Bill Text: CA AB3034 | 2023-2024 | Regular Session | Amended

California Assembly Bill 3034

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

Bill Title: Public postsecondary education: waiver of tuition and fees: California Conservation Corps.

Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 1-0)

Status: (Engrossed) 2024-06-06 - From committee chair, with author's amendments: Amend, and re-refer to committee. Read second time, amended, and re-referred to Com. on ED. [AB3034 Detail]

Download: California-2023-AB3034-Amended.html

Amended IN Assembly March 19, 2024

CALIFORNIA LEGISLATURE— 2023–2024 REGULAR SESSION

Assembly Bill

No. 3034

Introduced by Assembly Member Low

February 16, 2024

An act to ~~amend Section 66201 of the Education Code, relating to postsecondary education.~~ add Section 66025.5 to the Education Code, relating to public postsecondary education.

LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST

AB 3034, as amended, Low. ~~Postsecondary education: admissions.~~ Public postsecondary education: waiver of tuition and fees: California Conservation Corps.

Existing law establishes the California State University, under the administration of the Trustees of the California State University, and the University of California, under the administration of the Regents of the University of California, which are 2 of the segments of public postsecondary education in the state. The Donahoe Higher Education Act prohibits the campuses of those segments from charging mandatory systemwide tuition or fees to specified students who apply for a waiver, including a child of any veteran of the United States military who has a service-connected disability, has been killed in service, or has died of a service-connected disability, an undergraduate student who is a recipient of a Medal of Honor, or an undergraduate student who is a child of a recipient of a Medal of Honor and who is no more than 27 years of age, if certain requirements are satisfied. Provisions of the act apply to the University of California only to the extent that the Regents of the University of California act, by appropriate resolution, to make them applicable.
This bill would additionally prohibit the campuses of the California State University and the University of California from charging mandatory systemwide tuition or fees, as specified, for students who meet certain requirements, including having completed one year in the California Conservation Corps. The bill would apply to the campuses of the University of California only to the extent that the regents, by appropriate resolution, make it apply.
Existing law establishes the University of California, under the administration of the Regents of the University of California, the California State University, under the administration of the Trustees of the California State University, the California Community Colleges, under the administration of the Board of Governors of the California Community Colleges, independent institutions of higher education, and private postsecondary educational institutions as the segments of postsecondary education in this state.
Existing law expresses the intent of the Legislature that each resident of California who has the capacity and motivation to benefit from higher education should have the opportunity to enroll in an institution of higher education and to continue with that higher education, as provided.
~~This bill would make nonsubstantive changes in this statement of the intent of the Legislature.~~

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

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

SECTION 1.

Section 66025.5 is added to the Education Code, to read:

66025.5.
(a) As used in this section, “institution” means a campus of the California State University or the University of California.
(b) An institution shall not charge any mandatory systemwide tuition or fees, including enrollment fees, registration fees, differential fees, or incidental fees, to a student who meets all of the following requirements:
(1) Has completed at least one year of service in the California Conservation Corps.
(2) Maintains full-time enrollment in an undergraduate program at the institution.
(3) Maintains a minimum grade point average and meets other conditions necessary for the student to be in good standing at the institution, as determined by the appropriate public postsecondary segment.
(4) Maintains good behavioral standing at the institution, as determined by the appropriate public postsecondary segment.
(c) A student shall not have the student’s mandatory systemwide tuition or fees waived pursuant to this section in excess of the equivalent of two years of attendance in an undergraduate program at the institution that the student attends.
(d) A student who is eligible for a waiver of tuition or fees under this section may receive a waiver for each academic year during which the student applies for that waiver, but an eligible student may not receive a waiver of tuition or fees for a prior academic year.
(e) The waiver of tuition or fees under this section shall apply only to a student who is determined to be a resident of California pursuant to Chapter 1 (commencing with Section 68000) of Part 41.
(f) Consistent with Section 67400, this section shall apply to the University of California only to the extent that the Regents of the University of California, by appropriate resolution, make it apply.

SECTION 1.Section 66201 of the Education Code is amended to read:
66201.
(a)It is the intent of the Legislature that each resident of California who has the capacity and motivation to benefit from higher education should have the opportunity to enroll in an institution of higher education. Once enrolled, each individual should have the opportunity to continue as long and as far as their capacity and motivation, as indicated by academic performance and commitment to educational advancement, will lead them to meet academic standards and institutional requirements.
(b)The Legislature hereby reaffirms the commitment of the State of California to provide an appropriate place in California public higher education for every student who is willing and able to benefit from attendance.