Newsom signs bill automatically admitting qualified high school graduates to the CSU campuses

(FOX40.COM) — The California governor signed Senate Bill 640, providing automatic admission to the California State University system to high school graduates who meet the requirements without an application.
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Gov. Newsom signed SB 640, authored by Senator Christopher Cabaldon (D-Yolo County), on Wednesday, which was modeled after West Sacramento’s Home Run initiative,

a program launched by Cabaldon during his tenure as mayor.

Cabaldon said the initiative guaranteed tuition-free admission to Sacramento City College for every local graduate and builds off CSU’s Riverside County pilot program, leading to a 3,000-student increase in enrollment paperwork completion over the previous year.

“SB 640 reimagines the path from high school to college,” Cabaldon said. “It makes higher education the natural next step, not an intimidating maze of forms and fees. Every eligible student deserves that life-changing moment of opening an acceptance letter.”

Cabaldon stated that in his district, two CSU campuses have experienced some of the sharpest enrollment declines in the CSU system: Cal Poly Maritime Academy in Vallejo and Sonoma State University, which faced severe budget shortfalls.

After this was announced, significant program reductions were made before ultimately receiving $45 million in state funding this year, officials said.

“This is a common-sense solution to two urgent problems,” Cabaldon said. “Tens of thousands of students are qualified but never apply. At the same time, CSU campuses are seeing alarming enrollment declines. This policy bridges that gap, and it does so with a tool that’s as powerful emotionally as it is administratively: the acceptance letter.”

CSU Chancellor’s office released a statement thanking Senator Cabaldon and Gov. Newsom for signing Senate Bill 640 into law, expanding the CSU’s Direct Admissions Program to school districts across California.

“We appreciate Senator Cabaldon’s leadership and partnership in ensuring that this important legislation will increase access to the CSU,” the Chancellor’s office said.

FOX40.COM reached out to Gov. Newsom’s press office and is waiting to hear back.

SB 640 will go into effect Jan. 1, 2026, with full statewide participation beginning for fall 2027 applicants.