BILL ANALYSIS Ó
AB 2133
Page 1
Date of Hearing: March 27, 2012
ASSEMBLY COMMITTEE ON HIGHER EDUCATION
Marty Block, Chair
AB 2133 (Blumenfield) - As Amended: March 21, 2012
SUBJECT : Veterans: priority registration.
SUMMARY : Requires the California State University (CSU) and
California Community Colleges (CCC), and requests the University
of California (UC), to grant priority registration for
enrollment for student veterans within 15 years of discharge.
Specifically, this bill :
1)Titles this section the Combat to College Act of 2012.
2)Increases the amount of time for which a student veteran may
receive priority registration for enrollment at CSU and CCC
from four years to 15 years after discharge from the military.
3)Clarifies that existing law granting priority registration for
enrollment for student veterans at CSU and CCC applies to all
degree and certificate programs offered by the institution.
4)Requests UC comply with these provisions.
5)Creates a reimbursable state mandate if so determined by the
Commission on State Mandates.
EXISTING LAW requires CSU and CCC, and requests UC, to grant
priority registration for enrollment to a member or former
member of the Armed Forces, as defined, who is a resident of
California and who has received an honorable discharge, a
general discharge, or an other than honorable discharge for any
academic term within four years of leaving state or federal
active duty, provided the campus administers priority
enrollment. (Education Code § 66025.8)
FISCAL EFFECT : Unknown
COMMENTS : This bill is double-referred to the Assembly
Veterans Affairs Committee.
Background . As the withdrawal from Iraq nears completion and
the withdrawal from Afghanistan expected over the next two to
AB 2133
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five years, service members are returning home in significant
numbers. In California, an approximate 30,000 troops annually
are leaving service and returning home, and many are pursuing
education. Student veteran enrollment has increased at UC, CSU
and CCC in recent years: CCC enrolls 44,000 students who
utilize some form of veteran tuition/fee benefit, while CSU
enrolls 6,540 and UC enrolls 949 students who are using GI
benefits.
Recent hearing on student veteran issues . To prepare for the
influx of veterans, on February 28, 2012, the Assembly Higher
Education and Assembly Veterans Affairs Committees held a joint
oversight hearing on the challenges facing California student
veterans. Several students and representatives from the higher
education institutions spoke for the need for more resources for
veterans services, including more transition assistance,
improving outreach and campus-based programs, and easing the
matriculation of prior military learning.
Need for the bill . According to the author, the existing
priority enrollment of four years is not enough time because it
does not mirror the timeline that veterans have to use their GI
Bill benefits and because many veterans are not ready to pursue
higher education within four years of separation from the
military due to brain injuries, trauma, or life circumstances.
Value of priority registration enrollment . Priority
registration enrollment decisions are made at the campus level
at each segment. This process allows specified students access
to classes ahead of the general student population. As state
support for higher education has decreased while enrollments
have increased at the three segments, classes have become
increasingly impacted-unable to accommodate all students who
enroll in the course. Thus, students who have priority
registration enrollment status have a significant advantage over
other students, particularly at CCC. In general, the systems
provide priority enrollment for students with disabilities,
participants in Educational Opportunity Program Students, and
continuing students nearing their education goals.
Other priority registration efforts . After a year of study and
research, this January the CCC Student Success Task Force
(created by SB 1143, Liu, Chapter 409, Statutes of 2010), issued
a report with 22 recommendations to improve CCC students'
success in completing their certificates, degrees and
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educational goals. The report identifies core priorities-basic
math and English instruction, transfer preparation, career
technical training and degree attainment-and refocusing policies
and future investments to support these priorities. A key
recommendation is to give priority to returning and first-time
students who have taken a diagnostic assessment, participated in
orientation and have developed an educational plan. All
students will need to identify a program of study within three
semesters or they will lose their priority.
Priority registration for all degree programs . It is staff's
understanding that existing law and practice provide priority
enrollment for veterans and active duty military regardless of
the course or degree program.
Related legislation . SB 813 (Committee on Veterans Affairs),
Chapter 375, Statutes of 2010, extended priority enrollment for
veterans from two to four years. AB 194 (Beall), Chapter 458,
Statutes of 2010, granted priority enrollment for five years to
foster youth. SB 272 (Runner), Chapter 356, Statutes of 2007,
as chaptered, established priority registration for two years
for members of the military.
REGISTERED SUPPORT / OPPOSITION :
Support
Board of Governors of the California Community Colleges
National Association of Social Workers
Opposition
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Analysis Prepared by : Sandra Fried / HIGHER ED. / (916)
319-3960