Bill Text: CA AB1781 | 2013-2014 | Regular Session | Chaptered

California Assembly Bill 1781 (Prior Session Legislation)

Bill Title: California National Guard Education Assistance Award

Sponsorship: Partisan Bill (Republican 4)

Status: (Passed) 2014-08-15 - Chaptered by Secretary of State - Chapter 207, Statutes of 2014. [AB1781 Detail]

Download: California-2013-AB1781-Chaptered.html

BILL NUMBER: AB 1781	CHAPTERED
	BILL TEXT

	CHAPTER  207
	FILED WITH SECRETARY OF STATE  AUGUST 15, 2014
	APPROVED BY GOVERNOR  AUGUST 15, 2014
	PASSED THE SENATE  JULY 3, 2014
	PASSED THE ASSEMBLY  AUGUST 4, 2014
	AMENDED IN SENATE  JUNE 11, 2014
	AMENDED IN SENATE  MAY 23, 2014

INTRODUCED BY   Assembly Member Linder
   (Coauthors: Assembly Members Ch�vez, Grove, and Melendez)

                        FEBRUARY 18, 2014

   An act to amend Section 69999.16 of the Education Code, relating
to postsecondary education.


	LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST


   AB 1781, Linder. California National Guard Education Assistance
Award Program.
   Existing law establishes the California National Guard Education
Assistance Award Program, which provides financial aid to qualifying
members of the California National Guard, the State Military Reserve,
and the Naval Militia, under the administration of the Student Aid
Commission, in consultation with the Military Department. Existing
law provides that a qualifying member is eligible to receive an award
if, among other conditions, the person enrolls in at least 3
academic units per semester, or the equivalent thereof.
   This bill would require a qualifying member, to be eligible to
receive an award for a summer session turn, to also submit a letter
from his or her unit commander that states that the summer session
will not adversely impact the member's attendance at mandatory
military training. The bill also would state the intent of the
Legislature relating to these provisions.


THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:

  SECTION 1.  It is the intent of the Legislature to build upon the
success of the California National Guard Education Award Assistance
Program by providing student-soldiers more flexibility in achieving
their academic goals.
  SEC. 2.  Section 69999.16 of the Education Code is amended to read:

   69999.16.  (a) Commencing January 1 of the 2009-10 academic year,
and each academic year thereafter, any qualifying member of the
California National Guard, the State Military Reserve, or the Naval
Militia may apply for a California National Guard Education
Assistance Award.
   (b) (1) A qualifying member shall meet all of the following
conditions to be eligible to receive a California National Guard
Education Assistance Award:
   (A) The person is a resident within the meaning of Section 68017.
   (B) The person is an active member of, and has served two years
in, the California National Guard, the State Military Reserve, or the
Naval Militia.
   (C) The person has been accepted or registered at, or enrolled in,
a qualifying institution, as defined in subdivision (l) of Section
69432.7.
   (D) The person agrees to use the award to obtain a certificate,
degree, or diploma that he or she does not hold at the time he or she
applies for the award, and enrolls in at least three academic units
per semester, or the equivalent thereof.
   (E) The person has submitted the Free Application for Federal
Student Aid (FAFSA) to the United States Department of Education.
   (2) To be eligible for an award for a summer session term, a
qualifying member who meets the conditions in paragraph (1) shall
submit a letter from his or her unit commander that states that the
member's enrollment in that summer session will not adversely impact
the member's attendance at mandatory military training.
   (c) Each person applying for a California National Guard Education
Assistance Award shall submit an application for an award to the
Adjutant General.
   (d) The Adjutant General shall do all of the following:
   (1) Annually identify the skills most needed by the California
National Guard to retain members who possess, or seek to possess,
those identified skills.
   (2) Prioritize those applicants who qualify for an award pursuant
to subdivision (b) based on the skills most needed by the California
National Guard, as identified pursuant to paragraph (1).
   (3) Select award recipients from among eligible applicants
pursuant to subdivision (e).
   (4)  Certify the eligibility of applicants to the Student Aid
Commission.
   (5) Notify recipients of their selection for an award.
   (e) The Adjutant General shall select recipients who have been
judged by the Adjutant General to have outstanding ability on the
basis of criteria that may include, but shall not be limited to, any
of the following:
   (1) The Military Occupational Specialty Code or the Air Force
Specialty Code.
   (2) An annual noncommissioned officer evaluation report or officer
evaluation report of the preceding two years.
   (3) A memorandum from the applicant's commander recommending the
applicant for the award.
   (4) Commendations the applicant has received.
   (5) An essay, written by the applicant, explaining why education
is important to the applicant.
   (f) The number of awards issued by the Student Aid Commission in
any fiscal year shall be limited to the number authorized in the
annual Budget Act for that year, but in no event shall exceed 1,000
in any fiscal year.
   (g) The Student Aid Commission shall issue the awards in
accordance with Section 69999.18.