BILL ANALYSIS Ó
AB 13
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Date of Hearing: April 16, 2013
ASSEMBLY COMMITTEE ON VETERANS AFFAIRS
Al Muratsuchi, Chair
AB 13 (Chávez) - As Amended: March 11, 2013
SUBJECT : Nonresident tuition exemption: veterans
SUMMARY : This bill enables more veterans to pay resident
tuition rates at California colleges. Specifically, this bill :
1)Deletes the requirement that the student have been stationed
in California for a year prior to being discharged.
1)Substitutes for that requirement that the student must have
been discharged or released from active duty within the
immediately prior year.
2)Applies to California Community Colleges (CCC) and California
State Universities (CSU).
EXISTING LAW : Establishes uniform residency requirements for
purposes of ascertaining the amount of fees to be paid by
students at CSU and CCC and establishes various exceptions to
these residency requirements, including many for current and
former members of the Armed Forces (Education Code § 68074 and
68075). The University of California (UC), as a result of its
constitutional autonomy, establishes its tuition policies;
however, these policies traditionally mirror state policies.
Current law establishes the requirements for determining
residency for purposes of paying the lower-cost "in-state"
student fees at UC, CSU, and CCC. To qualify for the lower
resident fees, students are generally required to have resided
in California for more than one year immediately preceding the
residence determination date and undertake other specified
actions such as registering to vote or registering one's car in
California.
FISCAL EFFECT : Unknown at this time.
COMMENTS :
The bill makes it easier for those veteran students who wish to
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move immediately to California to go to school after leaving the
military. The difference between the resident and non-resident
tuition rates is significant:
Resident Non-resident
UC: $12,192 per year $35,070 per year
CSU: $5,472 per year $16,612 per year
CCC: $46 per unit $208 per unit
The Post 9/11 GI Bill will pay only the resident tuition amount.
Thus a student who was not stationed in California for the year
immediately prior to discharge who wishes to begin school right
away must either move here and wait a year to begin school to
obtain the non-resident rate or move here and pay the difference
between the non-resident rate and the resident rate. It seems
unlikely that students will choose the latter. Most GI Bill
students enter the California higher education at the community
college level. The cost for a non-resident community college
student is four and a half times higher than for a resident
student.
Federal legislation . Federal legislation has been introduced in
both the House and the Senate to require institutions that are
eligible for Post 9/11 G.I. Bill benefits to charge any veteran
the resident tuition rate.
Related legislation . AB 368 (Morell) is substantially similar
to this bill and a potential conflict exists. SB 290 (Knight),
pending in the Senate, is very similar to this bill. AB 2250
(Beth Gaines) of 2012, which died in the Assembly Appropriations
Committee, was substantially similar to this bill. AB 2478
(Hayashi), Chapter 405, Statutes of 2012, allowed a student
veteran to establish residency within two years, rather than one
year, of discharge. Several similar bills have been introduced
annually since 2006, and all were held in the Appropriations
committees.
REGISTERED SUPPORT / OPPOSITION :
Support
American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees,
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AFL-CIO
American Legion-Department of California
AMVETS-Department of California
California Association of County Veterans Service Officers
California Community College, Chancellor's Office
California State Commanders Veterans Council
Kern Community College District
Legion of Valor of the United States of America, Inc.
MiraCosta Community College District
San Diego Community College District
VFW-Department of California
Vietnam Veterans of America-California State Council
1 Individual
Marine Corps Installations West
Opposition
None on file.
Analysis Prepared by : John Spangler / V. A. / (916) 319-3550