September 2021

Overview of SSCCC legislation

The SSCCC uses a student-focused process to guide its advocacy. Driven by our mission and resolutions passed by our delegates on each of our 116 California community colleges, this process includes engagement in grassroots organizing and placing student issues above all else in order to equitably serve the more than 2.1 million community college students in California.

The Delegate Assembly guides our advocacy by directly voting on the issues each year, ensuring that our priorities are focused and come directly from our constituency. Once our advocacy areas are identified, we work locally through our regional structure to activate and mobilize students around these issues.  The Vice President of Legislative Affairs, Jasmine Prasad, works with each region to ensure they have the tools and resources to advocate on behalf of the SSCCCC. 

The Legislative Alert provides updates on SSCCCC’s legislative efforts and ways you can engage with local advocacy in your area. Make sure to check back or subscribe to our listserv by clicking here.
 

Accomplishments and Sponsored Bills

During the year, the SSCCC was busy advocating on behalf of 2.1 million college students to improve their lives through an array of legislation, ranging from voting rights on the California Board of Governors to reforming the Cal Grant program. During the 2021-22 legislative cycle, the SSCCC sponsored 5 bills, took a support position on 24 bills, took support if amended position on 4 bills, and watched 30 bills. 

Following are SSCCC’s sponsored bills.  Some did not make it through this legislative cycle and Governor Newsom has until October 10, 2021, to sign or veto bills:

• AB 337 (Chapter 23, Statute 2021) - This bill converts the non-voting student member position to a voting student member position on the Board of Governors (BOG) of the California Community Colleges, thereby increasing the voting membership of the BOG from 17 to 18 members.

• AB 775 (Berman, as introduced) - This bill was amended and no longer relates to community colleges, however, the original intent of the bill was included in the Budget Act and allocates funding to establish a Basic Needs Coordinator and a Basic Needs Center on each CCC campus for the purpose of providing basic needs services to students. 

• AB 1216 (Salas) - This bill is held in the Assembly Appropriations Committee and would have authorized each governing board of the CCC district to provide each student member of the governing board with an opportunity to cast an advisory vote, to make and second motions, receive the same compensation as a regular board member, and attend closed session.

• AB 1290 (Lee) - This bill did not make it through this year’s legislative cycle. It would have expanded the California Student Aid Commission by adding two additional student representatives to the commission. Currently, there are only two seats that rotate every two years. 

• AB 1456 (Medina and McCarthy) - This bill is on the Governor's desk and enacts the Cal Grant Reform Act, which revises the current structure and eligibility requirements of the state financial aid program. Specifically, this legislation will remove barriers for adult learners such as GPA and expand eligibility to thousands of students. Legislators recognized the importance of this bill and included portions of it in the final budget Act.
   

Support Position

The SSCCC took a support position on 24 bills. Below are a few highlighted bills tied to SSCCC’s resolutions: 

• AB 14 (Aguiar-Curry) - Communications: broadband services: California Advanced Services Fund. Currently enrolled to the governor. 

• AB 47 (Reyes) - Human services: coordinated immigration support services

• AB 101 (Medina) - Pupil instruction: high school graduation requirements: ethnic studies. Currently enrolled to the governor. 

• AB 221 (Santiago) - Emergency food assistance 

• AB 245 (Chiu) - Educational equity: student records: name and gender changes. Currently enrolled to the governor. 

• AB 367 (Garcia) - Menstrual products. Currently enrolled to the governor. 

• SB 20 (Dodd) - Student nutrition: eligibility for CalFresh benefits

• SB 228 (Leyva) - Public postsecondary education: support services for foster youth: Cooperating Agencies Foster Youth Educational Support Program

• SB 330 (Durazo) - Los Angeles Community College District Affordable Housing Pilot Program. Currently enrolled to the governor. 
   

2021 - 22 Legislative Priorities 

The SSCCC’s legislative priorities are developed by the Legislative Affairs Committee annually based on prior and newly adopted resolutions passed by the Delegate Assembly at our annual General Assembly. These priorities also reflect the recent and unique struggles our students are facing due to the COVID-19 pandemic and include both state and federal legislative priorities. A detailed report including the full 2021-2022 legislative and policy agenda can be found on our website at this link.

Below is a summary of the state and federal legislative priorities approved by the Board of Directors at their August Board meeting. 

State legislative priorities: 

• COVID-19 Relief 

• Financial Aid 

• Basic Needs 

• Underrepresented Students 

• Student Enfranchisement 

• Continued Advocacy 

Federal legislative priorities: 

• Undocumented Students 

• Financial Aid Programs 

• Foster Students 

• International Students
   

Advocacy 

In an effort to support our students with the proper resources, SSCCC provides advocacy opportunities throughout the year. The next Legislative Training will occur on November 12, 2021, during our Board of Directors training. More information will be available at least 72-hours prior to our meeting on our website calendar at this link. If you are interested in learning more about local advocacy and how to lobby your legislator on topics that affect students in your college, then this training is for you! Watch for more information as we get closer to the date. 

The SSCCC also works with our system partners on issues of concern to students. As an example, the SSCCC is partnering with the Chancellor's Office, Community College League of California, and others on the Undocumented Student Action Week (USAW) October 18 - 22, 2021. Below is a description of the event. 

The 5th USAW is a system-wide campaign to advocate and provide support resources for our undocumented student population. This effort is led by the California Community Colleges Chancellor’s Office, the Community College League of California, the Foundation for California Community Colleges, Immigrants Rising, California Student Aid Commission, the California Undocumented Higher Education Coalition, Academic Senate for California Community Colleges, and the SSCCC. During October 18 - 22, California’s community colleges are encouraged to engage in advocacy and support efforts in solidarity with undocumented students throughout the state. Action Week Partners have developed a toolkit to support colleges with virtual events throughout the week.

During USAW, the California Community Colleges will be hosting a system webinar every day at 1:00 pm. More information will be shared in the coming weeks on the Chancellor’s Office website.