Senate Education Committee advances bills on curriculum, higher education regulation, workforce and mental-health education; several pass to Appropriations

The Senate Education Committee met May 20 in Sacramento and voted to advance a slate of bills to the Senate Appropriations Committee after substantive hearings on higher education regulation, K–12 curriculum and instruction, career and workforce programs, and a narrowly tailored pilot study of psilocybin for veterans and former first responders.

The most disputed measures were SB 472, which would direct the California Department of Education to notify local education agencies that Holocaust and other genocide education is part of the history-social science framework and authorize a voluntary state survey of instruction; SB 751, which would authorize a five-year University of California–led pilot to study psilocybin therapy for veterans and inactive first responders under federal oversight; and SB 531, which would require age-appropriate mental-health education beginning in elementary grades. Committee debate mixed technical and policy questions — including scope, local control, potential administrative burden and public-safety concerns — and several bills were amended before members voted to move them forward to Appropriations.

SB 372 (Araguan). The committee heard from Senator Araguin and witnesses for Northeastern University about a narrowly targeted bill to recognize a highly qualified nonprofit research institution with a physical California campus (the former Mills College in Oakland) as an independent institution of higher education under applicable state law. Renee Adeshlever, vice president for campus administration at Northeastern University Oakland, said the bill "would make clear that Northeastern meets the statutory definition of independent institution of higher education under California law and ensure Northeastern is subject to all laws and regulations that are..." She and Alex Graves of the Association of Independent California Colleges and Universities argued the current Bureau for Private Postsecondary Education (BPPE) regulatory framework treats some nonprofit branch campuses the same as vocational or for‑profit schools, creating unnecessary administrative burdens. The committee voted to pass SB 372 as amended to the Senate Appropriations Committee.

SB 510 (Richardson) — history and social science content. Senator Richardson described SB 510 as a measure to strengthen the history-social science framework and encourage fuller and more accurate classroom coverage of African American history and contributions. Supporters (including the California Faculty Association) described the bill as clarifying and supporting locally developed instruction rather than mandating specific texts. The committee accepted amendments and voted to forward the bill to Appropriations.

SB 472 (Stern) — Holocaust and genocide education. Senator Stern introduced a measure shaped by the Governor’s Council on Holocaust and Genocide Education and a statewide WestEd study the council commissioned. WestEd’s Brian Hemberg testified the study surveyed local education agencies and found only about 26% of respondents reported a district-level Holocaust and genocide program; many districts reported no professional development and limited instructional resources. Supporters including Jewish community groups described the bill’s intent as raising awareness of existing legal requirements (Education Code §51220 and related provisions) and supplying resources and an optional survey, while opponents (including Jewish Voice for Peace Action and others) said the bill risked politicizing curriculum and expressed concern about grant administration and perceived imbalances in prior funding for Holocaust programs. Committee amendments removed a mandatory reporting requirement, replaced it with a Department of Education notice and an optional survey, and the committee voted to pass SB 472 as amended to Appropriations.

SB 584 (Limon) — elementary and middle‑school civic learning. Senator Limon said SB 584 would expand civic learning opportunities for grades 1–8 so students build toward the existing State Seal of Civic Engagement in high school. County superintendents and school leaders described grant and recognition elements to support classroom experiences (engaging local officials, understanding government institutions). The committee took the matter under submission and placed the bill on call for a later roll call.

SB 612 (Valladares) — career technical education (CTE) graduation requirement. Senator Valladares proposed requiring every California high‑school student to complete at least one semester of a standalone CTE course before graduation. Supporters (labor and youth advocates) said the change would expose students to career options and reduce pressure to pursue four‑year degrees unnecessarily; opponents (county offices of education, school administrators, teachers’ groups) warned adding a standalone graduation requirement strains master schedules, reduces elective flexibility, and could be duplicative given existing CTE pathways, dual enrollment and state workforce programs. The committee voted to pass SB 612 as amended to Appropriations after extended discussion and several members urged further stakeholder work.

SB 638 (Padilla) — workforce/education coordination. Senator Padilla described SB 638 as part of an affordability package to create a coordinating entity for education‑to‑workforce programs and a targeted grant program for regions with high unemployment and low incomes. Witnesses argued the state lacks a single coordinating body to align billions in workforce funds; supporters including California Competes said improved coordination would help close regional disparities and connect residents to training and benefits. The committee voted unanimously to advance the bill to Appropriations.

SB 751 (Becker, presented by Senator Jones) — psilocybin pilot for veterans and inactive first responders. Senator Jones and clinical witnesses from UCSF and veteran and first‑responder advocacy groups described the bill as a narrowly scoped, University of California–run five‑year pilot to study psilocybin‑assisted therapy for specified groups in compliance with FDA and DEA regulations. Supporters said some veterans and first responders turn to unregulated sources and asked for a regulated, research‑based option; witnesses cautioned the medicine requires tightly controlled clinical procedures and screening. Law‑enforcement and public‑safety witnesses urged caution and questioned whether the state should authorize research that might conflict with federal controlled‑substance law or raise safety concerns for participants with firearms. The committee voted to pass SB 751 to Appropriations.

SB 531 (Rubio) — K–12 mental‑health education. Senator Rubio described SB 531 as a requirement that age‑appropriate mental‑health instruction be included in health education beginning in early grades so students recognize emotions and know how to seek help. Teachers, youth advocates, mental‑health organizations and county behavioral‑health officials supported the bill as an equity measure to ensure students statewide receive consistent instruction, while committee leaders and staff pointed to the existing State Health and Science Framework and the Instructional Quality Commission process and urged careful calibration to avoid duplicative or prescriptive curricular mandates. The committee accepted amendments and moved SB 531 to Appropriations.

SB 745 (Allen / Ochoa Boguë) — one‑year American government and civics course and the State Seal of Civic Engagement. The bill directs the Department of Education to develop a curriculum guide for a one‑year government course and permits districts participating in the State Seal to treat a one‑year course as satisfying the Seal criteria. Supporters — including a high‑school student witness — said the current one‑semester requirement is insufficient to cover state and local government in depth. The committee voted to pass the bill as amended to Appropriations.

SB 644 (Blake Spear) — local candidate contribution limits. Senator Blake Spear proposed applying the same financial contribution limits to candidates for local judicial offices, school boards and community college boards as those already used for other local offices, so no local candidate could accept unlimited direct contributions. Supporters, including the League of Women Voters, argued uniform limits build public confidence and encourage broader community fundraising. Union representatives opposed, saying limits tend to shift spending into independent expenditures and parallel organizing structures; those witnesses urged caution about unintended consequences. The committee heard the testimony and moved the bill toward further consideration.

Votes at a glance (committee action May 20, 2025) - SB 372 (Araguin): Do pass as amended to Senate Appropriations Committee; placed on call (motion made and roll called in committee). Mover recorded: Sen. Cabaldon. - SB 631 (consent item, Richardson): On consent calendar — placed on call. - SB 510 (Richardson): Do pass as amended to Senate Appropriations Committee; placed on call. - SB 472 (Stern): Do pass as amended to Senate Appropriations Committee; placed on call (committee amendments removed mandatory reporting and provided Department notice plus optional survey). - SB 584 (Limon): Placed on call; motion to pass carried subject to later vote. - SB 612 (Valladares): Do pass to Senate Appropriations Committee; placed on call. - SB 638 (Padilla): Do pass to Senate Appropriations Committee; placed on call. - SB 751 (Becker, presented by Jones): Do pass to Senate Appropriations Committee; placed on call. - SB 531 (Rubio): Do pass to Senate Appropriations Committee; placed on call. - SB 745 (Ochoa Bogue/Allen): Do pass as amended to Senate Appropriations Committee; placed on call. - SB 644 (Blake Spear): Motion made to move to Appropriations; committee proceedings continued and bill placed on call.

Discussion and next steps. Committee members and staff emphasized that many of the calendar’s curriculum items were amended to comply with the committee’s stated policy disfavoring legislative micromanagement of instructional materials and urging use of administrative processes (the Instructional Quality Commission and State Board of Education) before statutory curriculum changes. Multiple senators asked authors to continue stakeholder work with county offices of education, the California Department of Education, county superintendents, and district leaders to refine language and reduce implementation burdens before the Appropriations hearings. Several members also called for attention to federal limits and regulatory coordination where bills involve controlled substances or federal accreditation standards.

Ending: The committee moved the items to Senate Appropriations and placed the bills on call; authors and stakeholders were urged to continue technical refinements before fiscal review.