The bill also seeks to increase public accountability by requiring ex-officio members of the Board of Trustees either to attend meetings or to designate people to attend meetings on their behalf.

Jointly authored by Assemblymembers Anthony Portantino, Chair of the Assembly Higher Education Committee, and Julia Brownley, Chair of the Budget Sub-committee on Education, AB 1413 was approved by a 73-1 margin.

"Today’s vote was a victory for students and families of the CSU system who have become disillusioned with how top CSU officials govern one of the nation’s finest public university systems," said Portantino.  "At the same time we’re raising student fees for UC and CSU students, we ought to demand the basic good government principles Californians have come to expect.  Even the appearance of impropriety by CSU executives, as the media has revealed, tarnishes the prestigious reputation Californians have long associated with the system."

AB 1413 now heads to the State Senate, where it will be acted on in the coming months.