2025-03-26     Set for hearing April 9.
2025-03-12     Referred to Com. on ED.
2025-02-24     From printer. May be acted upon on or after March 24.
2025-02-24     Read first time.
2025-02-21     Introduced. To Com. on RLS. for assignment. To print.
Keywords
Tags
Versions
Chaptered     2025-10-06
Enrolled     2025-09-18
Amended Assembly     2025-09-03
Amended Assembly     2025-06-11
Introduced     2025-02-21
Last Version Text 
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		<ns0:AuthorText authorType="LEAD_AUTHOR">Introduced by Senator Cabaldon</ns0:AuthorText>
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		<ns0:Title> An act to add and repeal Section 144.7 of the Business and Professions Code, and to amend, repeal, and add Section 66010 of the Education Code, relating to postsecondary education.</ns0:Title>
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			<ns0:Subject>Accrediting agencies.</ns0:Subject>
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			<html:p>Existing law establishes the California Community Colleges, the California State University, the University of California, independent institutions of higher education, and private postsecondary educational institutions as the segments of postsecondary education in the state. Existing law requires certain postsecondary educational institutions to be accredited by an accrediting agency recognized by the United States Department of Education to qualify as an independent institution of higher education to be eligible for certain programs and to receive an approval to operate.</html:p>
			<html:p>Existing laws applicable to, among other things, the licensure and regulation of various professions and vocations by the Department of Consumer Affairs require applicants for licensure or licensees to satisfy educational requirements by completing programs or degrees from
			 institutions or universities accredited by a regional or national accrediting agency or association recognized by the United States Department of Education, or otherwise impose a requirement that a school or program be accredited by an accrediting agency recognized by the United States Department of Education.</html:p>
			<html:p>This bill would require, for purposes of any code or statute, a national or regional accrediting agency recognized by the United States Department of Education as of January 1, 2025, to retain that recognition until
			 July 1, 2029, provided that the accrediting agency continues to operate in substantially the same manner as it did on January 1, 2025. The bill would repeal those provisions on January 1, 2030.</html:p>
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				Section 144.7 is added to the 
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								(a)
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								For purposes of any code or statute, a national or regional accrediting agency recognized by the United States Department of Education as of January 1, 2025, shall retain that recognition until July 1, 2029, provided that the accrediting agency continues to operate in substantially the same manner as it did on January 1, 2025.
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								This section shall remain in effect only until January 1, 2030, and as of that date is repealed.
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				Section 66010 of the 
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								(a)
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								Public higher education consists of (1) the California Community Colleges, (2) the California State University, and each campus, branch, and function thereof, and (3) each campus, branch, and function of the University of California.
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								(b)
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								(1)
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								Except as provided in paragraph (2), as used in this part, “independent institutions of higher education” are those nonpublic higher education institutions that grant undergraduate degrees, graduate degrees, or both, and that are formed as nonprofit corporations in this state and are accredited by an agency
						recognized by the United States Department of Education.
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								(2)
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								For purposes of any code or statute, a national or regional accrediting agency recognized by the United States Department of Education as of January 1, 2025, shall retain that recognition until July 1, 2029, provided that the accrediting agency continues to operate in substantially the same manner as it did on January 1, 2025.
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								(c)
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								No provision of this part is intended to regulate, subsidize, or intrude upon private education, including, but not limited to, independent educational institutions and religious schools, nor to vary
						existing state law or state constitutional provisions relating to private education.
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								(d)
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								This section shall remain in effect only until January 1, 2030, and as of that date is repealed.
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				Section 66010 is added to the 
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								(a)
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								Public higher education consists of (1) the California Community Colleges, (2) the California State University, and each campus, branch, and function thereof, and (3) each campus, branch, and function of the University of California.
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								(b)
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								As used in this part, “independent institutions of higher education” are those nonpublic higher education institutions that grant undergraduate degrees, graduate degrees, or both, and that are formed as nonprofit corporations in this state and are accredited by an agency recognized by the United States Department of Education.
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								(c)
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								No provision of this part is intended to
						regulate, subsidize, or intrude upon private education, including, but not limited to, independent educational institutions and religious schools, nor to vary existing state law or state constitutional provisions relating to private education.
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								(d)
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								This section shall become operative on January 1, 2030.
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Last Version Text Digest Existing law establishes the California Community Colleges, the California State University, the University of California, independent institutions of higher education, and private postsecondary educational institutions as the segments of postsecondary education in the state. Existing law requires certain postsecondary educational institutions to be accredited by an accrediting agency recognized by the United States Department of Education to qualify as an independent institution of higher education to be eligible for certain programs and to receive an approval to operate. Existing laws applicable to, among other things, the licensure and regulation of various professions and vocations by the Department of Consumer Affairs require applicants for licensure or licensees to satisfy educational requirements by completing programs or degrees from institutions or universities accredited by a regional or national accrediting agency or association recognized by the United States Department of Education, or otherwise impose a requirement that a school or program be accredited by an accrediting agency recognized by the United States Department of Education. This bill would require, for purposes of any code or statute, a national or regional accrediting agency recognized by the United States Department of Education as of January 1, 2025, to retain that recognition until July 1, 2029, provided that the accrediting agency continues to operate in substantially the same manner as it did on January 1, 2025. The bill would repeal those provisions on January 1, 2030.