SB 744 California Senate · 2025-2026 Regular Session

Accrediting agencies.

Summary

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.

Issues: ✓ Education

Bill status signed all 5 stages cleared

Introduction

Feb 2025

Committee Review

Aug 2025

Senate Passage

May 2025

Assembly Passage

Sep 2025

Signed into Law

Oct 2025

Introduced Feb 21, 2025 Signed Oct 6, 2025

Maddy AI version diff · 5 comparisons

What changed between versions

06/11/25 - Amended Assembly → 09/03/25 - Amended Assembly · 5 edits · Sep 3, 2025

MODERATE

The September 2025 amendment dramatically narrowed SB 744 by removing all provisions related to community college prior learning credit (Section 66025.7) and the associated funding eligibility changes (Section 84757). The bill now focuses exclusively on preserving federal recognition for accrediting agencies. Additionally, the date by which those agencies must retain their recognition was moved from January 20, 2029 to July 1, 2029.

Scope change

The bill's scope was significantly narrowed. It previously covered both (1) preserving federal accreditation recognition and (2) creating a comprehensive prior learning credit system for California community colleges with associated state funding. The amended version addresses only the accreditation recognition issue, dropping all community college prior learning provisions entirely.

SCOPE

Entire Section 66025.7 of the Education Code was removed. This section had required the Chancellor of the California Community Colleges to award credit for competency-based educational opportunities recognizing prior learning, including through military service, credit by examination, and evaluation of training, certifications, apprenticeships, licenses, and service learning.

FISCAL

The amendment to Section 84757 was removed. It had made individualized evaluation, assessment, and portfolio review of students' prior learning eligible for state apportionment funding when organized as a noncredit course or supervised student support service.

TIMELINE

The date by which national or regional accrediting agencies recognized by the U.S. Department of Education as of January 1, 2025 must retain that recognition was changed from January 20, 2029 to July 1, 2029. This appears in both Section 144.7 (Business and Professions Code) and Section 66010 (Education Code).

The operative date of the replacement Section 66010 (which restores the original definition without the accreditation recognition provision) was changed from January 20, 2029 to January 1, 2030.

REQUIREMENT

Removed requirements for the Chancellor's office to establish competencies with faculty and employer advice, submit a report to the Legislature by September 1, 2027 on credits awarded, and ensure reciprocity of prior learning credit among community college districts.

02/21/25 - Introduced → 06/11/25 - Amended Assembly · 4 edits · Jun 11, 2025

MODERATE

The Assembly amendment significantly expands SB 744 beyond its original community college focus by adding temporary protections for accrediting agencies recognized by the US Department of Education as of January 1, 2025. These new provisions ensure that such agencies retain their recognition status until January 20, 2029, shielding students and institutions from losing eligibility for state programs, licensure requirements, or institutional approvals if federal accreditation recognition changes. The original community college prior learning credit provisions remain substantively unchanged but are renumbered to accommodate the new sections.

SCOPE

New Section 144.7 of the Business and Professions Code provides that any national or regional accrediting agency recognized by the US Department of Education as of January 1, 2025 retains that recognition for purposes of any code or statute until January 20, 2029, as long as it continues to operate in substantially the same manner. This affects all professions and vocations regulated by the Department of Consumer Affairs that require education from accredited institutions.

The bill's stated purpose expanded from solely relating to community colleges to also covering postsecondary education broadly, including independent institutions of higher education and professional licensure requirements under the Business and Professions Code.

DEFINITION

Section 66010 of the Education Code is amended so that the definition of 'independent institutions of higher education' includes a parallel provision: an accrediting agency recognized as of January 1, 2025 retains recognition until January 20, 2029. This protects nonpublic nonprofit degree-granting institutions from losing their status as independent institutions of higher education.

TIMELINE

Both new accreditation protection provisions sunset on January 1, 2030. A replacement Section 66010 (without the temporary accreditation language) becomes operative on January 20, 2029, restoring the standard definition after the protection period ends.

Floor votes · Senate May 29, 2025 · Assembly Sep 12, 2025

How they voted

38–0

Passed · 2 other

Total votes 40

May 29, 2025

D Democratic30

28 Yea 2

93% Yea

R Republican10

10 Yea

100% Yea

Vote distribution

All Yea All Nay Mixed No data

Full legislative history

Actions timeline

Total actions

Key actions

Committee

Amendments

Oct 6, 2025

Signed into law

Approved by the Governor.

legislature

Sep 13, 2025

Upper · Passed

Assembly amendments concurred in. (Ayes 30. Noes 5. Page 3026.) Ordered to engrossing and enrolling.

upper

Sep 12, 2025

Introduced

In Senate. Concurrence in Assembly amendments pending.

upper

Sep 12, 2025

Lower · Passed

Read third time. Passed. (Ayes 60. Noes 18. Page 3391.) Ordered to the Senate.

lower

Sep 3, 2025

Lower · Passed

Read third time and amended.

lower

Aug 29, 2025

Lower · Passed

From committee: Do pass. (Ayes 11. Noes 4.) (August 29).

lower

Jul 9, 2025

Lower · Passed

From committee: Do pass and re-refer to Com. on APPR. (Ayes 7. Noes 3.) (July 8). Re-referred to Com. on APPR.

lower

Jun 11, 2025

Lower · Passed

From committee with author's amendments. Read second time and amended. Re-referred to Com. on HIGHER ED.

lower

Jun 5, 2025

Committee

Referred to Com. on HIGHER ED.

lower

May 29, 2025

Upper · Passed

Read third time. Passed. (Ayes 38. Noes 0. Page 1329.) Ordered to the Assembly.

upper

May 23, 2025

Upper · Passed

From committee: Do pass. (Ayes 6. Noes 0. Page 1211.) (May 23).

upper

Apr 9, 2025

Upper · Passed

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.

upper

Mar 12, 2025

Committee

Referred to Com. on ED.

upper

Feb 21, 2025

Introduced

Introduced. To Com. on RLS. for assignment. To print.

upper

1 primary · 0 co-sponsors