Amended in Assembly April 2, 2013

California Legislature—2013–14 Regular Session

Assembly Bill No. 409

Introduced by Assembly Member Quirk-Silva

February 15, 2013

An act to add Section 69785.5 to the Education Code, relating to student veterans.

LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL’S DIGEST

AB 409, as amended, Quirk-Silva. Student veterans: services.

(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 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.

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This bill would require the California Community Colleges and the California State University to convene, and would encourage the University of California to participate in, a task force to develop a report relating to student veterans’ transition to postsecondary education, as specified. The bill would also require the California Community Colleges and the California State University to complete the report on or before January 10, 2015, and to provide a copy to the Governor and the Legislature on or before that date.

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This bill would encourage the California Community Colleges, the California State University, and the University of California to offer on campus counseling services for student veterans by utilizing the resources of existing campus military and veterans offices. The bill would require the California Community Colleges and the California State University, and encourage the University of California, to adopt an online course, for one unit of credit, for student veterans to ease their transition to college and assist them in understanding the effects of postwar stress, post-traumatic stress disorder, and traumatic brain injuries.

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To the extent this bill would impose new duties on community college districts, it would constitute a state-mandated local program.

(2) 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:

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begin insert SECTION 1. end insert   

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begin insert Section 69785.5 is added to the end insert begin insert Education Code end insert begin insert ,
to read: end insert

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begin insert 69785.5. end insert   

(a) On or before June 30, 2014, the California
Community Colleges and the California State University shall
convene, and the University of California is encouraged to
participate in, a task force to develop a report relating to student
veterans’ transition to postsecondary education.

(b) The task force shall address specific issues related to student
veterans’ transition to postsecondary education, which shall
include, but is not limited to, all of the following:

(1) A review of the best practices for meeting the needs of
student veterans and ensuring that all campuses offer veterans’
counseling services.

(2) An evaluation on how California Community Colleges, the
California State University, and the University of California
currently assist student veterans in understanding the effects of
postwar stress, posttraumatic stress disorder, and traumatic brain
injuries.

(3) An evaluation of the existing resources offered to veterans
and ways to ensure that veterans are aware of these resources.

(4) An assessment on whether additional services for veterans
are needed, such as an online course addressing postwar effects
on veterans.

(c) The final report shall be completed on or before January
10, 2015, and a copy shall be provided to the Governor and the
Legislature on or before that date.

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SECTION 1.  

Section 69785.5 is added to the Education Code,
to read:

69785.5.  

(a) The California Community Colleges, the
California State University, and the University of California are
encouraged to offer on campus counseling services for student
veterans by utilizing the resources of existing campus military and
veterans offices.

(b) The California Community Colleges and the California State
University shall, and the University of California is encouraged
to, adopt an online course, for one unit of credit, for student
veterans to ease their transition to college and assist them in
understanding the effects of postwar stress, post-traumatic stress
disorder, and traumatic brain injuries.

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SEC. 2.  

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.