ACCCA provides California Administrators with timely news and information about legislation, policy and other issues that impact your college and your career. In addition to this up-to-the-minute website, we keep you in the loop with email alerts.
View the legislative bills report here. (updated February 20, 2026)
February 20, 2026
Bill Introduction Deadline
Today, Friday, February 20, 2026, is the deadline for lawmakers to introduce legislation to be considered in the second year of the 2025-26 Legislative Session. As of this writing, nearly 1,100 bills have been introduced in 2026, including several significant measures affecting community colleges.
It is important to note that legislators are limited to introducing 35 bills over the two-year session, reducing the total number of potential bills by more than 1,000 compared to prior sessions. Because many members introduced a substantial number of bills last year, they have been more selective this year about the issues they advance through legislation. In addition, a number of the bills introduced are “spot bills,” which serve as placeholder measures that may be amended with substantive language later in the session.
Policy bills must be in print for 30 calendar days before they may be amended or heard in committee. With the introduction deadline now passed, bills will be referred to policy committees, and hearings are expected to begin in March. We will continue to monitor significant community college legislation and provide summaries and analysis in future updates.
50% Law Bill Introduced
On Wednesday, February 18, 2026, Assemblymember Marc Berman (D-Menlo Park) introduced Assembly Bill (AB) 2121, which would create a narrow, temporary adjustment to the 50% Law.
AB 2121 would allow community college districts (CCDs), for up to five fiscal years after 2025-26 (or until federal funding is restored, whichever occurs first), to exclude certain local unrestricted General Fund expenditures from the “current expense of education” calculation when those funds are used to maintain student support functions previously funded by specified federal discretionary grants that were terminated, nonrenewed, or defunded due to federal action on or after September 10, 2025.
CCDs utilizing the exclusion would be required to annually certify their eligibility to the California Community Colleges Chancellor’s Office (CCCCO), and the CCCCO would report usage to the Legislature. The bill includes guardrails specifying that the exclusion may not be used to reduce instructional spending, circumvent Faculty Obligation Number requirements, expand administrative positions, or provide administrative compensation increases beyond existing schedules. The measure also preserves collective bargaining rights.
AB 2121 is expected to be referred to the Assembly Higher Education Committee, which has jurisdiction over California Community Colleges matters. The bill may be heard once it is formally referred by the Assembly Rules Committee and scheduled by the Higher Education Committee Chair, no sooner than 30 days after it has been in print.
Likely supporters may include community college management organizations seeking flexibility to sustain essential student services without triggering 50% Law compliance challenges following unexpected federal funding losses. Potential opposition could come from faculty associations and labor groups that view any modification to the 50% Law as creating precedent for weakening long-standing instructional funding protections.
AB 2121 will be among the bills discussed by the Commission for Finance, Legislation and Advocacy at its meeting on Tuesday, February 24, 2026.
