Bill Text: CA SB1082 | 2019-2020 | Regular Session | Introduced
Bill Title: Student nutrition: eligibility for CalFresh benefits.
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 1-0)
Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2020-03-18 - March 25 hearing postponed by committee. [SB1082 Detail]
Download: California-2019-SB1082-Introduced.html
CALIFORNIA LEGISLATURE—
2019–2020 REGULAR SESSION
Senate Bill
No. 1082
| Introduced by Senator Dodd |
February 19, 2020 |
An act to amend Sections 69519.3 and 76300 of the Education Code, relating to student nutrition.
LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST
SB 1082, as introduced, Dodd.
Student nutrition: eligibility for CalFresh benefits.
(1) Existing federal law provides for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), known in California as CalFresh, formerly the Food Stamp Program, under which supplemental nutrition assistance benefits allocated to the state by the federal government are distributed to eligible individuals by each county. Under existing law, households are eligible to receive CalFresh benefits to the extent permitted by federal law. Existing federal law provides that students who are enrolled in college or other institutions of higher education at least half time are not eligible for SNAP benefits unless they meet one of several specified exemptions, including participating in specified employment training programs.
Existing state law provides that, for the purposes of determining eligibility, certain postsecondary educational
programs, as determined by the State Department of Social Services, are considered employment training programs, thereby qualifying a student participating in one of those programs for an exemption, unless prohibited by federal law. Existing law expresses legislative intent to clarify educational policies for purposes of improving access for low-income students to the CalFresh program. Existing law also requires the Student Aid Commission to provide written notice to recipients of Cal Grant awards who qualify for participation in the CalFresh program under the federal regulation.
This bill would additionally require the commission, to the extent that it possesses pertinent information, to provide written notice to students who qualify for a waiver of the community college enrollment fee that they qualify, or may qualify, for benefits under the CalFresh program. The bill would also require the commission to confer with legislative staff and advocates for students and
for the CalFresh program on at least a quarterly basis to implement this provision and to continuously improve the process of securing CalFresh benefits for eligible students.
(2) Existing law establishes the California Community Colleges, under the administration of the Board of Governors of the California Community Colleges, as one of the segments of public postsecondary education in this state. Existing law requires community college districts to charge students an enrollment fee of $46 per unit per semester, but provides that students meeting certain requirements qualify for a waiver of this fee.
This bill would require the board of governors to adopt regulations so that a student who qualifies for this fee waiver, and whose household income is below 200% of the federal poverty level, may also qualify for CalFresh benefits to the maximum extent permitted by federal law.
To the extent that this provision would impose new duties on community college districts to administer new regulations regarding waiver of the enrollment fee, it would constitute a state-mandated local program.
(3) The bill would express the intent of the Legislature to enact legislation, through the annual Budget Act or another measure, to provide allocations to community college districts to provide incentives for their students to apply for, and receive, benefits under the CalFresh program.
(4) 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.
Digest Key
Vote: MAJORITY Appropriation: NO Fiscal Committee: YES Local Program: YESBill Text
The people of the State of California do enact as follows:
SECTION 1.
Section 69519.3 of the Education Code is amended to read:69519.3.
(a) It is the intent of the Legislature to clarify educational policies for purposes of improving access for low-income students to the CalFresh program established pursuant to Chapter 10 (commencing with Section 18900) of Part 6 of Division 9 of the Welfare and Institutions Code.(b) For purposes of Section 273.5(a) of Title 7 of the Code of Federal Regulations, a student shall be determined to be attending at least half-time any semester or term in which he or she the student enrolls in at least half
one-half of the number of credits needed each semester or term to graduate within four years of enrollment as a first-time freshman, or within two years of enrollment as a transfer student, unless prohibited by federal law.
(c) (1) The commission shall notify, in writing, any a recipient of a Cal Grant award whose grant includes any amount of funding that has been derived from the Temporary Aid to Needy Families (TANF) block grant or state match in order for the student to verify that he or she
the student qualifies for the exemption from the CalFresh program student eligibility rules provided for in Section 273.5(b) of Title 7 of the Code of Federal Regulations.
To the extent that the commission possesses pertinent information, the commission shall also notify students that they may be eligible for CalFresh benefits under another exemption to the prohibition on CalFresh benefits to students. This notification shall be considered verification that the student is receiving the benefit specified in the notice for purposes of the CalFresh program.
(2) The commission shall not be required to provide more than one written notification under this subdivision to a student who is eligible for notification under paragraph (1).
(3) The commission shall confer with legislative staff and advocates for students and for the CalFresh program on at least a quarterly basis to implement this subdivision and continuously improve the
process of securing CalFresh benefits for eligible students.
SEC. 2.
Section 76300 of the Education Code is amended to read:76300.
(a) The governing board of each community college district shall charge each student a fee pursuant to this section.(b) (1) The fee prescribed by this section shall be forty-six dollars ($46) per unit per semester, effective with the summer term of the 2012 calendar year.
(2) The board of governors shall proportionately adjust the amount of the fee for term lengths based upon a quarter system, and also shall proportionately adjust the amount of the fee for summer sessions, intersessions, and other short-term courses. In making these adjustments, the board of governors may round the per unit fee and the per term or per session fee to the nearest dollar.
(c) For the purposes of computing apportionments to community college districts pursuant to Section 84750.4 or 84750.5, as applicable, the board of governors shall subtract, from the total revenue owed to each district, 98 percent of the revenues received by districts from charging a fee pursuant to this section.
(d) The board of governors shall reduce apportionments by up to 10 percent to any district that does not collect the fees prescribed by this section.
(e) The fee requirement does not apply to any of the following:
(1) Students enrolled in the noncredit courses designated by Section 84757.
(2) California State University or University of California students enrolled in remedial
classes provided by a community college district on a campus of the University of California or a campus of the California State University, for whom the district claims an attendance apportionment pursuant to an agreement between the district and the California State University or the University of California.
(3) Students enrolled in credit contract education courses pursuant to Section 78021, if the entire cost of the course, including administrative costs, is paid by the public or private agency, corporation, or association with which the district is contracting and if these students are not included in the calculation of the full-time equivalent students (FTES) of that district.
(f) The governing board of a community college district may exempt special part-time students admitted pursuant to Section 76001 from the fee requirement.
(g) (1) The fee requirements of this section shall be waived for any student who meets all of the following requirements:
(A) Meets minimum academic and progress standards adopted by the board of governors, which fulfill the requirements outlined in this paragraph and paragraphs (2) to (5), inclusive. Any minimum academic and progress standards adopted pursuant to this section shall be uniform across all community college districts and campuses. These standards shall not include a maximum unit cap, and community college districts and colleges shall not impose requirements for fee waiver eligibility other than the minimum academic and progress standards adopted by the board of governors and the requirements of subparagraph (B).
(B) Meets one of the following criteria:
(i) At the time of enrollment, is a recipient of benefits under the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families program, the Supplemental Security Income/State Supplementary Payment Program, or a general assistance program.
(ii) Demonstrates eligibility according to income standards established by regulations of the board of governors.
(iii) Demonstrates financial need in accordance with the methodology set forth in federal law or regulation for determining the expected family contribution of students seeking financial aid.
(iv) At the time of enrollment, is a homeless youth or a former homeless youth as defined in subdivision (b) of Section 66025.9.
(2) (A) The board of
governors, in consultation with students, faculty, and other key stakeholders, shall consider all of the following in the development and adoption of minimum academic and progress standards pursuant to subparagraph (A) of paragraph (1):
(i) Minimum uniform academic and progress standards that do not unfairly disadvantage financially needy students in pursuing their education.
(ii) Criteria for reviewing extenuating circumstances and granting appeals that, at a minimum, take into account and do not penalize a student for circumstances outside the student’s control, such as reductions in student support services or changes to the economic situation of the student.
(iii) A process for reestablishing fee waiver eligibility that provides a student with a reasonable opportunity to continue or resume the student’s
enrollment at a community college.
(B) To ensure that students are not unfairly impacted by the requirements of subparagraph (A) of paragraph (1), the board of governors shall establish a reasonable implementation period that commences no sooner than one year from adoption of the minimum academic and progress standards, or any subsequent changes to these standards, pursuant to subparagraph (A) of paragraph (1) and that is phased in to provide students adequate notification of this requirement and information about available support resources.
(3) It is the intent of the Legislature that minimum academic and progress standards adopted pursuant to subparagraph (A) of paragraph (1) be implemented only as campuses develop and implement the student support services and interventions necessary to ensure no disproportionate impact to students based on ethnicity, gender, disability, or
socioeconomic status. The board of governors shall consider the ability of community college districts to meet the requirements of this paragraph before adopting minimum academic and progress standards, or any subsequent changes to these standards, pursuant to subparagraph (A) of paragraph (1).
(4) It is the intent of the Legislature to ensure that a student shall not lose fee waiver eligibility without a community college campus first demonstrating a reasonable effort to provide a student with adequate notification and assistance in maintaining the student’s fee waiver eligibility. The board of governors shall adopt regulations to implement this paragraph that ensure all of the following:
(A) Students are provided information about the available student support services to assist them in maintaining fee waiver eligibility.
(B) Community college district policies and course catalogs reflect the minimum academic and progress standards adopted pursuant to subparagraph (A) of paragraph (1) and that appropriate notice is provided to students before the policies are put into effect.
(C) A student does not lose fee waiver eligibility unless the student has not met minimum academic and progress standards adopted pursuant to subparagraph (A) of paragraph (1) for a period of no less than two consecutive academic terms.
(5) The board of governors shall provide notification of a proposed action to adopt regulations pursuant to this subdivision to the appropriate policy and fiscal committees of the Legislature in accordance with the requirements of paragraph (1) of subdivision (a) of Section 70901.5. This notification shall include, but not be limited
to, all of the following:
(A) The proposed minimum academic and progress standards and information detailing how the requirements of paragraphs (1) to (4), inclusive, have been or will be satisfied.
(B) How many students may lose fee waiver eligibility by ethnicity, gender, disability, and, to the extent relevant data is available, by socioeconomic status.
(C) The criteria for reviewing extenuating circumstances, granting appeals, and reestablishing fee waiver eligibility pursuant to paragraph (2).
(6) The board of governors shall adopt regulations so that a student who qualifies for a fee waiver under this subdivision, and whose household income is below 200 percent of
the federal poverty level, may also qualify for CalFresh benefits to the maximum extent permitted by federal law.
(h) The fee requirements of this section shall be waived for any student who, at the time of enrollment, is a dependent or surviving spouse who has not remarried, of any member of the California National Guard who, in the line of duty and while in the active service of the state, was killed, died of a disability resulting from an event that occurred while in the active service of the state, or is permanently disabled as a result of an event that occurred while in the active service of the state. “Active service of the state,” for the purposes of this subdivision, refers to a member of the California National Guard activated pursuant to Section 146 of the Military and Veterans Code.
(i) The fee requirements of this section shall be waived for
any student who is the surviving spouse or the child, natural or adopted, of a deceased person who met all of the requirements of Section 68120.
(j) The fee requirements of this section shall be waived for any student in an undergraduate program, including a student who has previously graduated from another undergraduate or graduate program, who is the dependent of any individual killed in the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks on the World Trade Center and the Pentagon or the crash of United Airlines Flight 93 in southwestern Pennsylvania, if that dependent meets the financial need requirements set forth in Section 69432.7 for the Cal Grant A Program and either of the following applies:
(1) The dependent was a resident of California on September 11, 2001.
(2) The individual killed in the attacks was a resident of
California on September 11, 2001.
(k) A determination of whether a person is a resident of California on September 11, 2001, for purposes of subdivision (j) shall be based on the criteria set forth in Chapter 1 (commencing with Section 68000) of Part 41 of Division 5 for determining nonresident and resident tuition.
(l) (1) “Dependent,” for purposes of subdivision (j), is a person who, because of the person’s relationship to an individual killed as a result of injuries sustained during the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001, qualifies for compensation under the federal September 11th Victim Compensation Fund of 2001 (Title IV (commencing with Section 401) of Public Law 107-42).
(2) A dependent who is the surviving spouse of an individual killed in the terrorist attacks of September 11,
2001, is entitled to the waivers provided in this section until January 1, 2013.
(3) A dependent who is the surviving child, natural or adopted, of an individual killed in the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001, is entitled to the waivers under subdivision (j) until that person attains 30 years of age.
(4) A dependent of an individual killed in the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001, who is determined to be eligible by the California Victim Compensation Board, is also entitled to the waivers provided in this section until January 1, 2013.
(m) (1) It is the intent of the Legislature that sufficient funds be provided to support the provision of a fee waiver for every student who demonstrates eligibility pursuant to subdivisions (g) to (j), inclusive.
(2) From funds provided in the annual Budget Act, the board of governors shall allocate to community college districts, pursuant to this subdivision, an amount equal to 2 percent of the fees waived pursuant to subdivisions (g) to (j), inclusive. From funds provided in the annual Budget Act, the board of governors shall allocate to community college districts, pursuant to this subdivision, an amount equal to ninety-one cents ($0.91) per credit unit waived pursuant to subdivisions (g) to (j), inclusive. It is the intent of the Legislature that funds provided pursuant to this subdivision be used to support the determination of financial need and delivery of student financial aid services, on the basis of the number of students for whom fees are waived. It also is the intent of the Legislature that the funds provided pursuant to this subdivision directly offset mandated costs claimed by community college districts pursuant to Commission on State
Mandates consolidated Test Claims 99-TC-13 (Enrollment Fee Collection) and 00-TC-15 (Enrollment Fee Waivers). Funds allocated to a community college district for determination of financial need and delivery of student financial aid services shall supplement, and shall not supplant, the level of funds allocated for the administration of student financial aid programs during the 1992–93 fiscal year.
(n) The board of governors shall adopt regulations implementing this section.
