California Assembly Bill AB135

California 2025-2026 Regular Session

• Introduced: 1/8/25
• Refer: 2/3/25
• Engrossed: 3/20/25
• Refer: 3/20/25
• Refer: 4/2/25

Caption

An act relating to the Budget Act of 2025. An act to amend Sections 17201, 66014.6, 66292, 66292.1, 66292.2, 69432, 69436, 69439, 70022, 76140, 78261, 78261.5, 78263.1, 84321.65, 84750.4, 87861, and 88826.5 of, to amend, repeal, and add Sections 87766 and 88193 of, to add Sections 10875, 66023.9, 75013, 84750.8, and 89526 to, to add Article 17 (commencing with Section 69870 to Chapter 2 of Part 42 of Division 5 of Title 3 of, to add Article 9 (commencing with Section 78093) to Chapter 1 of Part 48 of Division 7 of Title 3 of, and to add Part 46.3 (commencing with Section 74500) to Division 7 of Title 3 of, the Education Code, to amend Sections 8014 and 8016 of the Health and Safety Code, to amend Section 1095 of the Unemployment Insurance Code, to amend the Budget Act of 2025 by amending Item 6870-101-0001 of Section 2.00 of that act, and to amend Sections 22 and 27 of Chapter 9 of the Statutes of 2025, relating to postsecondary education, and making an appropriation therefor, to take effect immediately, bill related to the budget.

Summary

AB 135 is a budget-related measure for the 2025-26 legislative session. As introduced, the bill is very short and does not itself make substantive policy changes; it states the Legislature’s intent to enact statutory changes relating to the Budget Act of 2025. In other words, AB 135 functions as a placeholder or vehicle bill tied to the state budget process rather than a standalone policy proposal with detailed operative provisions. The broader bill context indicates that AB 135 is associated with a much larger package of statutory and budget amendments, especially in the area of postsecondary education. The caption references numerous changes to the Education Code, as well as related amendments to the Health and Safety Code, Unemployment Insurance Code, the Budget Act of 2025, and prior 2025 statutes. That suggests the measure is part of the budget implementation process and may be used to carry education and related fiscal changes once the final budget agreement is enacted.

Impact

Because the introduced text contains only an intent statement, AB 135 by itself does not immediately change state law. Its practical impact is to signal and facilitate later statutory revisions connected to the Budget Act of 2025, including potential changes affecting higher education funding, student financial aid, and related administrative provisions identified in the bill caption. If enacted in its fuller form, it would amend multiple sections of the Education Code and related statutes, and it would include an appropriation and immediate-effect language typical of budget trailer legislation.

Sentiment

The available voting history suggests the bill moved with majority support, passing Assembly third reading 53-17. That vote pattern indicates general backing for the measure, consistent with its role as a budget vehicle. No committee transcript is available here, so there is no recorded debate to show detailed support or opposition, but the floor vote suggests the bill was not broadly controversial among the majority caucus.

Contention

The main point of contention is likely not the short introduced text itself, but the larger budget-related policy changes the bill is positioned to carry, especially in postsecondary education and other affected programs. Budget trailer bills often draw concern because they can bundle multiple statutory changes into a single measure and move quickly through the process. Any opposition would likely center on the substance of the eventual education, fiscal, or administrative changes rather than the placeholder intent language in the introduced version.