Community colleges: California College Promise: fee waiver eligibility.

Budget Education

Passed Legislature

This bill passed both chambers and reached final enrollment, even if later executive action is not shown here.

Sponsor: Mark González (A) , Ahrens
Last action: 2026-06-04
Official status: From committee: Do pass and re-refer to Com. on APPR. with recommendation: To Consent Calendar. (Ayes 7. Noes 0.) (June 3). Re-referred to Com. on APPR.
Effective date: Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

The bill summary and digest do not provide specific details on funding or potential impacts on state budgets.

California College Promise: Expanding Fee Waiver Eligibility

This legislation changes the rules so students who earn certain certificates while working towards an associate degree can still get fee waivers at community colleges.

What This Bill Does

Changes the California College Promise program to allow more students to qualify for free tuition if they have earned a certificate as part of a course sequence leading to an associate degree.
Requires that these certificates must be part of a plan to earn an associate degree to keep eligibility for the fee waiver program.

Who It Names or Affects

Community college students who have earned certain certificates from other schools but want to continue their education towards an associate degree.

Terms To Know

California College Promise: A state-funded program that helps eligible community college students pay for tuition and fees.
Fee waiver: An exemption from paying certain costs, like tuition or registration fees, at a community college.

Limits and Unknowns

The bill does not specify how much funding will be provided for the fee waivers.
It is unclear if this change will increase the number of students eligible for fee waivers and what impact it might have on state budgets.

Bill History

2026-06-04 California Legislative Information
From committee: Do pass and re-refer to Com. on APPR. with recommendation: To Consent Calendar. (Ayes 7. Noes 0.) (June 3). Re-referred to Com. on APPR.
2026-05-20 California Legislative Information
Referred to Com. on ED.
2026-05-12 California Legislative Information
In Senate. Read first time. To Com. on RLS. for assignment.
2026-05-11 California Legislative Information
Read third time. Passed. Ordered to the Senate. (Ayes 73. Noes 0. Page 4998.)
2026-04-30 California Legislative Information
Read second time. Ordered to third reading.
2026-04-29 California Legislative Information
From committee: Do pass. (Ayes 14. Noes 0.) (April 29).
2026-04-08 California Legislative Information
From committee: Do pass and re-refer to Com. on APPR. (Ayes 10. Noes 0.) (April 7). Re-referred to Com. on APPR.
2026-04-08 California Legislative Information
Coauthors revised.
2026-03-02 California Legislative Information
Referred to Com. on HIGHER ED.
2026-02-13 California Legislative Information
From printer. May be heard in committee March 15.
2026-02-12 California Legislative Information
Read first time. To print.

Official Summary Text

AB 1920, as introduced, Mark González.
Community colleges: California College Promise: fee waiver eligibility.
Existing law establishes the California College Promise, under the administration of the Chancellor of the California Community Colleges, to provide funding, upon appropriation by the Legislature, to each community college meeting prescribed requirements. Existing law authorizes a community college to use that funding to waive some or all of the fees for 2 academic years for first-time community college students and returning community college students, as defined, who are enrolled in 12 or more semester units or the equivalent, or less for students certified as “full time,” as specified, and who complete and submit either a Free Application for Federal Student Aid or a California Dream Act application, except that a student who has previously earned a degree or certificate from a postsecondary educational institution is not eligible for this fee waiver.
This bill would prohibit a certificate awarded to a student by a postsecondary educational institution as part of a course sequence leading to an associate degree from making the student ineligible for that fee waiver.

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text

Download Bill PDF