On Oct. 6, 2025, California state governor Gavin Newsom signed Senate Bill 640 into effect. The bill, written by newly elected state senator Christopher Cabaldon, promises a big change for high school students graduating starting in 2027.
SB 640’s goal is to make California state universities accessible to everyone, and help increase the funding going into these schools. Many state universities have been struggling with budget cuts, due to a lack of received applications. The bill states that any California student, having met the academic prerequisites and completed the required A-G classes, will be accepted into a participating CSU.
As of now, there are sixteen state schools participating. Based on the ever-changing enrollment factors, the amount of participating universities will change every year, depending on whether the school has room to admit more students.
“We have an outdated system in California; we do in all of America,” said Cabaldon, who represents California’s 3rd District. “The point of the bill is to make sure no one skips going to a university because they don’t know if they’re ‘university material.’
“The purpose of the bill is to increase the pipeline of California young people that go onto the universities, because we have several CSU campuses that are facing enrollment challenges. If we could increase the flow of qualified students to those campuses, we’ll help make sure that we can sustain high-quality programs and offerings for all students,”
Since the state of California has access to a student’s transcripts, Cabaldon says all the paperwork and application fees submitted to state universities are ‘unnecessary’. The state can already see if students are a good fit. Assuming the school has open seats, any student who applies will have some peace of mind, knowing they were accepted into a CSU.
Bear River counselor Michelle Berberena thinks SB 640 will prove beneficial for many families, and help open doors for students.
“It might have students look at colleges or campuses that they might not have looked at before,” Berberena said. “The world is a competitive place, and college is a competitive place. To me, the outcome is more positive than negative.”
There was a similar attitude when Cabaldon first proposed the bill.
“When I introduced the bill, there was a lot of interest and excitement about it. There was also some skepticism, like ‘could that actually work’? As we got further through the legislative process, it was just more and more enthusiasm,” Cabaldon said. “By the end of it, I think SB 640 received unanimous votes in both the assembly and the Senate.”
Cabaldon admits the bill is not one that’s hotly debated, but it’s certainly addressing a major concern for California’s youth. With college admissions fast approaching for many students, only time will tell how SB 640 improves their chances.
