AMENDED IN ASSEMBLY JUNE 26, 2025

CALIFORNIA LEGISLATURE— 2025–2026 REGULAR SESSION

96

CHAPTER 214

Statutes of 2025

[ Approved by Governor October 1, 2025. Filed with Secretary of State October 1, 2025. ]

Introduced by Senator Cervantes

January 30, 2025

An act to amend Section 87359.2 of the Education Code, relating to community colleges.

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

LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL’S DIGEST

Existing law establishes the California Community Colleges, under the administration of the Board of Governors of the California Community Colleges, as one of the segments of public postsecondary education in this state. Existing law requires the board of governors to adopt regulations to establish and maintain the minimum qualifications for service as a faculty member teaching credit instruction, a faculty member teaching noncredit instruction, a librarian, a counselor, an educational administrator, an extended opportunity programs and services worker, a disabled students programs and services worker, an apprenticeship instructor, and a supervisor of health. Existing law provides, notwithstanding that provision, that a person authorized to serve as a community college instructor, librarian, counselor, student personnel worker, supervisor, administrator, or chief administrative officer under a credential shall retain the right to serve under the terms of that credential, and, for that purpose, shall be deemed to possess the minimum qualifications specified for every discipline or service covered by the credential until the expiration of that credential. Existing law requires the board of governors to adopt regulations authorizing local governing boards to employ faculty members and educational administrators who do not meet the specified minimum qualifications, subject to alternative minimum qualifications.

This bill would explicitly require a community college instructor, librarian, counselor, student personnel worker, supervisor, administrator, chief administrative officer, extended opportunity programs and services worker, disabled students programs and services worker, apprenticeship instructor, or supervisor of health to be a person who meets the above-described minimum qualifications to serve in that position or the alternative qualifications to serve in that position.

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

SECTION 1.

Section 87359.2 of the Education Code is amended to read:

87359.2.

(a) The instructor of record for a course of instruction shall be a person who meets the minimum qualifications to serve as a faculty member teaching credit instruction or a faculty member teaching noncredit instruction established pursuant to Section 87356 or the qualifications to serve as a faculty member established pursuant to Section 87359.

(b) A community college instructor, librarian, counselor, student personnel worker, supervisor, administrator, chief administrative officer, extended opportunity programs and services worker, disabled students programs and services worker, apprenticeship instructor, or supervisor of health shall be a person who meets the minimum qualifications to serve in that position established pursuant to Sections 87355 and 87356 or the qualifications to serve in that position established pursuant to Section 87359.

(c) This section does not prohibit community college staff from using artificial intelligence tools to assist in the operations of a community college or in providing services to community college students.