Bill Text: CA AB1633 | 2021-2022 | Regular Session | Introduced

NOTE: There are more recent revisions of this legislation. Read Latest Draft

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Bill Title: Public postsecondary education: veterans’ educational benefits: information sharing.

Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Republican 7-0)

Status: (Passed) 2022-08-26 - Chaptered by Secretary of State - Chapter 174, Statutes of 2022. [AB1633 Detail]

Download: California-2021-AB1633-Introduced.html

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CALIFORNIA LEGISLATURE— 2021–2022 REGULAR SESSION

Assembly Bill

No. 1633

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Introduced by Assembly Member Seyarto
(Principal coauthors: Assembly Members Mathis and Voepel)
(Coauthors: Assembly Members Chen, Lackey, Nguyen, and Waldron)

January 12, 2022

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An act to add Section 66014.4 to the Education Code, relating to public postsecondary education.

LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST

AB 1633, as introduced, Seyarto. Public postsecondary education: veterans’ educational benefits: information sharing.

Under existing law, the Department of Veterans Affairs within state government has specified powers and duties relating to veterans, including those relating to education benefits. Existing law provides federal educational benefit awards for certain members and veterans of the Armed Forces of the United States. Existing law authorizes the California State University, and encourages the University of California, to report to the Department of Veterans Affairs, on an annual basis, specified information, including the total education benefits obtained by all qualified students assisted by a specified office. Existing law establishes the Student Aid Commission as the primary state agency for the administration of state-authorized student financial aid programs available to students attending all segments of postsecondary education.

This bill would require the California State University, and request the University of California, to electronically transmit specified personal information regarding students whose tuition or fees, or both, are paid, or intended to be paid, using GI Bill educational benefits, as defined, to the Department of Veterans Affairs for each academic year, starting with the 2023–24 academic year, as provided. The bill would also require, on or before June 1, 2023, the Student Aid Commission to develop an opt-out statement that permits a student to opt out of having the student’s personal information shared with the Department of Veterans Affairs, as provided.

Digest Key

Vote: MAJORITY   Appropriation: NO   Fiscal Committee: YES   Local Program: NO  

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Bill Text

The people of the State of California do enact as follows:

SECTION 1.

 Section 66014.4 is added to the Education Code, to read:

66014.4.

 (a) For purposes of this section, “GI Bill educational benefits” means any educational benefit administered by the United States Department of Veterans Affairs pursuant to Title 38 of the United States Code that is designed to help eligible veterans of the Armed Forces of the United States or other eligible persons with a relationship to a veteran of the Armed Forces of the United States to cover the costs associated with enrollment as a student.

(b) Notwithstanding any law, commencing with the 2023–24 academic year, and annually thereafter for each academic year, the California State University shall, and the University of California is requested to, electronically transmit to the Department of Veterans Affairs, all of the following personal information regarding each student whose tuition or fees, or both, are paid, or intended to be paid, using GI Bill educational benefits, if the student has not opted out of the disclosure pursuant to subdivision (d):

(1) True, full name.

(2) Email address.

(3) Mailing address.

(4) Mobile telephone number.

(c) For purposes of subdivision (b), both of the following apply:

(1) The first data transfer shall include all students using or intending to use GI Bill educational benefits for the 2023–24 academic year.

(2) Each annual data transfer after the first data transfer shall include only new students not identified in the prior data transfer who are using or intending to use GI Bill educational benefits for the academic year.

(d) On or before June 1, 2023, the Student Aid Commission shall develop and post on its internet website an opt-out statement to be used on an existing financial aid form or on a new financial aid form that permits a student, when applying for financial aid, to opt out of having the student’s personal information shared with the Department of Veterans Affairs pursuant to subdivision (b).

(e) Information obtained by the Department of Veterans Affairs pursuant to this section shall be used only for purposes related to GI Bill educational benefits and shall not be disseminated except for those purposes.