AB 245 – Requires Public Postsecondary Institutions To Change Student Records To Reflect Changes To Student Name And Gender Changes

The Donahoe Higher Education Act establishes the California Community Colleges, the University of California, and the California State University (collectively “institution”), as the three segments of public postsecondary education in the state of California.

Under this bill, an institution is required to update a former student’s records to include the student’s updated legal name or gender, if the institution receives government-issued documentation from the student supporting the name or gender change. The institution is also required to reissue any record that the student requests be reissued.

This bill further requires that starting with the 2023-24 graduating class, the intuition must provide graduating students with the option to specify list the name the student wants on the diploma. The institution cannot require students provide legal documentation to support the chosen name or gender change.

(AB 245 adds Section 66271.4 to the Education Code.)