California's Assembly unaminously ordered Cal State University executives Tuesday to go public with their executive payrolls.

The Higher Education Governance Accountability Act — dubbed a "sunshine" bill — was introduced last year after the San Francisco Chronicle reported that as much as $4 million in special perks and extra compensation had been paid to departing CSU officials in the last ten years, among other revelations.

As a result, Senator Leland Yee (D-San Francisco/San Mateo) authored what is officially titled Senate Bill 190 which received unanimous, bi-partisan approval (69-0) by the State Assembly in a vote this week.

"Today's vote sends a very clear message to the UC and CSU: end the culture of secrecy," said Yee in a press release. "SB 190 will [...] provide members of the media the democratic access they deserve, and help restore the public trust."

In an adjoining bid, lawmakers will also be voting on AB 1413 this week, a measure that will give the right to ex officio CSU Trustees such the governor, lieutenant governor, and Assembly speaker to send delegates when they are too busy to attend meetings personally.

"We're trying to increase involvement so government and higher-ranking members actually have a say in what happens at the CSU," California Faculty Association spokesperson Brian Ferguson said.

The CSU Chancellor's Office has not taken a position on the Sunshine Bill, maintaining that it is not necessary because "we already take all of our executive compensation meetings in public," said Claudia Keith, assistant vice chancellor of CSU Public Affairs.

SB 190 is now heading back to the Senate for a consideration of amendments and then to Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger, who will have one month to sign the bill into law. Although it slated to go into effect January 1, 2008, Senator Yee's office will be pressuring the CSU and UC Trustees to enact it immediately, according to Adam Keigwin, the legislator's communications director.