BILL NUMBER: AB 1899	INTRODUCED
	BILL TEXT


INTRODUCED BY   Assembly Member Mitchell

                        FEBRUARY 22, 2012

   An act to add Sections 68122 and 69504.5 to the Education Code,
relating to postsecondary education.


	LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST


   AB 1899, as introduced, Mitchell. Nonresident tuition exemption
and financial aid eligibility: crime victims.
   Existing law, the Donahoe Higher Education Act, sets forth the
missions and functions of the public and independent institutions of
higher education. The provisions of the Donahoe Higher Education Act
apply to the University of California only to the extent that the
Regents of the University of California, by appropriate resolution,
make them applicable. Existing law exempts specified students from
paying nonresident tuition at the California State University and the
California Community Colleges and establishes financial aid programs
for students, as specified.
   This bill would require students who are victims of trafficking,
domestic violence, and other serious crimes, as defined, to be exempt
from paying nonresident tuition at the California State University
and the California Community Colleges, and to be eligible to apply
for, and participate in, all student financial aid programs and
scholarships administered by a public postsecondary educational
institution or the State of California, to the same extent as
individuals who are admitted to the United States as refugees under
specified federal law. The bill would request the University of
California to adopt policies that are consistent with the provisions
of the bill.
   To the extent the bill would place additional requirements on
community college districts to exempt those students from nonresident
tuition, and administer financial aid programs and scholarships to
those students, 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.  Section 68122 is added to the Education Code, to read:
   68122.  (a) Notwithstanding any other law, students who are
victims of trafficking, domestic violence, and other serious crimes,
as defined in subdivision (b) of Section 18945 of the Welfare and
Institutions Code, shall be exempt from paying nonresident tuition at
the California State University and the California Community
Colleges to the same extent as individuals who are admitted to the
United States as refugees under Section 1157 of Title 8 of the United
States Code.
   (b) The University of California is requested to adopt policies
that are consistent with this section.
  SEC. 2.  Section 69504.5 is added to the Education Code, to read:
   69504.5.  (a) Notwithstanding any other law, students who are
victims of trafficking, domestic violence, and other serious crimes,
as defined in subdivision (b) of Section 18945 of the Welfare and
Institutions Code, shall be eligible to apply for, and participate
in, all student financial aid programs and scholarships administered
by a public postsecondary educational institution or the State of
California to the same extent as individuals who are admitted to the
United States as refugees under Section 1157 of Title 8 of the United
States Code.
   (b) The University of California is requested to adopt policies
that are consistent with this section.
  SEC. 3.  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.