Legislative and political issues are examined in this study of the forces governing the structure of control shared by the individual institutions of the California community college system (CCC) and various state agencies. The report first summarizes and compares the findings of three earlier studies of the college-state relationship: (1) William P. Smith's 1968 research into the legal basis of the powers assigned to the newly established CCC Board of Governors and of local boards; (2) Charles W. Brydon's 1973 survey of local perceptions of the state's power with regard to curriculum, personnel, facilities, planning, students, and governance; and (3) Thomas J. Nussbaum's 1979 examination of state functions as perceived by the Office of the Chancellor. The report then examines legal issues in the areas of affirmative action, collective bargaining, and the 1979 Permissive Code, which authorizes local districts to initiate any program that is not in conflict with state law. Relevant litigation is cited to illustrate how the responsibilities of both state and local authorities have been increased by these mandates while the resources to deal with them have not. The report concludes with an examination of the political motivation behind the creation of state minimum standards as revealed in a study of the highly detailed Extended Opportunity Programs and Services regulations. (JP)