Amended  IN  Assembly  April 09, 2018

CALIFORNIA LEGISLATURE— 2017–2018 REGULAR SESSION

Assembly Bill No. 3213

Introduced by Assembly Member Bonta

February 16, 2018

An act to add Section 66014.25 to the Education Code, relating to postsecondary education.


LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST


AB 3213, as amended, Bonta. Postsecondary education: cost of attendance: fiscal matters.
Under the Donahoe Higher Education Act, the segments of postsecondary education in this state are the University of California, the California State University, the California Community Colleges, independent institutions of higher education, and private postsecondary educational institutions. The act applies to the University of California only to the extent that the Regents of the University of California act by resolution to make it applicable. Existing law requires each campus of the California State University to, and requests each campus of the University of California to, post on its Internet Web site information about the market cost of a one-bedroom apartment in the areas surrounding that campus where its students commonly reside. Existing law requires each campus of the California State University to, and requests each campus of the University of California to, publicly provide labor market outcome information relating to the graduates of their undergraduate programs.
This bill would require the California State University and 4-year private postsecondary educational institutions and independent institutions of higher education to, and would request the University of California to, University, the University of California, and independent institutions of higher education to include at minimum, specified items, including tuition and fees, in a calculation of a full-time student’s cost of attendance at that institution.
The bill would require the California State University and 4-year private postsecondary educational institutions and independent institutions of higher education to, and would request the University of California to, among other things, University, the University of California, and independent institutions of higher education to disclose to a student in accurate and meaningful ways how they created their cost of attendance calculation. calculation and provide a student with the option of receiving financial aid disbursements once per month during the academic term.
Vote: MAJORITY   Appropriation: NO   Fiscal Committee: YES   Local Program: NO  

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


SECTION 1.

 This act shall be known and may be cited as the True Cost of Attendance Act.
True Cost of Attendance Act

SECTION 1.SEC. 2.

 Section 66014.25 is added to the Education Code, to read:

66014.25.
 (a) The California State University and four-year private postsecondary educational institutions, as defined in Section 94858, and independent institutions of higher education shall, and the University of California is requested to, include Notwithstanding Section 67400, the California State University, the University of California, and independent institutions of higher education shall include, at a minimum, the following items in a calculation of a full-time student’s cost of attendance at that institution:
(1) Tuition and fees.
(2) Allowance for books and supplies.
(3) Room and board, including the cost of on-campus housing and off-campus housing, based on the average cost of housing of the community immediately surrounding the institution, adjusted annually to reflect the changes in cost of living.
(4) Transportation, including the cost of airfare, trainfare, or busfare, for at least two annual round trip tickets, for students at least 100 miles away from home.
(5) Technology and connectivity, including the cost of one laptop computer and any necessary program software.
(6) Extracurricular activities Extracurricular activities, including the cost to participate in sports, clubs, and other recognized student organizations.
(7) Health care costs equivalent to at least the cost of student-insurance plan offered by the institution.

(8)Dependent care costs.

(b)  The California State University and a four-year private postsecondary educational institution shall, and the University of California is requested to, Notwithstanding Section 67400, the California State University, the University of California, and independent institutions of higher education shall do all of the following:
(1) Disclose to a student in accurate and meaningful ways how they created their cost of attendance estimates required pursuant to subdivision (a).

(2)(A)Provide regular updates to a student regarding how much the student has borrowed, the student’s estimated monthly payments after graduation, and how close the student is to aggregate borrowing limits.

(B)Information regarding aggregate borrowing limits shall also include an estimate of average earnings for a student in a particular major following graduation and the various options the student has for repayment.

(3)

(2) Provide a student with the option of receiving financial aid disbursements every other week or every month. once per month during the academic term.