(1) Existing law establishes the California Postsecondary Education Commission (CPEC) to be responsible for coordinating public, independent, and private postsecondary education in this state and to provide independent policy analyses and recommendations to the Legislature and the Governor on postsecondary education issues. The Budget Act of 2011 deleted funding and personnel from CPEC.
This bill would eliminate CPEC and instead would require the Governor to designate a state agency, department, or office as the principal state operating and coordinating entity for postsecondary education with duties including implementation, coordination, and evaluation of the Master Plan for Career Education, coordination and evaluation of postsecondary implementation of intersegmental state policies and initiatives, and implementation of an interstate reciprocity agreement for distance education if the Governor enters into such agreement, as provided. The bill would authorize the Governor to enter into one or more interstate reciprocity agreements through a compact on behalf of the state upon issuing certain written findings. The bill would authorize postsecondary educational institutions to apply to the designated coordinating entity for approval to operate under an interstate reciprocity agreement, as specified.
(2) The California Private Postsecondary Education Act of 2009 provides, among other things, for student protections and regulatory oversight of private postsecondary institutions in the state. The act is enforced by the Bureau for Private Postsecondary Education within the Department of Consumer Affairs. The act requires an out-of-state private postsecondary educational institution to register with the bureau, pay a fee, and comply with additional delineated requirements. Existing law provides exemptions from the act for, among others, accredited, degree-granting, nonprofit, higher education institutions and degree-granting public higher education institutions.
Beginning January 1, 2028, this bill would subject any public or private entity without a physical presence in this state that offers a degree program through distance education to California students to the act unless the entity is approved pursuant to an interstate reciprocity agreement.

Statutes affected:
SB 790: 94801.5 EDC, 94858 EDC, 94923 EDC
02/21/25 - Introduced: 94801.5 EDC, 94858 EDC, 94923 EDC
04/10/25 - Amended Senate: 94801.5 EDC, 94858 EDC, 94850.5 EDC, 94850.5 EDC, 94923 EDC