BILL ANALYSIS Ó
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THIRD READING
Bill No: AB 636
Author: Knight (R), et al.
Amended: 7/12/11 in Senate
Vote: 21
SENATE EDUCATION COMMITTEE : 10-0, 7/6/11
AYES: Lowenthal, Runner, Alquist, Blakeslee, Hancock,
Huff, Liu, Price, Simitian, Vargas
NO VOTE RECORDED: Vacancy
SENATE VETERANS AFFAIRS COMMITTEE : 7-0, 6/14/11
AYES: Correa, Cannella, Berryhill, Negrete McLeod, Rubio,
Runner, Lieu
NO VOTE RECORDED: Calderon
SENATE APPROPRIATIONS COMMITTEE : 8-0, 8/15/11
AYES: Kehoe, Walters, Alquist, Emmerson, Lieu, Pavley,
Price, Steinberg
NO VOTE RECORDED: Runner
ASSEMBLY FLOOR : 78-0, 06/01/11 - See last page for vote
SUBJECT : Military service: benefits
SOURCE : Author
DIGEST : This bill revises the conditions of tuition and
fee refund for a student who withdraws from an academic
institution due to active military service.
CONTINUED
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ANALYSIS :
Existing Law :
1. Provides certain protections for members of the National
Guard ordered into active state service by the Governor
or active federal service by the President of the United
States for emergency purposes, and for reservists called
to active duty, as specified.
2. Requires academic institutions to grant a student a
military leave of absence, and at the student's
election, credit the student's tuition and fee charges
toward a subsequent academic term, or grant a refund of
tuition and fees paid by the student for the academic
term.
3. States that to receive a credit or refund, the student
must withdraw from the institution by a specified date.
This bill requires the higher education institution to
provide, at the student's election, a refund of tuition and
fees paid for the academic term in which the student is
required to report for military service, regardless of the
institution's withdraw date, and removes the provisions
granting a credit option to the withdrawing student.
Background
The California Military Families Financial Relief Act of
2005, which protects college students called to active duty
from tuition loss by requiring institutions to either (1)
credit 100 percent of the tuition and fees toward a
subsequent academic year or (2) provide a full refund of
the tuition and fees if the student withdraws before the
withdraw date established by the institution. This law was
expanded to include members of the National Guard SB 1075
(Correa), Chapter 284, Statutes of 2010.
Requires the California State University and the California
Community Colleges, and requests the University of
California, to establish, and update as necessary, a
written policy concerning students who are called to active
military service, as specified, and to refund fees to
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students who are called to active military service.
Prior Legislation
SB 1075 (Correa), Chapter 284, Statutes of 2010, requires
academic institutions to reasonably accommodate and assist
students who are called to active military duty so they can
meet any and all coursework requirements missed due to
military service.
FISCAL EFFECT : Appropriation: No Fiscal Com.: Yes
Local: No
According to the Senate Appropriations Committee:
Fiscal Impact (in thousands)
Major Provisions 2011-12 2012-13
2013-14 Fund
Tuition refund:
CSU ---Unknown, not significant---
General
Community Colleges---likely less than $15 annually--
General*
*Costs count toward meeting the Prop. 98 goals.
SUPPORT : (Verified 8/16/11)
American Legion-Department of California
AMVETS-Department of California
California Community College Chancellors Office
California Community College League
California Federation of Teachers
California State Commanders Veterans Council
ASSEMBLY FLOOR :
AYES: Achadjian, Alejo, Allen, Ammiano, Atkins, Beall, Bill
Berryhill, Block, Blumenfield, Bonilla, Bradford,
Brownley, Buchanan, Butler, Charles Calderon, Campos,
Carter, Cedillo, Chesbro, Conway, Cook, Davis, Dickinson,
Donnelly, Eng, Feuer, Fletcher, Fong, Fuentes, Furutani,
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Beth Gaines, Galgiani, Garrick, Gatto, Gordon, Grove,
Hagman, Halderman, Hall, Harkey, Hayashi, Roger
Hernández, Hill, Huber, Hueso, Huffman, Jeffries, Jones,
Knight, Lara, Logue, Bonnie Lowenthal, Ma, Mansoor,
Mendoza, Miller, Mitchell, Monning, Morrell, Nestande,
Nielsen, Norby, Olsen, Pan, Perea, Portantino, Silva,
Skinner, Smyth, Solorio, Swanson, Torres, Valadao,
Wagner, Wieckowski, Williams, Yamada, John A. Pérez
NO VOTE RECORDED: Gorell, V. Manuel Pérez
RM:do 8/16/11 Senate Floor Analyses
SUPPORT/OPPOSITION: SEE ABOVE
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