California State Assembly Democratic Caucus

06/26/2024 | Press release | Distributed by Public on 06/27/2024 12:01

Tuition Free Bachelor’s Degree Passes the Senate Education Committee

For immediate release:
Wednesday, June 26, 2024

(Sacramento, CA) - Following the passage of AB 2093 (Santiago) out of the Senate Education Committee, Author Assembly Member Santiago released the following statement:

"As a former President of the largest community college district in the nation, and as someone who heavily relied upon financial aid in college myself, I am proud to author AB 2093 to ensure more Californians have the opportunity to access and afford a bachelor's degree," said Assembly Member Santiago

"California began its journey toward free higher education with the establishment of the California College Promise Program in 2017 through my AB 19, which offered one year of free community college. We later expanded this initiative to include two free years of community college. AB 2093 aims to further advance free higher education by providing a pathway to a tuition-free bachelor's degree at local community colleges. This is crucial as bachelor's degrees help close equity gaps, meet local workforce demands, and lead to better wages."

AB 2093 will expand the California Promise Program to enable community colleges to waive enrollment fees for all full time students pursuing a bachelor's degree. This bill will encourage low-income students to pursue higher education without the fear of significant college debt.

Assembly Member Miguel Santiago is the Assistant Assembly Majority Leader. He serves on the Arts, Entertainment, Sports and Tourism Committee, the Health Committee, and the Utilities & Energy Committee. He represents the 54th District composed of the cities of Los Angeles, Commerce, Montebello, and Vernon.

###