BILL ANALYSIS �
AB 2202
Page 1
Date of Hearing: March 27, 2012
ASSEMBLY COMMITTEE ON HIGHER EDUCATION
Marty Block, Chair
AB 2202 (Block) - As Amended: March 20, 2012
SUBJECT : Postsecondary education: expanding access.
SUMMARY : Requires the Legislative Analyst's Office (LAO) to
conduct a study and make recommendations to the Legislature, by
January 1, 2014, regarding opportunities for expanding access to
postsecondary education in underserved areas, and requires the
study to consider the possible expansion of distance education,
the establishment of off-campus centers and new campuses,
regional partnerships with existing postsecondary education
providers, and local admissions guarantees.
EXISTING LAW establishes the California Postsecondary Education
Commission (CPEC) as the coordinating entity for postsecondary
education in California, declares Legislative intent that sites
for new public postsecondary institutions or branches not be
authorized unless recommended by CPEC, and requires that
proposals for new colleges or programs be forwarded to CPEC for
review. In the 2011-12 Budget Act, however, Governor Brown
vetoed funding for CPEC, citing the agency's ineffectiveness in
higher education oversight. CPEC ceased operations in the Fall
of 2011. Currently functions related to campus growth and
planning are not being performed by any higher education
coordinating entity the State of California.
FISCAL EFFECT : Unknown. This bill has been keyed non-fiscal by
Legislative Counsel.
COMMENTS : Purpose of this bill . According to the author,
California's population is expected to grow by 7 million - 11
million new residents by 2025. Yet, our state's impacted higher
education infrastructure has neither the space nor the resources
to meet future needs. Difficult economic times coupled with
growing market demand for higher education has seen California's
public colleges and universities turning away tens of thousands
of students. The author contends that more should be done to
ensure that California's higher education system reaches those
who are being underserved. This bill will direct the LAO to
conduct a study of how best to expand postsecondary education
access in this state. Particular emphasis will be made to
AB 2202
Page 2
studying distance education, the establishment of off-campus
centers, regional partnerships and other strategies that the LAO
finds to have merit.
A bill may not be necessary . The LAO operates as the
non-partisan fiscal and policy advisor to the Legislature and
the LAO staff routinely provides assistance and resources for
Legislative offices upon verbal and written request.
Legislation is not necessary to accomplish the reporting
requirements contained in this bill. However, as the author
notes, the LAO has recently reported on the budget reductions in
higher education and the resulting impaction at many CSU
campuses. This bill requires specific follow-up to those
findings and directs the LAO to focus on opportunities for
expanding access that leverage existing resources. The author
notes that while the LAO can conduct studies without a
legislative mandate, this bill will ensure that this vital work
is appropriately focused and completed in a timely fashion.
REGISTERED SUPPORT / OPPOSITION :
Support
None on File
Opposition
None on File
Analysis Prepared by : Laura Metune / HIGHER ED. / (916)
319-3960