Both of the California State University’s (CSU) sponsored bills have made it past their first big hurdle. AB 867 (Nava/Arambula) and AB 1222 (Lowenthal) passed their house of origin and are on their way to the Senate for consideration.

AB 1222, is CSU’s alumni affinity program reauthorization bill, which extends the sunset on a law that gives alumni associations the ability to provide benefits and services to their alumni. The bill was passed out of the Assembly on consent meaning that it received all aye votes and moved on without any opposition. While the bill was originally drafted to eliminate the sunset all together, it was amended in the Assembly Judiciary Committee to a 5-year sunset extension until January 2016. The bill will now move onto the Senate where it is likely to be heard first in the Senate Education Committee.

CSU’s other sponsored bill, AB 867, also passed out of the Assembly with a vote of 71-7 (will link this to the full vote) with two abstentions. The bill will give the CSU the authority to award the Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) degree to help prepare more faculty to teach future nurses. The bill was moving quickly through the Assembly and was caught up on the suspense file for a short time. While the Assembly Republican Caucus had an oppose position when the bill hit the Assembly Floor, the former Republican leader, Mike Villines spoke in support and helped move the vote along. Assembly members Mike Davis, Jim Beall, and Bonnie Lowenthal also spoke in support of the bill. On the other hand, Assembly member Anthony Portantino expressed his concerns and voted “No” becoming the lone Democratic vote in opposition.

AB 867 also moves onto the Senate and will likely also be heard in the Senate Education committee in the next few weeks.

For more information on both bills visit our website.