BILL ANALYSIS                                                                                                                                                                                                    Ó



                                                                  AB 649
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          Date of Hearing:   April 13, 2011

                        ASSEMBLY COMMITTEE ON APPROPRIATIONS
                                Felipe Fuentes, Chair

                    AB 649 (Harkey) - As Amended:  March 31, 2011 

          Policy Committee:                              Higher 
          EducationVote:9-0

          Urgency:     No                   State Mandated Local Program: 
          Yes    Reimbursable:              Yes

           SUMMARY  

          The bill expands the term of eligibility for priority 
          registration for classes-required to be provided at the 
          California State University (CSU) and the California Community 
          Colleges (CCC), and requested to be provided at the University 
          of California (UC)-to members or former members of the Armed 
          Forces from two years to five years after leaving active state 
          duty. 

          (The bill limits military registration priority to California 
          residents, whereas current law does not.)

           FISCAL EFFECT  

          Minor absorbable costs to UC, CSU, and the community colleges to 
          expand eligibility for priority registration. 

           COMMENTS  

           1)Purpose  . SB 272 (Runner)/Chapter 356 of 2007, provided 
            priority registration to members and former members of the 
            Armed Forces within two years of leaving active duty. The 
            author argues that two years is too limiting, as most veterans 
            need time "to transition back to civilian life as well as to 
            reevaluate their long term goals."

           2)Related Legislation  . SB 813 (Senate Veterans Affairs), pending 
            in Senate policy committee, expands the priority registration 
            from two to four years.

           3)Is This the Right Time  ?  The 2011-12 budget, as recently 








                                                                  AB 649
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            passed by the Legislature, includes $500 million in General 
            Fund reductions to both UC and CSU and a $400 million General 
            Fund (Prop 98) reduction to the community college-all 
            partially offset by increased tuition and fees. Moreover, even 
            these reduced funding levels may not be sustainable if 
            additional revenues assumed as part of the budget are not 
            realized. In response to these cuts, the segments all plan to 
            reduce enrollments and course offerings. Given these 
            constraints, which will impact almost all public postsecondary 
            students to some extent, is it appropriate at this time to 
            expand a benefit of priority course enrollment currently 
            provided to one group of students, even in light of the 
            state's desire to recognize their military service?

           Analysis Prepared by  :    Chuck Nicol / APPR. / (916) 319-2081