20250AB__086198AMD INTRODUCED 2025-02-19 AMENDED_ASSEMBLY 2025-04-24 2025 AB AMD Introduced by Assembly Member Solache LEAD_AUTHOR ASSEMBLY Solache

An act to add

Article 8 (commencing with

Section 72702) to

Chapter of Part of Division of Title of the Education Code, relating to community colleges. community colleges Community colleges: students: public transportation: Los Angeles Community College District. Existing law establishes the California Community Colleges, under the administration of the Board of Governors of the California Community Colleges, as one of the segments of public postsecondary education in this state.

Existing law creates the Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority (“LA Metro”) with specified powers and duties relative to transportation planning, programming, and operations in the County of Los Angeles.

This bill would (1) require the Los Angeles Community College District to annually enter into a memorandum of understanding with LA Metro for purposes of providing GoPass TAP cards to participating students enrolled at a campus of the community college district, as specified, and (2) establish a student ambassador program within LA Metro where students assist with security, rider assistance, and facility upkeep on LA Metro rail and bus lines serving campuses of the Los Angeles Community College District.

The bill would require the Los Angeles Community College District to submit an annual report to the Department of Finance and the budget committees of the Assembly and Senate that includes specified information about the transit pass program and the student ambassador program. By imposing additional duties on the Los Angeles Community College District and LA Metro, the bill would impose a state-mandated local program.

This bill would appropriate $2,500,000 from the General Fund to the Los Angeles Community College District and LA Metro to develop and implement the free transit pass program and the student ambassador program, respectively. The funds appropriated by the bill would be applied toward the minimum funding requirements for school districts and community college districts imposed by

Section of

Article XVI of the California Constitution.</xhtml:p>"?> This bill would make legislative findings and declarations as to the necessity of a special statute for the Los Angeles Community College District and Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority. The California Constitution requires the state to reimburse local agencies and school districts for certain costs mandated by the state. Statutory provisions establish procedures for making that reimbursement.

This bill would provide that, if the Commission on State Mandates determines that the bill contains costs mandated by the state, reimbursement for those costs shall be made pursuant to the statutory provisions noted above. MAJORITY NO YES YES NO NO NO NO NO NO NO The people of the State of California do enact as follows:

SECTION 1. The Legislature finds and declares all of the following: (

a) Public transportation is essential for many community college students to access education and other opportunities. (

b) Eliminating transportation costs can improve equity and educational outcomes for students. (

c) Enhancing security on public transit benefits riders and the broader community. (

d) A student ambassador program can provide valuable workforce training and promote safer transit experiences.

SEC. 2. It is the intent of the Legislature to do both of the following: (

a) Grant access to the public transportation services provided by the Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority (“LA Metro”) at no cost to community college students. (

b) Establish a student ambassador program within the County of Los Angeles to support security and community engagement on LA Metro rail and bus lines that serve community colleges. <caml:Num>SEC. 3.</caml:Num><caml:ActionLine action="IS_ADDED" xlink:href="urn:caml:codes:EDC:caml#xpointer(%2Fcaml%3ALawDoc%2Fcaml%3ACode%2Fcaml%3ALawHeading%5B%40type%3D'TITLE'%20and%20caml%3ANum%3D'3.'%5D%2Fcaml%3ALawHeading%5B%40type%3D'DIVISION'%20and%20caml%3ANum%3D'7.'%5D%2Fcaml%3ALawHeading%5B%40type%3D'PART'%20and%20caml%3ANum%3D'45.'%5D%2Fcaml%3ALawHeading%5B%40type%3D'CHAPTER'%20and%20caml%3ANum%3D'6.'%5D%2Fcaml%3ALawHeading%5B%40type%3D'ARTICLE'%20and%20caml%3ANum%3D'8.'%5D)" xlink:label="fractionType: LAW_SPREAD||commencingWith: 72702" xlink:type="locator">Article 10 (commencing with

Section 76150) is added to

Chapter of Part of Division of Title of the <caml:DocName>Education Code</caml:DocName>, to read:</caml:ActionLine><caml:Fragment><caml:LawHeading id="id_914EDC55-33D9-4873-859B-74F39EF8A649" type="ARTICLE"><caml:Num>10.</caml:Num><caml:LawHeadingVersion id="id_0B3E6B04-F0C7-4AB7-946D-0A99D5F1E085"><caml:LawHeadingText>LA METRO LOS ANGELES COMMUNITY COLLEGE GOPASS AND STUDENT AMBASSADOR PROGRAM</caml:LawHeadingText></caml:LawHeadingVersion><caml:LawSection id="id_C8DE3B19-80B5-43D5-95E6-506EA5901196"><caml:Num>76150.</caml:Num><caml:LawSectionVersion id="id_66BACE95-4C52-4134-BDD0-8096FE838755"><caml:Content><xhtml:p>This

article shall be known, and may be cited, as the LA Metro Los Angeles Community College GoPass and Student Ambassador Program Act.</xhtml:p></caml:Content></caml:LawSectionVersion></caml:LawSection><caml:LawSection id="id_27388F9C-CEBC-44D4-870C-B2BBF49E9C4D"><caml:Num>76151.</caml:Num><caml:LawSectionVersion id="id_86A4AF04-77B5-4B85-8F1B-00A641B00C6C"><caml:Content><xhtml:p>The LA Metro Los Angeles Community College GoPass and Student Ambassador Programs are hereby established in the Los Angeles Community College District.</xhtml:p></caml:Content></caml:LawSectionVersion></caml:LawSection><caml:LawSection id="id_5A480325-DE9E-4153-9107-E12AA68ACC71"><caml:Num>76152.</caml:Num><caml:LawSectionVersion id="id_514344A0-167C-497E-8CFA-5E176BF3D33A"><caml:Content/></caml:LawSectionVersion></caml:LawSection></caml:LawHeading></caml:Fragment></caml:BillSection>"?>

SEC.

Article 8 (commencing with

Section 72702) is added to

Chapter of Part of Division of Title of the Education Code , to read: 8. LA Metro Los Angeles Community College GoPass and Student Ambassador Program 72702. For purposes of this article, the following

definitions apply: (a)<xhtml:span class="EnSpace"/>“Community college district” means the Los Angeles Community College District.</xhtml:p><xhtml:p>(b)<xhtml:span class="EnSpace"/>“GoPass” means a free transit pass provided to a student enrolled at a campus of the Los Angeles Community College District that grants the student access to the services provided by LA Metro at no cost.</xhtml:p>"?> (a) “GoPass TAP card” means a transit pass provided for purposes of the GoPass program operated by the Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority for providing free transit passes to community college students with participating community colleges in the Los Angeles region. (c)</xhtml:p>"?> (b) “LA Metro” means the Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority. 72703. (a)

(1) To promote the use of public transportation by community college students, the Los Angeles Community College District shall annually enter into a memorandum of understanding with LA Metro for purposes of providing GoPass TAP cards to participating students enrolled at a campus of the community college district. (b)<xhtml:span class="EnSpace"/>A GoPass shall be distributed to the student at the campus of the community college district where the student is enrolled.</xhtml:p><xhtml:p>(c)<xhtml:span class="EnSpace"/>A GoPass provided pursuant to this

section shall be valid for the academic term in which the student is enrolled.</xhtml:p>"?>

(2) A memorandum of understanding entered into pursuant to this subdivision shall provide the cost-sharing rate per student that the Los Angeles Community College District will pay LA Metro for providing GoPass TAP cards to students. (

b) The Los Angeles Community College District, upon entering into a memorandum of understanding pursuant to subdivision (a), shall permit students to opt into receiving a GoPass TAP card upon registering for classes and shall distribute GoPass TAP cards to students who opt in through the registrar’s office at the campus where the student is enrolled. 72704. (a)

(1) LA Metro, in partnership with the Los Angeles Community College District, shall establish a student ambassador program.

(2) All students of the Los Angeles Community College District who are in good academic standing may apply to be a student ambassador.

(3) LA Metro shall select the students who become student ambassadors. (

b) Students selected as student ambassadors by LA Metro shall assist LA Metro in providing all of the following services:

(1) Maintaining safety and security within the LA Metro system.

(2) Assisting passengers by providing information, including directions and connections.

(3) Reporting maintenance, cleanliness, and safety issues to LA Metro.

(4) Supporting public outreach initiatives to promote student use of LA Metro. (c)

(1) Each campus of the Los Angeles Community College District shall designate a coordinator to encourage students to apply to the student ambassador program.

(2) LA Metro shall develop student ambassador program guidelines to ensure consistency and effectiveness. (

d) LA Metro shall train all student ambassadors in transit operations, conflict resolution, and public engagement. (

e) Students selected as student ambassadors shall be compensated by the Los Angeles Community College District at a minimum rate of pay of twenty-five dollars ($25) per hour. 72705. (

a) On or before ____, and annually thereafter, the Los Angeles Community College District shall submit a report to the Department of Finance and the budget committees of the Assembly and Senate that includes all of the following information:

(1) The number of students receiving a GoPass TAP card during the previous year.

(2) The average annual ridership per campus of the community college district.

(3) The number of students participating in the student ambassador program.

(4) The outcomes of the student ambassador program, including participant feedback and safety metrics.

(5) Recommendations for improving the GoPass and student ambassador programs. (b)<xhtml:span class="EnSpace"/>(1)<xhtml:span class="EnSpace"/></xhtml:p>"?> (b)

(1) The requirement for submitting a report imposed under subdivision (

a) is inoperative on ____, pursuant to

Section 10231.5 of the Government Code.

(2) A report to be submitted pursuant to subdivision (

a) shall be submitted in compliance with

Section of the Government Code.

SEC. 4. The Legislature finds and declares that a special statute is necessary and that a general statute cannot be made applicable within the meaning of

Section of

Article IV of the California Constitution because of existing programs within the Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority to facilitate Los Angeles Community College District’s involvement.

SEC. 5. If the Commission on State Mandates determines that this act contains costs mandated by the state, reimbursement to local agencies and school districts for those costs shall be made pursuant to

Part 7 (commencing with

Section 17500) of Division of Title of the Government Code. <caml:Num>SEC. 6.</caml:Num><caml:Content><xhtml:p>(a)<xhtml:span class="EnSpace"/>The sum of two million, five hundred thousand dollars ($ 2,500,000) is hereby appropriated from the General Fund for purposes of

Article 10 (commencing with

Section 76150) of

Chapter of Part of Division of Title of the Education Code.</xhtml:p><xhtml:p>(b)<xhtml:span class="EnSpace"/>(1)<xhtml:span class="EnSpace"/>Of the amount appropriated pursuant to subdivision (a), one million dollars ($1,000,000) shall be allocated to the Los Angeles Community College District for purposes of

Section of the Education Code.</xhtml:p><xhtml:p>(2)<xhtml:span class="EnSpace"/>Of the amount appropriated pursuant to subdivision (a), one million five hundred thousand dollars ($1,500,000) shall be allocated to the Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority for purposes of

Section of the Education Code.</xhtml:p><xhtml:p>(c)<xhtml:span class="EnSpace"/>For purposes of making the computations required by

Section of

Article XVI of the California Constitution, the appropriations made pursuant to this

section shall be deemed to be “General Fund revenues appropriated for community college districts,” as defined in subdivision (

d) of

Section of the Education Code, for the 2025–26 fiscal year, and included within the “total allocations to school districts and community college districts from General Fund proceeds of taxes appropriated pursuant to

Article XIII B,” as defined in subdivision (

e) of

Section of the Education Code, for the 2025–26 fiscal year.</xhtml:p></caml:Content></caml:BillSection>"?>