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AB 664

Community colleges: baccalaureate degree program: Southwestern Community College District.

2025-2026 Regular Session Introduced by David Alvarez and 2 co-sponsors

AB 664 signals the Legislature's intent to allow SWCCD to offer a limited set of bachelor's degrees in South San Diego County through future legislation; no funding now.

In Senate. Read first time. To Com. on RLS. for assignment.
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Bill Summary · AB 664

AB 664 — Summary

Purpose and intent

AB 664, as introduced by Alvarez, expresses the Legislature’s intent to pursue future legislation authorizing Southwestern Community College District (SWCCD) to offer a limited number of baccalaureate degrees. The bill is framed as expanding access to workforce-aligned baccalaureate programs in underserved areas, specifically South San Diego County, where SWCCD is the primary public postsecondary institution.

Context and statutory background

  • Existing law establishes the California Community Colleges (CCC) system and authorizes the CCC Board of Governors, in consultation with the California State University and the University of California, to authorize district-level baccalaureate degree programs.
  • AB 664 does not itself create new baccalaureate programs or allocate funding. Rather, it sets up the Legislature’s intent to enact later legislation that would permit SWCCD to offer a limited number of baccalaureate degrees, subject to forthcoming policy design.

Key provisions and provisions under consideration

  • Findings (Section 1): The bill identifies unmet access to baccalaureate programs in Chula Vista, the region with a population over 200,000 yet lacking a public university offering bachelor’s degrees. It highlights:
    • About 585,000 residents in South San Diego County served by SWCCD.
    • Regional labor market analyses showing 147 priority occupations requiring baccalaureate credentials.
    • Projections of more than 25,000 jobs in the region by 2033, with many requiring a bachelor’s degree.
    • The binational nature of the region and the need for bilingual/bicultural programs.
    • The CCC Baccalaureate Degree Program as a model for quality and alignment with workforce needs.
  • Intent (Section 2): The bill states the Legislature’s intent to enact subsequent legislation to:
    • Expand access to workforce-aligned baccalaureate degrees in underserved/“college desert” areas like South San Diego County.
    • Authorize SWCCD to offer a limited number of baccalaureate degrees.
    • Focus on addressing unmet workforce needs identified by regional research.
    • Avoid unnecessary regional competition, where possible, by aligning with regional public postsecondary institutions.
    • Require collaboration with regional public postsecondary institutions to ensure programs meet demand and minimize redundancy.

Who would be affected

  • Primary: Southwestern Community College District and its prospective students seeking bachelor-level credentials locally.
  • Regional stakeholders: Other public postsecondary institutions in the region, workforce and economic development organizations, and employers seeking degree-qualified graduates.
  • Local residents: South San Diego County residents who would gain potential access to bachelor’s level programs without having to travel to a different city or cross-border facilities.

Procedural and timeline aspects

  • Status: From printer; May be heard in committee on March 17.
  • Introduced: February 14, 2025.
  • Legislative actions indicate no fiscal appropriations are attached to AB 664, and no local program authorization is included in this measure. The bill lays groundwork for future legislation rather than implementing immediate program changes.

Bottom line

AB 664 signals the Legislature’s interest in expanding baccalaureate options in a region identified as underserved, by potentially authorizing SWCCD to offer a limited set of baccalaureate degrees through future legislation. It emphasizes workforce alignment, regional collaboration, and minimizing unnecessary competition, without current funding or degree-authorizing authority.

Compiled from official sources — confirm details with the bill’s official record.

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