Senate subcommittee approves two‑party education budget package, rejects UC/CSU cuts and advances K‑14 priorities

Senate Budget Subcommittee No. 1 on Education voted in a closeout hearing to approve a two‑party legislative budget package that rejects the governor's proposed cuts to the University of California and California State University systems and maintains funding priorities for K‑14 education.

The action came after public comment from education leaders, higher‑education unions, school districts and community‑college advocates and three roll‑call motions covering 165 agenda items. Senator Laird, chair of Senate Budget Subcommittee No. 1 on Education, said the legislative budget “reflects what we were striving to do.”

Why it matters: The package protects K‑12 and early education funding through Proposition 98 while deferring some higher‑education reductions, restores money for student aid and community colleges, and funds school‑meal expansions and other student supports debated in the May revision and earlier hearings. Committee members and dozens of stakeholders said the package will provide near‑term stability for campuses and districts while leaving further negotiations with the administration and the Assembly ahead of the June 30 budget deadline.

What the committee approved and the debate

Senator Ochoa Bogue noted concerns about placeholder language in briefing materials and said she wanted to see final bill language for transparency before final votes. “I found references to a significant amount of placeholder language,” she said, adding she would withhold a vote on one item related to transitional‑TK penalties. Senator Ochoa Bogue also said she supported many K‑12 items but was “hesitant to support the community college deferrals.”

Senator Maria Elena (Perez) (listed in the transcript as Senator Perez) emphasized the…