AMENDED IN ASSEMBLY MARCH 19, 2026
AMENDED IN ASSEMBLY MARCH 10, 2026
CALIFORNIA LEGISLATURE— 2025–2026 REGULAR SESSION
97
Introduced by Assembly Member Jackson
January 7, 2026
An act to add and repeal Section 66054 of the Education Code, relating to public postsecondary education.
Vote: majority Appropriation: no Fiscal committee: yes Local program: no
LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL’S DIGEST
Existing law establishes the University of California, under the administration of the Regents of the University of California, the California State University, under the administration of the Trustees of the California State University, and the California Community Colleges, under the administration of the Board of Governors of the California Community Colleges, as the public segments of postsecondary education in the state.
Existing law states the intent of the Legislature that public institutions of higher education in California shall provide a collegiate experience which gives each student the skills of communication and problem solving, the ideas and principles underlying the major areas of modern knowledge, the ability to consider ethical issues thoughtfully, the understanding that learning is a continuous lifelong process, and the knowledge of democracy necessary for good citizenship.
This bill would require each campus of the Chancellor of the California State University and each community college of a community college district, the Chancellor of the California Community Colleges, and would request each campus of the President of the University of California, in consultation with each of their respective academic senates, to (1) before the commencement of the 2029–30 academic year, review and
update, if necessary, its relevant American Institutions and Ideals courses to ensure that those courses include an emphasis on civic engagement, civic discord, and the key components of preserving democracy and its vital institutions, and (2) before the commencement of the 2028–29 academic year, to report to the Legislature recommendations on how to facilitate greater knowledge of American democracy and meaningful civic engagement opportunities for students on campuses, and any necessary support from the Legislature to achieve those recommendations. By imposing additional duties on community colleges, the bill would impose a state-mandated local program. The bill would repeal these provisions as of January 1, 2033.
This bill would provide that, if the Commission on State Mandates determines that the bill contains costs mandated by the state, reimbursement for those costs shall be made pursuant to the statutory provisions noted above.
The people of the State of California do enact as follows:
SECTION 1.
Section 66054 is added to the Education Code, immediately following Section 66053, to read:
(a) Each campus of the California State University and each community college of a community college district shall, and each campus of the University of California is requested to, before the commencement of the 2029–30 academic year and in consultation with each of their respective academic senates, review and update, if necessary, its relevant American Institutions and Ideals courses, including, but not limited to, the courses described in Section 40404 of Title 5 of the California Code of Regulations, to ensure that those courses include an emphasis on civic engagement, civic discord, and the key components of preserving democracy and its vital institutions, including, but not limited to, the free press, free access to libraries, compulsory education, and the federalist system.
66054.
(a) The Legislature finds and declares that an essential element of public higher education is to build the knowledge of democracy necessary for good citizenship.
(b) It is the intent of the Legislature that public institutions of higher education in California, when delivering courses that build the knowledge of democracy necessary for good citizenship, give consideration to the importance of civic engagement, civic discord, and the key components of preserving democracy and its vital institutions, including, but not limited to, the free press, free access to libraries, compulsory education, and the federalist system.
(c) The Chancellor of
the California State University and each community college of a community college district
the Chancellor of the California Community Colleges shall, and each campus the President of the University of California is requested to, before the commencement of the 2028–29 academic year and in consultation with each of their respective academic senates, report to the Legislature, consistent with Section 9795 of the Government Code, recommendations on how to facilitate greater knowledge of American democracy and meaningful civic engagement opportunities for students on campuses, and any necessary support from the Legislature to achieve those recommendations.
(d) This section shall remain in effect only until January 1, 2033, and as of that date is repealed.
If the Commission on State Mandates determines that this act contains costs mandated by the state, reimbursement to local agencies and school districts for those costs shall be made pursuant to Part 7 (commencing with Section 17500) of Division 4 of Title 2 of the Government Code.