BILL WOULD ALLOW ACCESS TO CSU BUILDINGS.

Byline: Jim Skeen Staff Writer

LANCASTER - Legislation allowing Antelope Valley College students to attend classes in a state university building on their campus has cleared the state Legislature.

Senate Bill 242 by Sen. W.J. ``Pete'' Knight, R-Palmdale, would let Antelope Valley College share classrooms built on its campus for California State University, Bakersfield.

The bill, approved last week, would allow community college buildings to be built under either the California Building Standards Code or the more strict Field Act, as required now, if the school enters into a joint-use agreement with a four-year state university or college.

The state's Field Act, adopted in the early 1930s after a severe earthquake in Long Beach, requires a complex process in design, construction and inspection for community colleges, as well as for schools serving students in kindergarten through 12th grade.

The University of California and the California State University campuses are exempt from the Field Act.

``The state says that the uniform building codes are safe for CSUs and UCs,'' Knight said. ``Requiring community colleges to build under more expensive standards is ridiculous.''

CSU Bakersfield has buildings on the Antelope Valley College campus, including an 11,000-square-foot classroom building that opened in 2000.

Over the years, the university has been able to share Antelope Valley College classrooms, but the Field Act provisions blocked reciprocation.

The Knight bill would also require a community college district proposing a building that does not comply with the Field Act to hold a public hearing on the matter and to adopt its decision at a public meeting.

Knight estimates the bill would save community colleges $7.5 million this year and up to $29.8 million over the next two years.

In 2001, then-Assemblyman George Runner had authored a similar bill, but the bill was vetoed by the governor who said it was inconsistent with the state's policy of ensuring structural safety.

Knight's bill varies from the Runner bill in that the community college buildings qualifying for the exemption would have be used by either the UC or CSU systems.

Knight said there is no reason for community colleges to be held to a higher standard, especially when that standard is costing the schools money.

Jim Skeen, [phone]

james.skeen(at)dailynews.com