BILL NUMBER: AB 1385	AMENDED
	BILL TEXT

	AMENDED IN ASSEMBLY  MAY 5, 2015
	AMENDED IN ASSEMBLY  APRIL 15, 2015
	AMENDED IN ASSEMBLY  MARCH 26, 2015

INTRODUCED BY   Assembly Member Ting

                        FEBRUARY 27, 2015

   An act to add Section 72218 to the Education Code, relating to
community colleges.


	LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST


   AB 1385, as amended, Ting. Community colleges: accreditation.
   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 public postsecondary
education in this state. Existing law specifies the duties of the
board of governors, including, among other duties, establishing
minimum standards for the formation of community colleges and
districts. Under existing regulatory authority, the board of
governors requires each community college to be accredited.
   This bill would prohibit the accrediting agency from imposing a
special assessment on community colleges to pay for the accrediting
agency's legal fees for any lawsuit unless there has been an
affirmative vote of the majority of the chief executive officers, or
their designees, of all of the community colleges.  The bill
would excuse compliance with this prohibition if the Chancellor of
the California Community Colleges determines that the accrediting
agency's compliance would violate federal law. 
   Vote: majority. Appropriation: no. Fiscal committee: no.
State-mandated local program: no.


THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:

  SECTION 1.  Section 72218 is added to the Education Code, to read:
   72218.  (a) The accrediting agency shall not impose a special
assessment on community colleges for the accrediting agency's legal
fees for any lawsuit, unless there has been an affirmative vote of
the majority of the chief executive officers, or their designees, of
all of the community colleges. Each community college, as represented
by its chief executive officer, or his or her designee, shall be
eligible to cast a vote on the assessment.
   (b) This section does not apply to the accrediting agency's
activities that are related to private educational institutions in
the state or educational institutions outside of the state.
   (c) This section does not affect the authority of the United
States Department of Education regarding educational institutions.

   (d) Compliance with this section shall be excused if the
Chancellor of the California Community Colleges determines that
federal criteria for recognition of an accrediting agency by the
United States Department of Education prohibit the accrediting agency
from complying with this section.