California 20252026 Regular Session Status: Passed Senate 1 D cosponsors

SB 550 — California State University, San Jose: legal partnership pilot program.

Last action — August 29 hearing: Held in committee and under submission.

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  1. ✓
    Introduced
  2. ✓
    In Committee
  3. 3
    Passed Senate
  4. 4
    Passed Assembly
  5. 5
    To Executive
  6. 6
    Enacted

This bill has passed the Senate. Introduced February 20, 2025. It now moves to the second chamber.

Next likely step: consideration and a floor vote in the Assembly.

Prognosis

Advancing 48% · moderate confidence

Where this bill stands today.

Odds of enactment

Moderate

How often bills like it became law.

  • Passed Senate

    Current position in the legislative process.

  • 1 sponsor

    1 primary, 0 co-sponsors signed on.

  • Single-party support

    Sponsorship is currently within one party (1 D).

  • Cleared a recorded vote

    Passed 7 recorded votes so far.

Prognosis reads this bill's own signals — stage, sponsorship breadth, committee status, recorded votes and cross-state momentum. Odds come from a model trained on which bills have become law.

Summary

The Donahoe Higher Education Act establishes the segments of postsecondary education in the state, including the University of California and the California State University, and sets forth the missions and functions of those segments. Existing law states that the University of California has exclusive jurisdiction in public higher education over, among others, instruction in the profession of law. This bill would authorize the Trustees of the California State University to establish a legal education pilot program, consisting of the California State University, San Jose, and a law school accredited by the Committee of Bar Examiners of the State Bar of California as an independent nonprofit institution, to operate for a period of 6 academic years. The bill would require the legal education pilot program to commence only if the trustees approve the program, the governing board of the law school approves the program, and the law school has been continuously accredited for a minimum of 5 years before the first cohort graduates from a joint degree program. The bill would authorize the California State University, San Jose, as part of the legal education pilot program, to partner with the nonprofit law school to jointly award a juris doctor degree and to jointly provide certificate and legal education programs at the undergraduate level. The bill would require the California State University, San Jose, and the nonprofit law school to submit certain information, including an administrative plan and enrollment projections, to the trustees and the governing board of the law school before the trustees and governing board vote to approve the pilot program. The bill would require the Legislative Analyst's Office to conduct an interim evaluation and a final evaluation of the program, as provided. This bill would make these provisions inoperative on July 1, 2041, and would repeal it as of January 1, 2042. This bill would make legislative findings and declarations as to the necessity of a special statute for the California State University, San Jose.

Bill Text

Action History

  1. August 29 hearing: Held in committee and under submission.

  2. August 20 set for first hearing. Placed on APPR. suspense file.

  3. From committee: Do pass and re-refer to Com. on APPR. (Ayes 8. Noes 2.) (July 15). Re-referred to Com. on APPR.

  4. Coauthors revised.

  5. From committee: Do pass and re-refer to Com. on JUD. (Ayes 7. Noes 3.) (July 8). Re-referred to Com. on JUD.

  6. From committee with author's amendments. Read second time and amended. Re-referred to Com. on JUD.

  7. June 24 set for first hearing canceled at the request of author.

  8. Referred to Coms. on HIGHER ED. and JUD.

  9. In Assembly. Read first time. Held at Desk.

  10. Read third time. Passed. (Ayes 29. Noes 6. Page 1375.) Ordered to the Assembly.

  11. Read second time. Ordered to third reading.

  12. Read second time and amended. Ordered to second reading.

  13. From committee: Do pass as amended. (Ayes 5. Noes 0. Page 1204.) (May 23).

  14. Set for hearing May 23.

  15. May 19 hearing: Placed on APPR. suspense file.

  16. Set for hearing May 19.

  17. Read second time and amended. Re-referred to Com. on APPR.

  18. From committee: Do pass as amended and re-refer to Com. on APPR. (Ayes 10. Noes 1. Page 941.) (April 29).

  19. From committee: Do pass and re-refer to Com. on JUD. (Ayes 5. Noes 1. Page 865.) (April 23). Re-referred to Com. on JUD.

  20. Set for hearing April 29 in JUD. pending receipt.

  21. Set for hearing April 23.

  22. Re-referred to Coms. on ED. and JUD.

  23. Re-referred to Com. on RLS.

  24. Withdrawn from committee.

  25. From committee with author's amendments. Read second time and amended. Re-referred to Com. on L., P.E. & R.

  26. Referred to Com. on L., P.E. & R.

  27. From printer. May be acted upon on or after March 23.

  28. Introduced. Read first time. To Com. on RLS. for assignment. To print.

Sponsors

Sponsorship breakdown

Export CSV (upgrade) →

1 sponsors · 0 co-sponsors · 121 not signed on · 11 voted No

Sponsors (1)

Co-sponsors (0)

None.

Not signed on (121)

121 members have not signed on to this bill.

Show all 121 →

"Not signed on" means a member has not sponsored or co-sponsored this bill — it does not imply opposition. Members flagged Voted No have a recorded No vote on this bill.

Whip count is in markup. Polling the chamber and every recorded vote this session. Only the first open is slow. It’s instant for you after this. Calling the roll · Tallying · Engrossing

Votes

Do pass and be re-referred to the Committee on [Appropriations]

Passed 8 Yea · 2 Nay · 2 Other
Party YeaNayPresentNot Voting
Democratic 8001
Republican 0201
Total 8202
% of votes cast 67%17%0%17%
How each member voted (12)
Member Party Vote
Bauer-Kahan, Rebecca Democratic Yea
Bryan, Isaac G. Democratic Yea
Connolly, Damon Democratic Yea
Harabedian, John Democratic Yea
Kalra, Ash Democratic Yea
Pacheco, Blanca Democratic Yea
Papan, Diane Democratic Yea
Stefani, Catherine Democratic Yea
Zbur, Rick Chavez Democratic Not Voting
Dixon, Diane Republican Not Voting
Macedo, Alexandra Republican Nay
Sanchez, Kate Republican Nay

Official roll call →

Do pass and be re-referred to the Committee on [Judiciary]

Passed 7 Yea · 3 Nay
Party YeaNayPresentNot Voting
Democratic 7000
Republican 0300
Total 7300
% of votes cast 70%30%0%0%
How each member voted (10)
Member Party Vote
Boerner, Tasha Democratic Yea
Fong, Mike Democratic Yea
Jackson, Corey A. Democratic Yea
Muratsuchi, Al Democratic Yea
Patel, Darshana R. Democratic Yea
Rodriguez, Celeste Democratic Yea
Sharp-Collins, LaShae Democratic Yea
DeMaio, Carl Republican Nay
Gonzalez, Jeff Republican Nay
Tangipa, David J. Republican Nay

Official roll call →

3rd Reading

Passed 29 Yea · 6 Nay · 5 Other
Party YeaNayPresentNot Voting
Democratic 27003
Republican 2602
Total 29605
% of votes cast 73%15%0%13%
How each member voted (40)
Member Party Vote
Allen, Benjamin Democratic Yea
Archuleta, Bob Democratic Yea
Arreguín, Jesse Democratic Yea
Ashby, Angelique V. Democratic Yea
Becker, Josh Democratic Yea
Blakespear, Catherine S. Democratic Yea
Cabaldon, Christopher Democratic Yea
Caballero, Anna M. Democratic Yea
Cervantes, Sabrina Democratic Yea
Cortese, Dave Democratic Yea
Durazo, Maria Elena Democratic Yea
Gonzalez, Lena A. Democratic Yea
Grayson, Timothy S. Democratic Yea
Hurtado, Melissa Democratic Not Voting
Laird, John Democratic Yea
Limón, Monique Democratic Yea
McGuire, Mike Democratic Yea
McNerney, Jerry Democratic Yea
Menjivar, Caroline Democratic Yea
Padilla, Stephen C. Democratic Yea
Pérez, Sasha Renée Democratic Yea
Reyes, Eloise Gómez Democratic Not Voting
Richardson, Laura Democratic Yea
Rubio, Susan Democratic Yea
Smallwood-Cuevas, Lola Democratic Yea
Stern, Henry I. Democratic Yea
Umberg, Thomas J. Democratic Yea
Wahab, Aisha Democratic Yea
Weber Pierson, M.D., Akilah Democratic Not Voting
Wiener, Scott D. Democratic Yea
Alvarado-Gil, Marie Republican Nay
Choi, Steven S. Republican Nay
Dahle, Megan Republican Nay
Grove, Shannon Republican Nay
Jones, Brian W. Republican Yea
Niello, Roger W. Republican Nay
Ochoa Bogh, Rosilicie Republican Not Voting
Seyarto, Kelly Republican Not Voting
Strickland, Tony Republican Nay
Valladares, Suzette Martinez Republican Yea

Official roll call →

Do pass as amended, but first amend, and re-refer to the Committee on [Appropriations]

Passed 10 Yea · 1 Nay · 2 Other
Party YeaNayPresentNot Voting
Democratic 10001
Republican 0101
Total 10102
% of votes cast 77%8%0%15%
How each member voted (13)
Member Party Vote
Allen, Benjamin Democratic Yea
Arreguín, Jesse Democratic Yea
Ashby, Angelique V. Democratic Yea
Caballero, Anna M. Democratic Yea
Durazo, Maria Elena Democratic Yea
Laird, John Democratic Yea
Stern, Henry I. Democratic Yea
Umberg, Thomas J. Democratic Yea
Wahab, Aisha Democratic Yea
Weber Pierson, M.D., Akilah Democratic Not Voting
Wiener, Scott D. Democratic Yea
Niello, Roger W. Republican Nay
Valladares, Suzette Martinez Republican Not Voting

Official roll call →

Do pass, but first be re-referred to the Committee on [Judiciary]

Passed 5 Yea · 1 Nay · 1 Other
Party YeaNayPresentNot Voting
Democratic 5000
Republican 0101
Total 5101
% of votes cast 71%14%0%14%
How each member voted (7)
Member Party Vote
Cabaldon, Christopher Democratic Yea
Cortese, Dave Democratic Yea
Gonzalez, Lena A. Democratic Yea
Laird, John Democratic Yea
Pérez, Sasha Renée Democratic Yea
Choi, Steven S. Republican Nay
Ochoa Bogh, Rosilicie Republican Not Voting

Official roll call →

Subjects

labor education
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Frequently asked questions

What does SB 550 do?
The Donahoe Higher Education Act establishes the segments of postsecondary education in the state, including the University of California and the California State University, and sets forth the missions and functions of those segments. Existing law states that the University of California has exclusive jurisdiction in public higher education over, among others, instruction in the profession of law. This bill would authorize the Trustees of the California State University to establish a legal education pilot program, consisting of the California State University, San Jose, and a law school accredited by the Committee of Bar Examiners of the State Bar of California as an independent nonprofit institution, to operate for a period of 6 academic years. The bill would require the legal education pilot program to commence only if the trustees approve the program, the governing board of the law school approves the program, and the law school has been continuously accredited for a minimum of 5 years before the first cohort graduates from a joint degree program. The bill would authorize the California State University, San Jose, as part of the legal education pilot program, to partner with the nonprofit law school to jointly award a juris doctor degree and to jointly provide certificate and legal education programs at the undergraduate level. The bill would require the California State University, San Jose, and the nonprofit law school to submit certain information, including an administrative plan and enrollment projections, to the trustees and the governing board of the law school before the trustees and governing board vote to approve the pilot program. The bill would require the Legislative Analyst's Office to conduct an interim evaluation and a final evaluation of the program, as provided. This bill would make these provisions inoperative on July 1, 2041, and would repeal it as of January 1, 2042. This bill would make legislative findings and declarations as to the necessity of a special statute for the California State University, San Jose.
Who sponsors SB 550?
SB 550 is sponsored by Cortese, Dave (Democratic).
What is the current status of SB 550?
This bill has passed the Senate. Introduced February 20, 2025. It now moves to the second chamber.
Where can I track SB 550?
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