AB 167 California Assembly · 2025-2026 Regular Session

Higher education budget trailer bill.

AB 167 is a procedural bill that expresses the Legislature's intent to enact future statutory changes related to the Budget Act of 2025. It does not establish new policies or affect specific groups; instead, it serves as a preparatory step for upcoming budget legislation. The bill itself contains no concrete policy changes or mechanisms, as it merely sets the stage for future budget-related statutory updates. This is a standard procedural measure to signal legislative focus, not a substantive law.

Bill status passed 3 of 5 stages cleared

Introduction

Jan 2025

Committee Review

Apr 2025

Assembly Passage

Mar 2025

Senate Passage

Governor

Introduced Jan 8, 2025 Last action Aug 28, 2026

Maddy AI version diff · 2 comparisons

What changed between versions

08/28/26 - Amended Senate → AB167 · 2 edits

MINOR

The full legislative text of AB 167 (Amended Senate version, August 28, 2026) has been replaced with what appears to be a minimal web page header containing only the bill title and navigation links. No substantive policy changes are present in this diff; it is entirely a technical or formatting change in how the document is stored or displayed.

TECHNICAL

The entire body of AB 167, including all amendments to the Education Code, Government Code, and Health and Safety Code relating to Cal Grant age limits, Public Interest Attorney Loan Repayment Program, CSU enrollment reporting deadlines, student housing project requirements, Umbilical Cord Blood Collection Program extension, Student Support Block Grant funding, and LGBTQ+ student support funding, was removed from this version.

A minimal web page header was added containing the bill title 'AB-167 Higher education budget trailer bill' and navigation elements ('skip to content', 'home'), suggesting a change in document format or hosting platform rather than a legislative amendment.

01/08/25 - Introduced → 08/28/26 - Amended Senate · 10 edits · Aug 28, 2026

MAJOR

AB 167 was transformed from a placeholder bill expressing legislative intent into a full higher education budget trailer bill containing numerous substantive policy changes. The amended version adds provisions affecting Cal Grant transfer eligibility age limits, community college student housing project requirements, the Student Centered Funding Formula base allocation methodology, loan repayment for public interest attorneys, and several funding appropriations and reporting deadlines.

Scope change

The bill was expanded from a simple placeholder expressing legislative intent to enact budget-related statutory changes into a comprehensive higher education budget trailer bill covering Cal Grant eligibility, community college funding formulas, student housing, loan repayment programs, cord blood collection, and multiple appropriations across the Education Code, Government Code, and Health and Safety Code.

ELIGIBILITY

The one-year delay in raising the age limit from 28 to 30 for California Community College Transfer Cal Grant Entitlement Awards is shifted: it now applies from the 2027-28 award year through 2031-32 instead of 2026-27 through 2030-31, giving students one additional year at the lower age limit.

REQUIREMENT

For community college student housing projects selected for financing on or after June 30, 2026, the bill deletes the prior authority for the Board of Governors and colleges to acquire a student housing project or its site. Instead, colleges must now demonstrate fee title ownership of the property and document unmet demand for student housing.

FISCAL

For the 2026-27 fiscal year and each fiscal year thereafter, a community college district's funded credit FTES for base allocation purposes shall be the greater of the three-year rolling average or the current year's eligible credit FTES. This protects districts from enrollment declines reducing their base funding.

The $49,734,000 appropriation from the Public School System Stabilization Account for the Student Centered Funding Formula in the 2025-26 fiscal year is repealed.

An additional $325,000 is appropriated in the 2026-27 fiscal year for the Student Support Block Grant, and the expenditure authorization is extended from June 30, 2029 to June 30, 2030. The purpose is broadened from specific uses (basic needs assistance, mental health services) to any student support program purpose.

For the $15,000,000 appropriation for LGBTQ student support in the 2026-27 fiscal year, the requirement that grants be limited to up to $900,000 per district based on proportional share and equity metrics is deleted, as is the 5-year encumbrance period provision.

The bill declares that appropriated funds shall be applied toward meeting the minimum funding requirements for school district and community college districts imposed by Section 8 of Article XVI of the California Constitution.

ENFORCEMENT

Under the Public Interest Attorney Loan Repayment Program, loan repayment can now be made to either the participant or the lender, as elected by the participant, rather than only to the lender. Related verification requirements are added for payments made directly to participants.

TIMELINE

The Umbilical Cord Blood Collection Program is extended from January 1, 2027 to January 1, 2032, and the University of California's report deadline to the Legislature is extended from January 1, 2026 to January 1, 2031.

The CSU Chancellor's office enrollment targets report deadline is changed from February 15 to March 15 of each year. Student Support Block Grant reporting deadlines are extended by one year: interim report moved to December 31, 2028, and final report to December 31, 2031.

Floor votes · Assembly Mar 20, 2025

How they voted

52–17

Passed · 10 other

Total votes 79

Mar 20, 2025

D Democratic59

52 Yea 7

88% Yea

R Republican20

17 Nay 3

85% Nay

Vote distribution

All Yea All Nay Mixed No data

Full legislative history

Actions timeline

Total actions

Key actions

Committee

Amendments

Aug 28, 2026

Introduced

From committee chair, with author's amendments: Amend, and re-refer to committee. Read second time, amended, and re-referred to Com. on B. & F. R.

upper

Apr 2, 2025

Committee

Referred to Com. on B. & F. R.

upper

Mar 20, 2025

Lower · Passed

Read third time. Passed. Ordered to the Senate. (Ayes 53. Noes 17. Page 746.)

lower

Feb 3, 2025

Committee

Referred to Com. on BUDGET.

lower

Jan 9, 2025

Lower · Passed

From printer. May be heard in committee February 8.

lower

0 primary · 0 co-sponsors

What changed between versions

How they voted

Actions timeline

Sponsors