BILL ANALYSIS Ó
SB 290
Page 1
SENATE THIRD READING
SB 290 (Knight and Walters)
As Amended August 15, 2013
Majority vote
SENATE VOTE :39-0
HIGHER EDUCATION 12-0 VETERANS AFFAIRS 9-0
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|Ayes:|Williams, Chávez, Bloom, |Ayes:|Muratsuchi, Chávez, |
| |Fong, Fox, Levine, | |Atkins, Brown, Fox, |
| |Linder, Medina, Olsen, | |Grove, Melendez, Salas, |
| |Quirk-Silva, Weber, Wilk | |Yamada |
| | | | |
|-----+--------------------------+-----+--------------------------|
| | | | |
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APPROPRIATIONS 17-0
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|Ayes:|Gatto, Harkey, Bigelow, | | |
| |Bocanegra, Bradford, Ian | | |
| |Calderon, Campos, | | |
| |Donnelly, Eggman, Gomez, | | |
| |Hall, Holden, Linder, | | |
| |Pan, Quirk, Wagner, Weber | | |
|-----+--------------------------+-----+--------------------------|
| | | | |
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SUMMARY : Extends, to a California State University (CSU)
undergraduate student, provisions exempting a California
Community College (CCC) student- who was a member of the Armed
Forces stationed in this state on active duty for more than one
year immediately prior to receiving an honorable discharge- from
paying nonresident tuition for up to one year while providing
the student up to two years following discharge to use this
exemption, if the student files an affidavit stating their
intent to establish California residency as soon as possible.
Requests the University of California (UC) to also adopt the
above policy.
FISCAL EFFECT : According to the Assembly Appropriations
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Committee:
1)For every CSU undergraduate student who would take advantage
of the above exemption, CSU would lose $11,160 in non-resident
tuition revenue. CSU has about 350 veteran students who do
not meet residency requires. Assuming 70% of these students
are undergraduates, and if only 10% of these undergraduates
take advantage of the expanded exemption allowance provided in
this bill, the revenue loss to CSU would be $279,000.
2)Assuming UC adopts a conforming policy, for every UC
undergraduate student who would take advantage of the expanded
exemption, UC would lose $22,878 in non-resident tuition
revenue. In 2011-12, there were only 27 veterans who were
undergraduates at UC paying non-resident tuition. If 10% of
these students were to take advantage of the expanded benefit,
the revenue loss to UC would be $69,000.
COMMENTS :
Background . Existing California law allows a discharged
military student to pay resident tuition until the student has
stayed in California long enough to establish residency
(normally one year). This non-resident tuition exemption
applies to students who were stationed in California for one
year prior to discharge. For tuition purposes, there may be
only one residence; in order to become a California resident the
student must relinquish residency in the student's former state
of residence.
In order to provide veterans time after discharge to return to
their home state to settle affairs, in 2012 the Legislature
approved AB 2478 (Hayashi), Chapter 405, to allow CCC students
to utilize the residency tuition benefit within two-years from
date of discharge. Under this allowance, students are required
to file an affidavit declaring their intention to establish
residency as soon as possible. This bill extends this provision
to undergraduate students at CSU, and requests the adoption of
the provision by UC.
Purpose of this bill . According to the author, currently
veterans who have served at least 90 days on active duty are
eligible to receive a Government Issued Bill (or GI Bill) to
help pay for their college education. These federal dollars pay
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up to 100% of in-state tuition costs, in addition to providing a
housing allowance and a book allowance to the veteran. However,
many veterans who were stationed at bases in California just
prior to discharge (and have been paying California State Taxes)
have not had the opportunity to establish residency. This bill
would allow a qualifying veteran student up to two years to
utilize the benefit of in-state tuition as an undergraduate at a
public four year institution in California.
Analysis Prepared by : Laura Metune / HIGHER ED. / (916)
319-3960
FN: 0002113