BILL NUMBER: AB 1364	INTRODUCED
	BILL TEXT


INTRODUCED BY   Assembly Member Ting

                        FEBRUARY 22, 2013

   An act to amend Section 69435 of the Education Code, relating to
student financial aid.


	LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST


   AB 1364, as introduced, Ting. Student financial aid: Cal Grant
Program.
   Existing law, the Ortiz-Pacheco-Poochigian-Vasconcellos Cal Grant
Program (Cal Grant Program), establishes the Cal Grant A and B
Entitlement Awards, the California Community College Transfer Cal
Grant Entitlement Awards, the Competitive Cal Grant A and B Awards,
the Cal Grant C Awards, and the Cal Grant T Awards under the
administration of the Student Aid Commission, and establishes
eligibility requirements and maximum levels for awards under these
programs for participating students attending qualifying
institutions. Existing law requires that a Cal Grant B award for
access costs, as defined, is not to exceed $1,551 annually. Existing
law provides that this amount may be adjusted in the annual Budget
Act.
   This bill would require that the maximum amount of the Cal Grant B
access award be annually adjusted, commencing with the 2014-15
academic year, to include the percentage increase, if any, in
California per capita personal income, as specified. In the event of
a decrease in California per capita personal income, no adjustment
would be made to the maximum Cal Grant B access award under this
bill. This bill would delete the provision authorizing the adjustment
of this amount in the annual Budget Act.
   Vote: majority. Appropriation: no. Fiscal committee: yes.
State-mandated local program: no.


THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:

  SECTION 1.  Section 69435 of the Education Code is amended to read:

   69435.  (a) (1) A Cal Grant B award shall be used only for
tuition, student fees, and access costs in a for-credit instructional
program that is not less than one academic year in length.
   (2) The commission, or a qualifying institution pursuant to
Article 8 (commencing with Section 69450), shall award access grants
in a student's first academic year. In subsequent years, the award
shall include an additional amount to pay tuition or fees, or both,
to attend college at a public or private four-year college or
university or other qualifying institution for all Cal Grant B awards
pursuant to paragraph (2) of subdivision (b) of Section 66021.2. In
no event shall the total award in any year exceed the applicant's
calculated financial need.
   (3) Not more than 2 percent of new Cal Grant B recipients
enrolling for the first time in an institution of postsecondary
education shall be eligible for payments for tuition or fees, or
both, in their first academic year of attendance. The commission
shall adopt regulations specifying the criteria used to determine
which applicants, if any, receive both tuition and fees plus the
access grant in the first year of enrollment. Priority shall be given
to students with the lowest expected family contribution pursuant to
Section 69432.7 and the highest level of academic merit.
   (b) An award for access costs under this article shall be in an
annual amount not to exceed one thousand five hundred fifty-one
dollars ($1,551)  , as annually adjusted, commencing with the
2014-15 academic year, to include the   percentage increase,
if any, in California per capita personal income as calculated by
the Department of Finance. In the event that California per capita
personal income decreases in any year, no adjustment to the maximum
allowable award amount will be   made pursuant to this
subdivision  .  This amount may be adjusted in the
annual Budget Act.