Enacted Bills

OVERVIEW

September 30th marked the end of the second year of the 2019-20 Legislative Session, with Governor Newsom taking final actions on bills approved by the Legislature in 2020. Due to health and safety concerns arising from the COVID-19 crisis, the Assembly and Senate significantly reduced the number of bills typically considered, and instead only adopted legislation necessary to directly respond to the public health emergency and economic recession. Below is a quick snapshot of legislative efforts of the two-year legislative session.

Of the 208 two-year and newly introduced bills related to higher education considered by the Legislature in 2020, the Governor signed 48 into law. The Chancellor’s Office did not take an oppose position on any bills and of the 11 bills supported by the Board of Governors, the Governor signed five. Additionally, the Board of Governors took a support position on Assembly Constitutional Amendment 5 (which was approved by the Legislature in June), and sponsored one bill (Senate Bill 291) during the 2020 Legislative Session. SB 291 died without a hearing in the Assembly Higher Education Committee.