AB 934 California Assembly · 2025-2026 Regular Session

Community colleges: degrees and certificates: education plans.

Summary

Existing law establishes the California Community Colleges, under the administration of the Board of Governors of the California Community Colleges, as one of the segments of postsecondary education in this state. Existing law, the Seymour-Campbell Student Success Act of 2012, provides that the purpose of the act is to increase California community college student access and success by providing effective core matriculation services of orientation, assessment and placement, counseling, and other education planning services, and academic interventions. This bill would require the board of governors to require all community colleges to award degrees and certificates retroactively in accordance with specified provisions. The bill would require, commencing with the 2026–27 academic year, a community college, before the beginning of the spring term of the academic year, to identify students who, during the previous 5 academic years, (1) have completed the semester or quarter units required to receive a degree or certificate, (2) need 12 semester units or 18 quarter units, or less, to complete the minimum number of units required to receive a degree or certificate, or (3) have completed the general education transfer requirements, and to notify those students, as provided. This bill would require, beginning in September 2026, a community college to annually identify and notify new and returning students who do not have an education plan and ensure that the students identified receive education plans before the end of their first academic year, as provided. By imposing additional duties on community colleges, this bill would impose a state-mandated local program. The California Constitution requires the state to reimburse local agencies and school districts for certain costs mandated by the state. Statutory provisions establish procedures for making that reimbursement. This bill would provide that, if the Commission on State Mandates determines that the bill contains costs mandated by the state, reimbursement for those costs shall be made pursuant to the statutory provisions noted above.

Issues: ✓ Education

Bill status failed 1 of 4 stages cleared

Introduction

Feb 2025

Committee Review

Floor Vote

Governor

Introduced Feb 19, 2025 Last action Feb 2, 2026

Maddy AI version diff · 2 comparisons

What changed between versions

02/19/25 - Introduced → 03/24/25 - Amended Assembly · 9 edits · Mar 24, 2025

MAJOR

AB 934 was substantially expanded from a bill containing only legislative findings and a statement of intent to enact future legislation, into an operative bill that adds two new sections to the Education Code. The amended version creates a 'Degree Reclamation' article requiring community colleges to proactively identify and notify students who have completed (or are close to completing) degree or certificate requirements over the past five years, and requires colleges to ensure all new and returning students receive education plans within their first academic year starting in 2026.

Scope change

The bill expanded from a non-binding statement of legislative intent into an operative law imposing specific duties on community colleges and the Board of Governors. It now directly mandates degree/certificate reclamation procedures and education plan completion timelines, with compliance beginning in the 2026-27 academic year and September 2026 respectively.

SCOPE

Added Article 9 (Section 78093) to the Education Code creating a 'Degree Reclamation' framework that requires the Board of Governors to mandate all community colleges award degrees and certificates retroactively.

The bill changed from a non-operative findings-and-intent bill to an operative bill adding specific statutory sections. The original intent-to-enact-subsequent-legislation language was retained but repositioned after the new operative sections, suggesting it now serves as a supplementary statement rather than the primary mechanism.

REQUIREMENT

Starting with the 2026-27 academic year, before spring term, each community college must identify students who completed degree or certificate units in the previous five years and notify them they are eligible, giving those students the option to opt out or receive the credential.

Community colleges must also identify students who need 12 semester units (or 18 quarter units) or fewer to complete a degree or certificate over the previous five years and notify them of their remaining requirements.

Community colleges must identify students who completed general education transfer requirements in the previous five years and notify them they are eligible for certification.

Added Section 78222.5 requiring that beginning September 2026, each community college annually identify and notify new and returning students who do not have a Comprehensive Education Plan (CEP) and ensure those students receive CEPs before the end of their first academic year.

FISCAL

Added a state mandates reimbursement provision (Section 4) requiring that if the Commission on State Mandates determines the bill contains state-mandated costs, reimbursement shall be made to local agencies and school districts under Government Code Part 7.

DEFINITION

A new legislative finding (f) was added clarifying that California Community Colleges are already required to provide students with education plans that take into account interests, skills, career and education goals, major, potential transfer institutions, and steps needed to complete their course of study.

TECHNICAL

The ADT pathway finding was updated from 'As of 2024' to 'As of August 1, 2024' and reworded for greater precision about how students are placed on the ADT pathway through their education plans.

Floor votes

How they voted

No floor votes recorded yet.

Full legislative history

Actions timeline

Total actions

Key actions

Committee

Amendments

Feb 2, 2026

Lower · Passed

From committee: Filed with the Chief Clerk pursuant to Joint Rule 56.

lower

May 23, 2025

Lower · Passed

In committee: Held under submission.

lower

May 7, 2025

Committee

In committee: Set, first hearing. Referred to APPR. suspense file.

lower

Apr 23, 2025

Lower · Passed

From committee: Do pass and re-refer to Com. on APPR. with recommendation: To Consent Calendar. (Ayes 10. Noes 0.) (April 22). Re-referred to Com. on APPR.

lower

Mar 25, 2025

Committee

Re-referred to Com. on HIGHER ED.

lower

Mar 24, 2025

Introduced

From committee chair, with author's amendments: Amend, and re-refer to Com. on HIGHER ED. Read second time and amended.

lower

Mar 24, 2025

Committee

Referred to Com. on HIGHER ED.

lower

Feb 20, 2025

Lower · Passed

From printer. May be heard in committee March 22.

lower

1 primary · 0 co-sponsors