California Assembly Bill AB2136

California 2025-2026 Regular Session

• Introduced: 2/18/26
• Refer: 3/2/26

Caption

An act to add Article 3.2 (commencing with Section 78045) to Chapter 1 of Part 48 of Division 7 of Title 3 of the Education Code, relating to community colleges.

Summary

AB 2136 would authorize the California Community Colleges Board of Governors to allow Cerritos Community College District to offer up to three applied baccalaureate degree programs. The bill limits those programs to public safety management, paralegal studies, and automotive technology, and ties each one to documented regional workforce demand. It also requires the programs to be built on existing associate degree or career education pathways and to include employer, labor, and workforce-development input. The bill further requires each program to include an active employer advisory committee, demonstrate labor market demand and wage mobility outcomes, incorporate work-based or applied learning, align with regional workforce and economic development plans, and be self-supporting through existing funding sources. The Chancellor of the California Community Colleges would monitor the programs and may report outcomes such as enrollment, completion, employment placement, and wage results to the Legislature. The bill also makes legislative findings that a special statute is needed for Cerritos Community College District because of its unique regional workforce partnerships and program readiness.

Impact

AB 2136 would add a new special statute to the Education Code specifically for Cerritos Community College District, creating an exception to the general framework for community college baccalaureate authorization. If approved by the Board of Governors, the district could expand into three applied bachelor’s degree offerings in targeted workforce fields, potentially increasing local access to four-year credentials in southeast Los Angeles County. The bill would not create a statewide program expansion; instead, it would narrowly authorize one district and impose oversight and reporting requirements on the Chancellor.

Sentiment

The bill appears generally favorable and workforce-oriented in tone. Its findings emphasize educational access, economic mobility, employer demand, and local need, suggesting support for expanding community college baccalaureate opportunities where students face geographic and financial barriers to university access. The available context shows the bill was introduced and received a first hearing with testimony taken, but no recorded votes or committee debate are provided, so there is no evidence of formal opposition or amendment activity in the materials supplied.

Contention

The main policy issue is the use of a district-specific special statute rather than a general statewide rule, which the bill justifies by citing Cerritos College’s unique partnerships and readiness. Potential points of contention include whether community colleges should be authorized to offer baccalaureate degrees in these fields, whether the selected programs overlap with CSU/UC or other postsecondary offerings, and whether the district can sustain the programs without new state funding. The bill also conditions the programs on labor-market evidence and self-support, which may reflect concerns about mission creep, duplication, and fiscal exposure.