BILL ANALYSIS Ó
AB 176
Page 1
CONCURRENCE IN SENATE AMENDMENTS
AB 176 (Lara)
As Amended June 15, 2011
Majority Vote
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|ASSEMBLY: |58-2 |(April 14, |SENATE: |25-11|(June 16, |
| | |2011) | | |2011) |
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Original Committee Reference: HIGHER ED.
SUMMARY : Requires a test sponsor to provide alternative methods
to verify a test subject's identity for those test subjects who
are unable to provide the required identification for purposes
of admitting a test subject to take a standardized test
administered by the sponsor and allows a test sponsor to require
test subjects to obtain approval in advance of the test deadline
in order to be admitted to the test with an alternate form of
identification.
The Senate amendments :
1)Require a test sponsor to clearly post on their Web site
contact information for a test subject unable to provide the
required identification and who need further assistance.
2)Specify that test sponsors may require test subjects to obtain
approval from the test sponsor for alternative identification
in advance of the test registration deadline.
EXISTING LAW :
1)Establishes various requirements and procedures for test
sponsors to follow in administering standardized tests for
admission to, or placement in, postsecondary educational
institutions and programs and subjects any test sponsor who
violates the requirements or procedures of administering
standardized tests to a civil penalty of up to $750 per
violation.
2)Exempts specified nonresident students of California from
paying nonresident tuition at the California State University
(CSU) and the California Community Colleges (CCC) under the
provisions of AB 540 (Firebaugh), Chapter 814, Statutes of
AB 176
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2001. The University of California (UC), by resolution,
complies with existing law established by AB 540.
AS PASSED BY THE ASSEMBLY , this bill was substantially similar
to this version.
FISCAL EFFECT : This bill has been keyed non-fiscal by
Legislative Counsel.
COMMENTS : AB 540 was enacted in part to address circumstances
when a student, who was brought to the United States (U.S.) as a
child by his or her parents, was deemed a nonresident for
tuition purposes when attending UC, CSU, or CCC. Often, these
students were unaware that they were not legal U.S. residents,
having spent most of their lives in this country. AB 540
provides access to in-state tuition based on high school
attendance and other factors rather than legal status,
recognizing that the state and its economy benefits from the
educational successes of these students. According to the
author, undocumented students attempting to take standardized
tests to enter postsecondary education graduate programs often
find that they cannot meet the identification requirements of
test sponsors. This bill would require test sponsors to
establish an alternative ID verification process that ensures
undocumented students who wish to pursue graduate school the
opportunity to take the tests required for admittance into these
programs.
Analysis Prepared by : Laura Metune / HIGHER ED. / (916)
319-3960
FN:
0001307