Mike Fong — As Chair of the Assembly Higher Education Committee, he was invited to give introductory remarks and thanked the BPPE and staff.
Marc Berman — Chair Fong addressed him as Chair Berman.
Ms. Cochran — Thanked for the work put into the report to the state legislature.
Angelique Ashby — The speaker thanked Chair Wahab at the close of remarks.
Gregg Hart — He was thanked for his question or comment.
Gail Pellerin — Assembly Member Addis is referenced as the next speaker; the transcript likely contains a misrecognition and should be treated cautiously.
Roger Niello — He says he was a joint author of the 2009 bill that created the Bureau framework and left STRF regulation to the Bureau.
Roger Niello — He argues STRF functions like an insurance pool with uniform charges regardless of institutional risk.
Roger Niello — He continues arguing that institutions vary widely in risk factors such as experience and capitalization.
Roger Niello — Was addressed by the speaker in a critique of the Student Tuition Recovery Fund structure and the fairness of uniform premiums.
Roger Niello — Thanked by the prior speaker as the discussion transitioned.
Roger Niello — Referenced in the transition into Senator Cabaldon's remarks.
Roger Niello — Referenced as serving with the speaker on the budget subcommittee where the fee proposal was not taken up last year.
Roger Niello — Senator Niello was referenced in connection with the surety bond/STRF assessment discussion. The speaker thanked him for raising the issue and noted, as Niello had pointed out, that the STRF assessment is based on tuition and that the rates vary.
Christopher Cabaldon — Senator Cabaldon spoke about his long involvement with the issue, thanking the chairs and noting his familiarity with the history dating back to 2009, including earlier legislative efforts related to regulating diploma mills and trade schools. Later in the exchange, he was invited to address concerns and was acknowledged for his deep history with the Bureau, reinforcing his expertise and longstanding engagement with the topic.
Christopher Cabaldon — Christopher Cabaldon is mentioned once in a historical context alongside Senator Nilo, as part of the speaker’s reference to prior legislative history.
Christopher Cabaldon — The speaker thanked Senator Christopher Cabaldon for his comments, expressing appreciation for his remarks during the discussion.
Mark González — Maxine Waters is referenced as the Democratic Assembly Member from Los Angeles and as part of the earlier legislative effort, with both mentions reinforcing her role in that context.
AB1340 — AB 1340 is discussed as one of the state bills enacted to strengthen protections after the federal gainful employment rule was rescinded, with the bill intended to ensure outcome information could still be captured at the state level if it was no longer available through federal administrative data.
Matt Back — Testified on behalf of the California Association of Private Post-Secondary Schools and described the association's membership and accreditation status.
Steve Hanson — Testified on behalf of Northeastern University and thanked the committee for reading the letter.
— Transcript appears to reference 'Senator Choi' as having raised the issue; identity uncertain.
Northeastern University representative — Continued testimony explaining that students pay based on tuition, that some students only attend one year in California but pay for four years up front, and that Northeastern does not benefit from the STRF despite its large endowment.
Dean Grufield — Testified on behalf of San Joaquin Valley College and Carrington College, stating the institutions serve 7,500 students statewide.
Dean Grufield / Capital Advocacy representative — Described workforce outcomes from San Joaquin Valley College and Carrington College, including degrees awarded in nursing, respiratory therapy, and dental hygiene, and praised the Legislature and Bureau.
Unidentified witness — Expressed support for most of the report but raised reservations about proposed fee changes and concerns that they could worsen the Bureau's finances.
Sabrina Means — Sabrina Means, speaking for TICAS, testified in support of reforms to the Bureau for Private Postsecondary Education. She argued that the Bureau’s fee structure is outdated and needs legislative updating to preserve its ability to protect students and handle complaints effectively. She also supported streamlining the application process, clarifying safeguards for provisionally approved degree programs by limiting repeated provisional approvals and adding a cooling-off period after failed accreditation, and strengthening student record protections and exemption oversight to close loopholes that allow entities to operate without meaningful oversight.
Angelique Ashby — Invites questions and asks about access to transcripts and records when a school closes.
Deborah Cochran — Identified as the bureau chief and one of the witnesses testifying today.
Christine Lally — Identified as the acting director for the Department of Consumer Affairs and a witness today.
Debbie Cochran — Debbie Cochran is introduced as the BPPE Bureau Chief, noted as having been appointed in 2021 and credited with leadership since then, and then she begins her testimony to the committee, speaking about her nearly five years at the Bureau and its accomplishments.
John Smith and Jane Smith — The discussion uses John Smith and Jane Smith as hypothetical examples of bad actors in the school context, asking whether officials track individuals who shut down one school and then open another under a different name.
Gregg Hart — Named as one of the senators queued to speak next.