AB 2087

AB2087:v98#DOCUMENT

Bill Start

CALIFORNIA LEGISLATURE— 2025–2026 REGULAR SESSION

Assembly Bill

No. 2087

An act to amend repeal and add Section 66602 of the Education Code, relating to the California State University.

LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST

AB 2087, as amended, Lee. Trustees of the California State University. University: members.

Existing law establishes the California State University, under the administration of the 25-member Board of Trustees of the California State University, as one of the 3 segments of public postsecondary education in the state. Existing law requires the board to be composed of 5 specified ex officio members, 16 appointive members appointed by the Governor and subject to confirmation by the Senate, one representative of the alumni associations, 2 student members appointed by the Governor, and one faculty member appointed by the Governor. Existing law requires members of the board to be selected from outstanding lay citizens of California, as specified.

This bill would (1) increase the size of the board to 27 members, (2) reduce the number of appointive members from 16 to 10 and require those members of the board to be selected instead from outstanding citizens of California, as specified. specified, (3) require one faculty member to instead be selected by the Academic Senate of the California State University, (4) require 2 student members from the California State University to instead be selected through a specified election process, and (5) add to the board 4 faculty members and 4 nonfaculty classified staff members from the California State University to be selected through a specified election process. The bill would require the terms of office for the 10 elected members to expire on January 15. The bill would require the board to develop election procedures for those elections and ensure that the results of an election are certified by an independent third party. The bill would authorize the board to require all people who perform election duties to certify, under penalty of perjury, that they properly performed those duties. By expanding the crime of perjury, the bill would impose a state-mandated local program.

The California Constitution requires the state to reimburse local agencies and school districts for certain costs mandated by the state. Statutory provisions establish procedures for making that reimbursement.This bill would provide that no reimbursement is required by this act for a specified reason.

Digest Key

Vote: MAJORITY Appropriation: NO Fiscal Committee: YES Local Program: NOYES

Bill Text

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

SECTION 1.

It is the intent of the Legislature to democratize the Trustees of the California State University by increasing representation of students and employees on the board.

SEC. 2.

Section 66602 of the Education Code is repealed.

66602.

(a)The board shall be composed of the following five ex officio members: the Governor, the Lieutenant Governor, the Superintendent of Public Instruction, the Speaker of the Assembly, and the person named by the trustees to serve as the Chancellor of the California State University; a representative of the alumni associations of the state university, selected for a two-year term by the alumni council, California State University, which representative shall not be an employee of the California State University during the two-year term; and 16 appointive members appointed by the Governor and subject to confirmation by two-thirds of the membership of the Senate.

(b)(1)Two students from the California State University, who shall have at least sophomore year standing at the institutions they attend, and who remain in good standing as students during their respective terms, shall also be appointed by the Governor to serve on the board for two-year terms.

(2)In selecting students as members of the board, the Governor shall appoint the students from lists of names of at least two, but not more than five, persons furnished by the governing board of any statewide student organization that represents the students of the California State University and the student body organizations of the campuses of the California State University. Any appointment to fill a vacancy of a student member shall be effective only for the remainder of the term of the student member’s office that became vacated.

(3)The term of office of one student member of the board shall commence on July 1 of an even-numbered year and expire on June 30 two years thereafter. The term of office of the other student member of the board shall commence on July 1 of an odd-numbered year and expire on June 30 two years thereafter. Notwithstanding paragraph (1), a student member who graduates from the student member’s college or university on or after January 1 of the second year of the student member’s term of office may serve the remainder of the term. If the Governor has not appointed a successor pursuant to this subdivision, a student member whose term of office expires on June 30 of any year may remain in office until January 1 of the following year, or until a successor is appointed by the Governor, whichever occurs first.

(4)A student member shall have the student member’s tuition fee waived for the duration of the student member’s term of office.

(c)(1)A faculty member from the California State University, who shall be tenured at the California State University campus at which the faculty member teaches, shall also be appointed by the Governor to serve on the board for a two-year term. In the selection of a faculty member as a member of the board, the Governor shall appoint the faculty member from a list of names of at least two persons furnished by the Academic Senate of the California State University.

(2)The faculty member of the board appointed by the Governor pursuant to this subdivision shall not participate on any subcommittee of the board responsible for collective bargaining negotiations.

(3)The two-year term of office of the faculty member of the board shall commence on July 1, and, if the Governor has not appointed a successor under paragraph (1), the faculty member may remain in office after the term expires for one additional year, or until a successor is appointed by the Governor, whichever occurs first.

(d)(1)Members of the board shall be selected from outstanding lay citizens of California who have a strong interest in the further development and improvement of the California State University.

(2)Members of the board, to the greatest extent possible, should be inclusive and representative of the many demographic groups found in California, and the board should reflect diversity of race and gender, and should include, among others, disabled persons and veterans. In furtherance of the mission of the California State University, a member of the board should embrace the basic role and responsibility of a member of the board to bring their own best thinking and personal views to the board’s discussion, determining their own position on each issue rather than being bound to represent or advocate for the positions of a particular organization or constituency.

SEC. 3.

Section 66602 is added to the Education Code, to read:

66602. (a) The board shall be composed of 27 members as follows:(1) Five ex officio members as follows:(A) The Governor.(B) The Lieutenant Governor.(C) The Superintendent.(D) The Speaker of the Assembly.(E) The person named by the trustees to serve as the Chancellor of the California State University.(2) One representative of the alumni associations of the state university, selected for a two-year term by the alumni council, California State University, who shall not be an employee of the California State University during the two-year term.(3) One faculty member from the California State University, who shall be tenured at the California State University campus at which the faculty member teaches, selected for a two-year term by the Academic Senate of the California State University.(4) (A) Ten appointive members appointed by the Governor and subject to confirmation by two-thirds of the membership of the Senate.(B) (i) Members of the board shall be appointed from outstanding citizens of California who have a strong interest in the further development and improvement of the California State University.(ii) Members of the board, to the greatest extent possible, should be inclusive and representative of the many demographic groups found in California, and the board should reflect diversity of race and gender, and should include, among others, disabled persons and veterans. In furtherance of the mission of the California State University, a member of the board should embrace the basic role and responsibility of a member of the board to bring their own best thinking and personal views to the board’s discussion, determining their own position on each issue rather than being bound to represent or advocate for the positions of a particular organization or constituency.(5) Ten elected members as follows:(A) Four faculty members from the California State University selected for four-year terms through an election administered by the California State University where faculty of the California State University vote to select those faculty members.(B) Four nonfaculty classified staff members from the California State University selected for four-year terms through an election administered by the California State University where nonfaculty classified staff of the California State University vote to select those nonfaculty classified staff members.(C) (i) Two student members from the California State University selected for two-year terms through an election administered by the California State University where students of the California State University vote to select those student members.(ii) A student member shall have the student member’s tuition fee waived for the duration of the student member’s term of office.(b) (1) The four-year terms of office of the faculty members and nonfaculty classified staff members of the board elected pursuant to subparagraphs (A) and (B) of paragraph (5) of subdivision (a) shall expire on January 15. The board shall hold a special election to fill a vacancy that occurs during the term of an elected faculty member or nonfaculty classified staff member of the board. If, at the time a vacancy occurs, the unexpired term is less than two years, the new member elected to fill that vacancy shall hold office for the remainder of the unexpired term of the vacated office plus four years.(2) The two-year terms of office of the student members of the board elected pursuant to subparagraph (C) of paragraph (5) of subdivision (a) shall expire on January 15. The board shall hold a special election to fill a vacancy that occurs during the term of an elected student member of the board. If, at the time a vacancy occurs, the unexpired term is less than one year, the new member elected to fill that vacancy shall hold office for the remainder of the unexpired term of the vacated office plus two years.(c) (1) The board shall develop election procedures for the elections carried out pursuant to paragraph (5) of subdivision (a).(2) The board shall ensure that ballots are distributed to all faculty, nonfaculty classified staff, and students in advance of each of the respective elections and shall ensure the return of completed ballots to the board without cost to the voter. The results of an election shall be certified by an independent third party.(3) The board may require all people who perform election duties to certify, under penalty of perjury, that they properly performed those duties.

SEC. 4. No reimbursement is required by this act pursuant to Section 6 of Article XIII B of the California Constitution because the only costs that may be incurred by a local agency or school district will be incurred because this act creates a new crime or infraction, eliminates a crime or infraction, or changes the penalty for a crime or infraction, within the meaning of Section 17556 of the Government Code, or changes the definition of a crime within the meaning of Section 6 of Article XIII B of the California Constitution.

SECTION 1.Section 66602 of the Education Code is amended to read:

66602.

(a)The board shall be composed of the following five ex officio members: the Governor, the Lieutenant Governor, the Superintendent of Public Instruction, the Speaker of the Assembly, and the person named by the trustees to serve as the Chancellor of the California State University; a representative of the alumni associations of the state university, selected for a two-year term by the alumni council, California State University, which representative shall not be an employee of the California State University during the two-year term; and 16 appointive members appointed by the Governor and subject to confirmation by two-thirds of the membership of the Senate.

(b)(1)Two students from the California State University, who shall have at least sophomore year standing at the institutions they attend, and who remain in good standing as students during their respective terms, shall also be appointed by the Governor to serve on the board for two-year terms.

(2)In selecting students as members of the board, the Governor shall appoint the students from lists of names of at least two, but not more than five, persons furnished by the governing board of any statewide student organization that represents the students of the California State University and the student body organizations of the campuses of the California State University. Any appointment to fill a vacancy of a student member shall be effective only for the remainder of the term of the student member’s office that became vacated.

(3)The term of office of one student member of the board shall commence on July 1 of an even-numbered year and expire on June 30 two years thereafter. The term of office of the other student member of the board shall commence on July 1 of an odd-numbered year and expire on June 30 two years thereafter. Notwithstanding paragraph (1), a student member who graduates from the student member’s college or university on or after January 1 of the second year of the student member’s term of office may serve the remainder of the term. If the Governor has not appointed a successor pursuant to this subdivision, a student member whose term of office expires on June 30 of any year may remain in office until January 1 of the following year, or until a successor is appointed by the Governor, whichever occurs first.

(4)A student member shall have the student member’s tuition fee waived for the duration of the student member’s term of office.

(c)(1)A faculty member from the California State University, who shall be tenured at the California State University campus at which the faculty member teaches, shall also be appointed by the Governor to serve on the board for a two-year term. In the selection of a faculty member as a member of the board, the Governor shall appoint the faculty member from a list of names of at least two persons furnished by the Academic Senate of the California State University.

(2)The faculty member of the board appointed by the Governor pursuant to this subdivision shall not participate on any subcommittee of the board responsible for collective bargaining negotiations.

(3)The two-year term of office of the faculty member of the board shall commence on July 1, and, if the Governor has not appointed a successor under paragraph (1), the faculty member may remain in office after the term expires for one additional year, or until a successor is appointed by the Governor, whichever occurs first.

(d)(1)Members of the board shall be selected from outstanding citizens of California who have a strong interest in the further development and improvement of the California State University.

(2)Members of the board, to the greatest extent possible, should be inclusive and representative of the many demographic groups found in California, and the board should reflect diversity of race and gender, and should include, among others, disabled persons and veterans. In furtherance of the mission of the California State University, a member of the board should embrace the basic role and responsibility of a member of the board to bring their own best thinking and personal views to the board’s discussion, determining their own position on each issue rather than being bound to represent or advocate for the positions of a particular organization or constituency.