Bill Text: CA AB3017 | 2019-2020 | Regular Session | Amended

California Assembly Bill 3017 (Prior Session Legislation)

Bill Title: Public postsecondary education: veterans: priority registration.

Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Republican 1-0)

Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2020-05-05 - Re-referred to Com. on HIGHER ED. [AB3017 Detail]

Download: California-2019-AB3017-Amended.html

Amended IN Assembly May 04, 2020

CALIFORNIA LEGISLATURE— 2019–2020 REGULAR SESSION

Assembly Bill

No. 3017

Introduced by Assembly Member Brough

February 21, 2020

An act to amend Section ~~68075.7~~ 66025.8 of the Education Code, relating to public postsecondary education.

LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST

AB 3017, as amended, Brough. Public postsecondary education: ~~exemption from nonresident tuition.~~ veterans: priority registration.

Existing law establishes the California Community Colleges, the California State University, and the University of California as the 3 segments of public institutions of higher education in the state. Existing law requires the California State University and each community college district, and requests the University of California, to grant priority registration for enrollment to a member or former member of the Armed Forces of the United States who is a resident of California and to any member or former member of the State Guard, as specified, for any academic term attended at one of these institutions for 4 academic years after leaving state or federal active duty for use within 15 years of leaving state or federal active duty.
This bill would instead require, and request, these institutions to grant the priority registration for any academic term attended at one of these institutions during any period for which the student is eligible for educational benefits under the federal Montgomery GI Bill, the Post-9/11 Veterans Educational Assistance Act of 2008, or the Vocational Rehabilitation and Employment program. To the extent that this bill would create new duties for community college districts, the bill would impose a state-mandated local program.
The California Constitution requires the state to reimburse local agencies and school districts for certain costs mandated by the state. Statutory provisions establish procedures for making that reimbursement.
This bill would provide that, if the Commission on State Mandates determines that the bill contains costs mandated by the state, reimbursement for those costs shall be made pursuant to the statutory provisions noted above.
Existing law provides that, effective for academic terms beginning after July 1, 2019, a student enrolled at a campus of the California Community Colleges or the California State University who resides in California, meets the definition of “covered individual” under federal law, as it read on July 1, 2019, and is eligible for education benefits as belonging to any of 3 specified categories of beneficiaries under the federal “GI Bill,” as it read on January 1, 2019, is exempt from paying nonresident tuition and any other fees exclusively applicable to nonresident students at that campus.
~~This bill would make nonsubstantive changes to these provisions.~~

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

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

SECTION 1.

Section 66025.8 of the Education Code is amended to read:

66025.8.

(a) The California State University and each community college district shall, and the University of California is requested to, with respect to each campus in their respective jurisdictions that administers a priority enrollment system, grant priority in that system for registration for enrollment to any member or former member of the Armed Forces of the United States, and who is a resident of California, who has received an honorable discharge, a general discharge, or an other than honorable discharge, and to any member or former member of the State ~~Military Reserve,~~ Guard, for any academic term attended at one of these institutions ~~for four academic years after he or she has left state or federal active duty, which he or she shall use within 15 years of leaving state or federal active duty.~~ during any period for which the student is eligible for education benefits under the federal Montgomery GI Bill–Active Duty program (Chapter 30 (commencing with Section 3001) of Title 38 of the United States Code), the Vocational Rehabilitation and Employment program (Chapter 31 (commencing with Section 3100) of Title 38 of the United States Code), or the Post-9/11 GI Bill program (Chapter 33 (commencing with Section 3301) of Title 38 of the United States Code).

(b) A former member of the Armed Forces of the United States or the State ~~Military Reserve~~ Guard who received a dishonorable discharge or a bad conduct discharge is not eligible for priority registration for enrollment pursuant to this section.

(c) The priority registration for enrollment provided pursuant to this section shall apply to enrollment for all degree and certificate programs offered by the institution after the military or veteran status of the student has been verified by the institution ~~he or she~~ the student attends.

(d) Students who receive priority registration for enrollment pursuant to this section shall comply with the requirements of subdivision (a) of Section 78212.

(e) (1) For the purposes of this section, “Armed Forces of the United States” means the Air Force, Army, Coast Guard, Marine Corps, National Guard, Naval Militia, Navy, and the reserve components of each of those forces, including the California National Guard.

(2) As used in this section, “member or former member of the Armed Forces of the United States” includes, but is not necessarily limited to, any student who is called to active military duty compelling that student to take an academic leave of absence.

SEC. 2.
If the Commission on State Mandates determines that this act contains costs mandated by the state, reimbursement to local agencies and school districts for those costs shall be made pursuant to Part 7 (commencing with Section 17500) of Division 4 of Title 2 of the Government Code.

SECTION 1.Section 68075.7 of the Education Code is amended to read:
68075.7.
~~Notwithstanding any other law:~~
(a)Effective for academic terms beginning after July 1, 2019, a student enrolled at a campus of the California Community Colleges or the California State University who meets all of the following conditions shall be exempt from paying nonresident tuition or any other fee that is exclusively applicable to nonresident students:
~~(1)The student resides in California.~~
~~(2)The student meets the definition of “covered individual,” as that term is defined in Section 3679(c)(2) of Title 38 of the United States Code.~~
(3)The student is eligible for education benefits under the federal Montgomery GI Bill–Active Duty program (Chapter 30 (commencing with Section 3001) of Title 38 of the United States Code), the Vocational Rehabilitation and Employment program (Chapter 31 (commencing with Section 3100) of Title 38 of the United States Code), or the Post-9/11 GI Bill program (Chapter 33 (commencing with Section 3301) of Title 38 of the United States Code), as each read on January 1, 2019.
(b)After the expiration of the three-year period following discharge as described in Section 3679(c)(2)(A) or (B)(ii)(I) of Title 38 of the United States Code, a student who qualifies for an exemption from paying nonresident tuition and other applicable fees under paragraph (2) of subdivision (a) shall be deemed to maintain “covered individual” status as long as the student remains continuously enrolled at a campus, even if the student enrolls in multiple programs, and the student shall continue to be exempt from paying nonresident tuition and other fees that are exclusively applicable to nonresident students. As used in this section, “continuously enrolled” means enrolled for at least the fall and spring semesters of an academic year, or for at least three of the quarters in an academic year for an institution using the quarter system.
(c)The attendance of a community college student who is exempt from paying nonresident tuition and other fees pursuant to this section may be reported by the community college district of attendance for apportionment purposes.