Senate backs bill to require student hearings and disaggregated reporting on campus protest discipline

The Senate debated and passed AB 2551, a measure intended to increase transparency about how public colleges and universities enforce time, place and manner (TPM) rules related to protests.

Senator Perez presented the bill, which requires the California State University system (and requests the University of California) to hold at least two student hearings on TPM policies and to report demographic data on protest‑related disciplinary actions. Supporters said the bill is a transparency measure that helps ensure equitable enforcement; Senator Gonzales and others said campuses and students would benefit from clearer, disaggregated data.

Opponents raised concerns about the bill’s drafting and the value of the data that would be collected. Senator Becker said the measure was a “gut and amend” and argued it was “not well thought through,” predicting reporting would produce limited actionable information given federal suppression for small cell sizes. Other senators requested clarity about timelines and implementation. The author responded that some concerns could be addressed in follow-up with systems and that the open‑forum requirement includes a sunset date.

After extended floor debate the Senate passed the bill by roll call. Supporters described the legislation as a way to ensure student voices are heard and that disciplinary policies are applied fairly; opponents urged more time for consultation.

What happens next: The bill will proceed with the legislative process; implementation details and the schedule for the student forum were described in floor exchanges but may require follow‑up with the UC/CSU systems for operational clarity.