BILL NUMBER: AB 515INTRODUCED BILL TEXT INTRODUCED BY Assembly Member Brownley FEBRUARY 15, 2011 An act to add Section 78302 to the Education Code, relating to community colleges. LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST AB 515, as introduced, Brownley. Public postsecondary education: community colleges: extension program. Existing law establishes the California Community Colleges, which are administered by the Board of Governors of the California Community Colleges. The governing board of any community college district is authorized, without approval of the board of trustees, to establish and maintain community service classes in civic, vocational, literacy, health, homemaking, technical, and general education, as specified. This bill would authorize the governing board of any community college district, without approval of the board of governors, to establish and maintain an extension program offering credit courses, as specified. The bill would state the intent of the Legislature in enacting this provision. Vote: majority. Appropriation: no. Fiscal committee: no. State-mandated local program: no. THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS: SECTION 1. Section 78302 is added to the Education Code, to read: 78302. (a) In enacting this section, it is the intent of the Legislature to provide local communities additional flexibility to meet community needs in areas such as advanced technology and workforce development; to provide members of the public access to credit programs offered under contracted arrangements with other agencies and companies; to address existing limitations in access to extension programs due to geographical distance or time of travel; to augment use of local community college facilities authorized by community investments in local elections subsequent to the passage of Proposition 39 in 2001; and to provide other benefits, both tangible and intangible. (b) The governing board of any community college district may, without the approval of the Board of Governors of the California Community Colleges, establish and maintain an extension program offering credit courses. (c) Governing boards shall not expend General Fund moneys to establish and maintain extension classes. (d) Governing boards may charge students enrolled in extension classes such fees as they deem appropriate. (e) Degree credit courses offered as extension courses shall meet all the requirements in subdivision (a) of Section 55002 of Title 5 of the California Code of Regulations.