Governor Gavin Newsom signed Assembly Bill 2374, creating a pathway for California higher education institutions to be designated as Asian American and Native Hawaiian Pacific Islander-serving institutions, according to the Governor's office.
AB 2374 allows institutions to seek the designation by developing strategic plans focused on improving retention and graduation rates and providing academic and basic-needs support, the office said. The legislation was introduced by Assemblymember Mike Fong (D–Alhambra), who chairs the Assembly Higher Education Committee.
California's public colleges and universities serve hundreds of thousands of Asian and Native Hawaiian Pacific Islander students. Of the approximately 2.2 million students enrolled in California community colleges in the 2024-25 academic year, 248,686 identified as Asian and 7,979 identified as Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander. In 2025, the California State University system enrolled 71,413 Asian students and 1,333 Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander students, while the University of California enrolled 131,933 Asian students and 2,454 Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander students in fall 2025.
The Governor said the law responds to the particular challenges facing these student populations and reflects efforts to expand access and affordability in California's higher education system.