BILL NUMBER: AB 1093 INTRODUCED
BILL TEXT
INTRODUCED BY Assembly Member Davis
FEBRUARY 18, 2011
An act to amend Sections 69785 and 69786 of, and to amend the
heading of Article 14 (commencing with Section 69785) of Chapter 2 of
Part 42 of Division 5 of Title 3 of, the Education Code, relating to
public postsecondary education.
LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST
AB 1093, as introduced, Davis. Student financial aid: Military and
Veterans Benefits Offices.
(1) Under existing law, the segments of the public higher
education system in the state include the University of California,
which is administered by the Regents of the University of California,
the California State University, which is administered by the
Trustees of the California State University, and the California
Community Colleges, which is administered by the Board of Governors
of the California Community Colleges.
Existing law authorizes the California Community Colleges and the
California State University, and encourages the University of
California, to coordinate services for qualified students who are
veterans or members of the military by clearly designating Military
and Veterans Offices and individuals to provide specified services.
This bill would instead require the California Community Colleges
and the California State University, and encourage the University of
California, to establish on each of its respective campuses a
Military and Veterans Benefits Office and appoint a full-time
Military and Veterans Benefits Advisor for each office to assist a
qualified student in determining that student's eligibility for state
or federal educational benefits or grants.
(2) Existing law authorizes the California Community Colleges and
the California State University, and encourages the University of
California, to report to the Department of Veterans Affairs, on an
annual basis, specified information.
This bill would instead require the California Community Colleges
and the California State University to report that information.
(3) By requiring community college districts to establish a
Military and Veterans Benefits Office on each campus, the bill would
impose a state-mandated local program.
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 these
statutory provisions.
Vote: majority. Appropriation: no. Fiscal committee: yes.
State-mandated local program: yes.
THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:
SECTION 1. The heading of Article 14 (commencing with Section
69785) of Chapter 2 of Part 42 of Division 5 of Title 3 of the
Education Code is amended to read:
Article 14. Military and Veterans Benefits Offices
SEC. 2. Section 69785 of the Education Code is amended to read:
69785. (a) The California Community Colleges and the California
State University may shall , and the
University of California is encouraged to, coordinate
services for qualified students who are veterans or members of the
military by clearly designating establish on each of
its respective campuses a Military and Veterans
Offices and individuals to provide services, including, but not
limited to, all of the following: Benefits Office and
appoint a full-time Military and Veterans Benefits Advisor for each
office.
(1) Financial aid counseling.
(2) Academic outreach, admission, and enrollment planning.
(3) Transition concerns.
(4) Postgraduate planning.
(5) Health and mental health services.
(6) Provide tutoring and other learning support services.
(7) Provide career counseling.
(b) The purpose of these the
Military and Veterans Offices Benefits Office
shall be to encourage and facilitate the use of the
services listed in paragraphs (1) to (7), inclusive, of subdivision
(a) and to assist a qualified student in determining that
student's eligibility for state or federal educational
financial aid benefits or grants .
(c) For purposes of this article, "qualified student" means a
student who is any of the following:
(1) An active duty member of any of the following:
(A) The Armed Forces of the United States.
(B) The California National Guard.
(C) A reserve component of the Armed Forces of the United States.
(2) A veteran of the Armed Forces of the United States.
(3) A family member of a person described in paragraph (1) or (2).
For the purposes of this paragraph, "family member" means an
individual who is a legal dependent under 28 years of age of a person
described in paragraph (1) or (2) living in the household of that
person and eligible to be claimed as a dependent on federal or state
tax returns.
SEC. 3. Section 69786 of the Education Code is amended to read:
69786. The California Community Colleges and the California State
University may shall , and the
University of California is encouraged to, report to the Department
of Veterans Affairs, on an annual basis, all of the following
information:
(a) The number of qualified students assisted by a Military and
Veterans Benefits Office.
(b) The number of qualified students assisted who are active duty
members of the Armed Forces of the United States, the California
National Guard, or a reserve component of the Armed Forces of the
United States, or are veterans of the Armed Forces of the United
States.
(c) The total education benefits obtained by all qualified
students assisted by an office a Military and
Veterans Benefits Office .
SEC. 4. If the Commission on State Mandates determines that this
act contains costs mandated by the state, reimbursement to local
agencies and school districts for those costs shall be made pursuant
to Part 7 (commencing with Section 17500) of Division 4 of Title 2 of
the Government Code.