Committee advances a package of bills on higher‑education transparency, nonprofit contracting, tribal grants, local alcohol licensing and public‑health measures

The Assembly Governmental Organizations Committee advanced a set of bills to the Committee on Appropriations, moving measures on higher‑education transparency, nonprofit contracting, tribal distributions, local alcohol licensing, distillers’ sales limits, state land reporting, and a statewide pharmacy tobacco ban closer to final legislative consideration.

Prominent items the committee advanced include:

• AB 684 (Patel): Would make the University of California Board of Admissions and Relations with Schools (BORES) subject to the Bagley‑Keene Open Meetings Act, requiring open meetings for decisions that affect A‑G course approvals and admissions standards. Aditi Hariharan, president of the UC Student Association, testified in support, arguing that open meetings would give students and K‑12 stakeholders needed transparency after recent UC course‑approval decisions.

• AB 1039 (Hart): Requires state agencies to offer nonprofit applicants up to 25 percent of awarded grant or contract funds in advance. Supporters including the California Behavioral Health Association and United Ways of California said advance payments reduce cash‑flow barriers that deter under‑resourced nonprofits from applying for…