Senate education subcommittee advances budget plan, fully funds Prop 98 and approves dozens of staff recommendations

The California State Senate budget subcommittee No. 1 on Education met in a close-out hearing and voted to adopt a series of staff-recommended budget items that the chair said fully fund Proposition 98 and prioritize universal school meals, career education and supports for vulnerable students.

Chair Perez opened the session and established a quorum before calling for public comment. Natalie Shinn of California's Together urged the panel to fund “350,000,000 for Cal New,” saying the funding is “critical for the only state program dedicated to immigrant students” and urged reinvestment in the Educator Workforce Investment Grant for English learners. Michelle Warshaw of the California Teachers Association praised many Senate recommendations and the rejection of the governor's proposed Prop 98 underfunding but cautioned against folding non-LEA preschool programs into Prop 98 because growth in Prop 98 is tied to average daily attendance and broader state economic factors. Fanny Thomas of the California Alliance of Child and Family Services thanked the subcommittee for advancing the community school apportionment program and cited support for a proposed $2,400,000,000 increase in special-education funding.

A separate public commenter urged protection of the Middle Class Scholarship and opposed a proposed $500,000,000 cut, requested investment in a statewide hub to help college students access CalFresh, and thanked the subcommittee for including $10,000,000 for community-college financial-aid administration.

After public comment the panel heard a floor statement from a subcommittee member identified in the transcript as Senator Choa Bok, who said she appreciated nonpartisan analyses but raised concerns that many proposals contain placeholder language and that final bill language had not yet been made available. “I have concerns that we haven't seen the final language and we're nearing the conclusion of the budget process,” she said, adding that she would abstain or vote no on some items because of worries about accountability, redundancy and borrowing approaches for some proposals.

The subcommittee then moved through a vote-only calendar in grouped blocks. A motion to adopt staff recommendations covering part A items 2–15, 24, 26–42, 44–71, 74–90 and 92–117 was recorded as moved by Senator Ochoa Bogue and passed on roll call with Perez, Archuleta and Ochoa Bogue recorded as voting Aye. A separate motion by Senator Archuleta to adopt the staff recommendation for part A item 1 passed with Perez and Archuleta recorded as Aye and Ochoa Bogue recorded as No. Additional grouped votes across part A and part B items were carried by similar roll-call margins; in several instances Ochoa Bogue was recorded as No or Not voting while Perez and Archuleta voted Aye.

What the subcommittee advanced includes funding priorities emphasized by the chair: full funding of Proposition 98, support for immigrant and LGBTQ+ student resource centers, continuation of UC and CSU compacts into a fifth year, and measures intended to stabilize the community college budget. Members and public witnesses urged continued attention to special-education funding, protections for students eligible for the Middle Class Scholarship, and administrative supports to help students access CalFresh and other benefits.

The chair closed the hearing, invited anyone unable to testify to submit written comments to the Budget and Fiscal Review Committee, and adjourned the subcommittee. The subcommittee and staff said they will continue conversations with the administration and the Assembly as the Legislature moves toward a final budget agreement.

Votes at a glance: the transcript records a series of roll calls in which Consultant roll-call entries show Perez and Archuleta voting Aye on most grouped items; Ochoa Bogue voted Aye on some groupings and No or Not voting on others. Specific grouped motions and roll-call excerpts are recorded in the hearing transcript.