BILL ANALYSIS Ó
AB 2133
Page 1
CONCURRENCE IN SENATE AMENDMENTS
AB 2133 (Blumenfield and Silva)
As Amended August 6, 2012
Majority vote
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|ASSEMBLY: |75-0 |(May 17, 2012) |SENATE: |36-0 |(August 9, |
| | | | | |2012) |
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Original Committee Reference: HIGHER ED.
SUMMARY : Allows a former member of the Armed Forces of the
United States to use his or her four years of priority
registration enrollment at the California State University (CSU)
and the California Community Colleges (CCC) within 15 years of
leaving active duty. Specifically, this bill :
1)Allows a former member of the Armed Forces of the United
States, as defined, to use his or her four years of priority
registration enrollment at CSU and CCC within 15 years of
leaving active duty.
2)Requires veterans who are CCC students to meet existing
matriculation requirements, i.e., declaring a specific
educational objective within a reasonable period of time, in
order to receive priority for registration.
3)Requires that priority registration provided pursuant to this
measure shall apply to enrollment for all degree and
certificate programs offered by the institution after the
military or veteran status of the student has been verified by
the institution he or she attends.
4)Requests that the University of California (UC) comply with
this measure.
The Senate amendments :
1)Limit the amount of time a qualifying student veteran can
receive priority registration enrollment at CSU and CCC from
15 to four years, consistent with current law.
2)Authorize a qualifying student veteran to use his or her four
years of priority registration enrollment for a period of 15
AB 2133
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years upon leaving active duty after the institution has
verified the student's veteran status.
AS PASSED BY THE ASSEMBLY , this bill was broader, allowing
qualifying student veterans to receive priority registration
enrollment registration for 15 years.
FISCAL EFFECT : According to the Senate Appropriations
Committee, pursuant to Senate Rule 28.8, negligible state costs.
COMMENTS : According to the U.S. Department of Veteran Affairs,
the Post 9/11 GI Bill education benefit program generally pays a
total of 36 months of benefits for up to 15 years following
active duty. Existing state law authorizes qualifying student
veterans to receive priority registration enrollment for four
years at CSU and CCC. This bill seeks to provide qualifying
students the opportunity to use their priority registration
enrollment whenever they access their GI Bill benefits.
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.
Analysis prepared by : Sandra Fried / HIGHER ED. / (916)
319-3960
FN: 0004626