Bill Text: CA AB263 | 2023-2024 | Regular Session | Introduced

California Assembly Bill 263

Introduced

Bill Title: Public postsecondary education: pilot program for free cost of education: working group.

Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 1-0)

Status: (Failed) 2024-02-01 - From committee: Filed with the Chief Clerk pursuant to Joint Rule 56. [AB263 Detail]

Download: California-2023-AB263-Introduced.html

CALIFORNIA LEGISLATURE— 2023–2024 REGULAR SESSION

Assembly Bill

No. 263

Introduced by Assembly Member Jones-Sawyer

January 19, 2023

An act to add and repeal Section 66014.1 of the Education Code, relating to public postsecondary education.

LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST

AB 263, as introduced, Jones-Sawyer. Public postsecondary education: pilot program for free cost of education: working group.

Under existing law, the segments of public postsecondary education in the state are the University of California, which is administered by the Regents of the University of California, the California State University, which is administered by the Trustees of the California State University, and the California Community Colleges, which is administered by the Board of Governors of the California Community Colleges.

This bill would require the Student Aid Commission to convene a working group until July 1, 2026, consisting of representatives from the State Department of Education, the Board of Governors of the California Community Colleges, the Trustees of the California State University, the Regents of the University of California, and faculty, staff, and students from the California Community Colleges, the California State University, and the University of California to research and develop recommendations for the creation of a pilot program, as specified, that would cover the cost of postsecondary education in the state by replacing the system of charging students tuition and fees, and addressing additional expenses associated with attendance at a public postsecondary institution. The bill would require, on or before July 1, 2026, the working group to submit a report to the Legislature on the pilot program, including information identified by the working group such as the public postsecondary institutions that would participate in the pilot program, the length of the pilot program, and available funding sources for the duration of the pilot program. The bill would repeal these provisions on January 1, 2027.

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

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

SECTION 1.

Section 66014.1 is added to the Education Code, to read:

66014.1.

(a) (1) The Student Aid Commission shall convene, until July 1, 2026, a working group consisting of representatives from the department, the Board of Governors of the California Community Colleges, the Trustees of the California State University, the Regents of the University of California, and faculty, staff, and students from the California Community Colleges, the California State University, and the University of California to research and develop recommendations for the creation of a pilot program that would cover the cost of postsecondary education in the state by replacing the system of charging students tuition and fees, and addressing additional expenses associated with attendance at a public postsecondary institution.

(2) The representatives of each participating entity described in paragraph (1) shall be selected internally by the participating entity.

(b) The working group shall consider feedback and insight from nonprofit stakeholder groups with extensive knowledge of college affordability models and approaches and allow participation from these groups in nonmember roles.

(c) For purposes of the consideration of the working group, the pilot program to be created shall allow students who are residents of the state and who qualify for admission to a public postsecondary institution to enroll in that institution without paying for the cost of education. The working group shall also prioritize the needs of students with the greatest financial need, as determined by the working group.

(d) The working group shall do all of the following:

(1) Identify one or more public postsecondary institutions, including specific campuses of the California Community Colleges, the California State University, and the University of California, for participation in the pilot program.

(2) Determine the length of the pilot program.

(3) Determine a funding source that would be available for the duration of the pilot program.

(4) Identify how the pilot program would complement existing financial aid programs, such as the Cal Grant Program (Chapter 1.7 (commencing with Section 69430) of Part 42).

(e) The working group shall submit to the Legislature, on or before July 1, 2026, in compliance with Section 9795 of the Government Code, a report that outlines recommendations for the proposed pilot program, including the information described in subdivision (d).

(f) This section shall remain in effect only until January 1, 2027, and as of that date is repealed.