California's Assembly Bill 467 would, if enacted, codify the California Center for Climate Change at West Los Angeles College in the Los Angeles Community College District.
In 2022, Assembly Bill 1913 sought to establish the California Center for Climate Change with a $5 million appropriation, as NCSE previously reported. Although the bill died in committee, the center was nevertheless established in 2023, with the aid of a $5 million allocation in the 2022 state budget and a further $1.3 million of federal funding.
In 2024, Assembly Bill 3142 sought to include a reference to the center in the state's education code as well as to allocate $1.5 million to establish the California Mobile Unit for Climate Change Education. The bill passed both houses of the legislature but then was vetoed by Governor Gavin Newsom (D), citing the cost, as NCSE previously reported.
Assembly Bill 467, as introduced in February 2025, originally concerned teleconferencing for neighborhood councils in Los Angeles. On May 5, 2025, the Assembly voted 65-7 in favor of a slightly amended version of the bill. The bill then languished in the Senate Local Government and Judiciary committees for over a year.
On June 9, 2026, however, the bill was completely revised by its author, Mike Fong (D-District 49), to codify the center, partly on the grounds that "[t]he people of the state, and people across the United States, overwhelmingly support teaching students about the causes, consequences, and potential solutions to global climate change." No appropriations are proposed.
Assembly Bill 467 is now with the Senate Education and Appropriations committees. The bill must pass committee by July 2, 2026, in order to proceed to the Senate floor.
