California 20252026 Regular Session Status: Passed Senate 1 D cosponsors

SB 790 — Postsecondary education: interstate reciprocity agreements for distance education: out-of-state postsecondary educational institutions.

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 21, 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

(1) Existing federal law requires a postsecondary educational institution that offers distance education to students located in a state in which the postsecondary educational institution is not physically located to meet any of that state's requirements for it to offer distance education in that state. Existing federal law authorizes a state to participate in an interstate reciprocity agreement to comply with this requirement. This bill would authorize the Governor, on or before January 1, 2028, to enter into one or more interstate reciprocity agreements for distance education through a compact on behalf of the state upon issuing certain written findings and after certain committees of the Legislature hold a joint hearing on the agreement, as provided. This bill would require the Governor to designate a state agency, department, or office for the implementation of an interstate reciprocity agreement for distance education if the Governor enters into such an agreement, as provided. The bill would authorize postsecondary educational institutions to apply to the designated 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. If the Governor enters into an interstate reciprocity agreement, this bill would subject any accredited, degree-granting, nonprofit, higher education institutions and degree-granting public higher education institutions to the act unless the entity is approved pursuant to an interstate reciprocity agreement.

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

  4. From committee: Do pass as amended and re-refer to Com. on APPR. (Ayes 17. Noes 0.) (July 8).

  5. Read second time and amended. Re-referred to Com. on B. & P.

  6. From committee: Do pass as amended and re-refer to Com. on B. & P. (Ayes 9. Noes 1.) (June 24).

  7. Referred to Coms. on HIGHER ED. and B. & P.

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

  9. Read third time. Passed. (Ayes 34. Noes 0. Page 1398.) Ordered to the Assembly.

  10. From committee: Do pass. (Ayes 6. Noes 0. Page 1214.) (May 23).

  11. Read second time. Ordered to third reading.

  12. Set for hearing May 23.

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

  14. Set for hearing May 19.

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

  16. From committee: Do pass as amended and re-refer to Com. on APPR. (Ayes 6. Noes 0. Page 962.) (April 30).

  17. Set for hearing April 30.

  18. From committee: Do pass and re-refer to Com. on ED. (Ayes 11. Noes 0. Page 809.) (April 21). Re-referred to Com. on ED.

  19. From committee with author's amendments. Read second time and amended. Re-referred to Com. on B. P. & E.D.

  20. Set for hearing April 21.

  21. Referred to Coms. on B. P. & E.D. and ED.

  22. From printer. May be acted upon on or after March 24.

  23. Read first time.

  24. Introduced. To Com. on RLS. for assignment. To print.

Sponsors

Sponsorship breakdown

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1 sponsors · 0 co-sponsors · 121 not signed on · 1 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 as amended and be re-referred to the Committee on [Appropriations]

Passed 17 Yea · 0 Nay · 1 Other
Party YeaNayPresentNot Voting
Democratic 12001
Republican 5000
Total 17001
% of votes cast 94%0%0%6%
How each member voted (18)
Member Party Vote
Ahrens, Patrick Democratic Yea
Bains, Jasmeet Democratic Yea
Bauer-Kahan, Rebecca Democratic Not Voting
Berman, Marc Democratic Yea
Caloza, Jessica Democratic Yea
Elhawary, Sade Democratic Yea
Haney, Matt Democratic Yea
Irwin, Jacqui Democratic Yea
Jackson, Corey A. Democratic Yea
Krell, Maggy Democratic Yea
Lowenthal, Josh Democratic Yea
Nguyen, Stephanie Democratic Yea
Pellerin, Gail Democratic Yea
Alanis, Juan Republican Yea
Chen, Phillip Republican Yea
Flora, Heath Republican Yea
Hadwick, Heather Republican Yea
Macedo, Alexandra Republican Yea

Official roll call →

Do pass as amended and be re-referred to the Committee on [Business and Professions]

Passed 9 Yea · 1 Nay
Party YeaNayPresentNot Voting
Republican 2100
Democratic 7000
Total 9100
% of votes cast 90%10%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 Yea
Tangipa, David J. Republican Yea

Official roll call →

3rd Reading

Passed 34 Yea · 0 Nay · 6 Other
Party YeaNayPresentNot Voting
Republican 10000
Democratic 24006
Total 34006
% of votes cast 85%0%0%15%
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 Not Voting
Gonzalez, Lena A. Democratic Not Voting
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 Not Voting
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 Not Voting
Stern, Henry I. Democratic Yea
Umberg, Thomas J. Democratic Yea
Wahab, Aisha Democratic Yea
Weber Pierson, M.D., Akilah Democratic Yea
Wiener, Scott D. Democratic Yea
Alvarado-Gil, Marie Republican Yea
Choi, Steven S. Republican Yea
Dahle, Megan Republican Yea
Grove, Shannon Republican Yea
Jones, Brian W. Republican Yea
Niello, Roger W. Republican Yea
Ochoa Bogh, Rosilicie Republican Yea
Seyarto, Kelly Republican Yea
Strickland, Tony Republican Yea
Valladares, Suzette Martinez Republican Yea

Official roll call →

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

Passed 6 Yea · 0 Nay · 1 Other
Party YeaNayPresentNot Voting
Democratic 4001
Republican 2000
Total 6001
% of votes cast 86%0%0%14%
How each member voted (7)
Member Party Vote
Cabaldon, Christopher Democratic Yea
Cortese, Dave Democratic Yea
Gonzalez, Lena A. Democratic Not Voting
Laird, John Democratic Yea
Pérez, Sasha Renée Democratic Yea
Choi, Steven S. Republican Yea
Ochoa Bogh, Rosilicie Republican Yea

Official roll call →

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

Passed 11 Yea · 0 Nay
Party YeaNayPresentNot Voting
Democratic 8000
Republican 3000
Total 11000
% of votes cast 100%0%0%0%
How each member voted (11)
Member Party Vote
Archuleta, Bob Democratic Yea
Arreguín, Jesse Democratic Yea
Ashby, Angelique V. Democratic Yea
Grayson, Timothy S. Democratic Yea
Richardson, Laura Democratic Yea
Smallwood-Cuevas, Lola Democratic Yea
Umberg, Thomas J. Democratic Yea
Weber Pierson, M.D., Akilah Democratic Yea
Choi, Steven S. Republican Yea
Niello, Roger W. Republican Yea
Strickland, Tony Republican Yea

Official roll call →

Subjects

education
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Frequently asked questions

What does SB 790 do?
(1) Existing federal law requires a postsecondary educational institution that offers distance education to students located in a state in which the postsecondary educational institution is not physically located to meet any of that state's requirements for it to offer distance education in that state. Existing federal law authorizes a state to participate in an interstate reciprocity agreement to comply with this requirement. This bill would authorize the Governor, on or before January 1, 2028, to enter into one or more interstate reciprocity agreements for distance education through a compact on behalf of the state upon issuing certain written findings and after certain committees of the Legislature hold a joint hearing on the agreement, as provided. This bill would require the Governor to designate a state agency, department, or office for the implementation of an interstate reciprocity agreement for distance education if the Governor enters into such an agreement, as provided. The bill would authorize postsecondary educational institutions to apply to the designated 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. If the Governor enters into an interstate reciprocity agreement, this bill would subject any accredited, degree-granting, nonprofit, higher education institutions and degree-granting public higher education institutions to the act unless the entity is approved pursuant to an interstate reciprocity agreement.
Who sponsors SB 790?
SB 790 is sponsored by Cabaldon, Christopher (Democratic).
What is the current status of SB 790?
This bill has passed the Senate. Introduced February 21, 2025. It now moves to the second chamber.
Where can I track SB 790?
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