BILL NUMBER: AB 1364	AMENDED
	BILL TEXT

	AMENDED IN ASSEMBLY  APRIL 25, 2013
	AMENDED IN ASSEMBLY  APRIL 2, 2013

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 amended, 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,   awards,
 the California Community College Transfer Cal Grant Entitlement
 Awards,   awards,  the Competitive Cal
Grant A and B  Awards,   awards,  the Cal
Grant C  Awards,   awards,  and the Cal
Grant T  Awards   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  ,   commencing with the 2014-15 academic
year,  would require that the  minimum amount of the
 Cal Grant B access award be no less than $5,900, 
as annually adjusted, commencing with the 2014-15 academic year,
  unless that amount exceeds the amount of the student's
calculated financial need, as specified. The bill would require the
award for access costs  to include the percentage increase, if
any, in the California Consumer Price Index, as specified. In the
event of a decrease in the California Consumer Price Index, no
adjustment would be made to the minimum Cal Grant B access award
under this bill. The 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) Commencing with the 2014-15 academic year:  
   (b) 
    (1)  An award for access costs under this article shall
be in an annual amount no less than five thousand nine hundred
dollars ($5,900),  as annually adjusted, commencing with the
2014-15 academic year, to include   unless the award
would exceed the amount of the student's calculated financial need,
in which case the award amount shall equal the amount of the student'
s calculated financial need. 
    (2)     The award for access costs shall
include  the percentage increase, if any, in the California
Consumer Price Index as calculated by the Department of Industrial
Relations. In the event that the California Consumer Price Index
decreases in any year, no adjustment to the minimum 
allowable  award amount will be made pursuant to this
subdivision.