AMENDED IN SENATE MAY 19, 2026

CALIFORNIA LEGISLATURE— 2025–2026 REGULAR SESSION

98

Introduced by Assembly Members Jackson and Ramos

(Coauthors: Assembly Members Alanis, Hadwick, Sharp-Collins, Wallis, and Zbur)

January 27, 2026

An act to amend Section 66010 of the Education Code, relating to postsecondary education.

Vote: majority   Appropriation: no   Fiscal committee: yes   Local program: no

LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL’S DIGEST

Existing law establishes the California Community Colleges, the California State University, the University of California, independent institutions of higher education, and private postsecondary educational institutions as the segments of postsecondary education in the state. The missions and functions of these segments are set forth in the Donahoe Higher Education Act.

This bill would provide that public higher education additionally consists of tribal colleges and universities geographically located in California that are operated by an Indian tribal government, as defined.

The people of the State of California do enact as follows:

SECTION 1.

Section 66010 of the Education Code, as amended by Section 2 of Chapter 425 of the Statutes of 2025, is amended to read:

66010.

(a) Public higher education consists of (1) the California Community Colleges, (2) the California State University, and each campus, branch, and function thereof, (3) each campus, branch, and function of the University of California, and (4) tribal colleges and universities geographically located in California that are operated by an Indian tribal government, as defined in Section 7701(a)(40) of Title 26 of the United States Code.

(b) (1) Except as provided in paragraph (2), as used in this part, “independent institutions of higher education” are those nonpublic higher education institutions that grant undergraduate degrees, graduate degrees, or both, and that are formed as nonprofit corporations in this state and are accredited by an agency recognized by the United States Department of Education.

(2) For purposes of any code or statute, a national or regional accrediting agency recognized by the United States Department of Education as of January 1, 2025, shall retain that recognition until July 1, 2029, provided that the accrediting agency continues to operate in substantially the same manner as it did on January 1, 2025.

(c) No provision of this part is intended to regulate, subsidize, or intrude upon private education, including, but not limited to, independent educational institutions and religious schools, nor to vary existing state law or state constitutional provisions relating to private education.

(d) This section shall remain in effect only until January 1, 2030, and as of that date is repealed.

SEC. 2.

Section 66010 of the Education Code, as added by Section 3 of Chapter 425 of the Statutes of 2025, is amended to read:

66010.

(a) Public higher education consists of (1) the California Community Colleges, (2) the California State University, and each campus, branch, and function thereof,(3) each campus, branch, and function of the University of California, and (4) tribal colleges and universities geographically located in California that are operated by an Indian tribal government, as defined in Section 7701(a)(40) of Title 26 of the United States Code.

(b) As used in this part, “independent institutions of higher education” are those nonpublic higher education institutions that grant undergraduate degrees, graduate degrees, or both, and that are formed as nonprofit corporations in this state and are accredited by an agency recognized by the United States Department of Education.

(c) No provision of this part is intended to regulate, subsidize, or intrude upon private education, including, but not limited to, independent educational institutions and religious schools, nor to vary existing state law or state constitutional provisions relating to private education.

(d) This section shall become operative on January 1, 2030.