Logue introduces bill to create $20,000 UC degrees

North state Assemblyman and Republican whip Dan Logue has introduced a bill to decrease the cost of college for students. Assembly Bill 181 would create a pilot program for certain college majors at the University of California to earn bachelor’s degrees for no more than $20,000.

“California is the heart of the technology industry,” Logue said in a news release. “We have a tremendous amount of talent and potential in this state, and the state should be doing everything possible to fully utilize this human capital.”

AB 181 was introduced on Jan. 24. It would aim to create a pilot program to streamline the process by which students graduate from college through better coordination among high schools, community colleges and the UC system. The legislation is an addition to Logue’s AB 51, which would create a $10,000 bachelor’s degree at the California State University system. The program also would be limited to degrees in the science, technology, engineering and mathematics fields.

Among the measures to be used to allow students to achieve a degree on-time are unlimited Advanced Placement course credits in high school, more access to community college courses in high school, priority enrollment in community colleges after high school, and an internship program for work experience and credit.

“With the governor introducing a pilot program for online classes, there is an extra of the potential to make cost savings for students in California a reality,” Logue added.