BILL NUMBER: AB 393	INTRODUCED
	BILL TEXT


INTRODUCED BY   Assembly Member Roger Hernández

                        FEBRUARY 18, 2015

   An act to add Part 52.7 (commencing with Section 88750) to
Division 7 of Title 3 of the Education Code, relating to community
colleges.



	LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST


   AB 393, as introduced, Roger Hernández. Veteran Resource Centers
Grant Program.
   Existing law establishes the California Community Colleges under
the administration of the Board of Governors of the California
Community Colleges. Existing law requires the board of governors to
appoint a chief executive officer, to be known as the Chancellor of
the California Community Colleges.
   This bill would establish the Veteran Resource Centers Grant
Program, which would authorize the governing board of a community
college district that has or intends to establish veteran resource
centers on campuses within the community college district to apply to
the chancellor for a grant for purposes of providing resources to
veterans and active duty members of the Armed Forces of the United
States enrolled at those campuses. The bill would establish the
Veteran Resource Centers Grant Fund in the State Treasury. The bill
would allocate moneys in the fund, upon appropriation by the
Legislature in the annual Budget Act, to the chancellor for, among
other things, administration of the program and distribution of
awards to recipient community college districts.
   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.  The Legislature finds and declares the following:
   (a) More than 44,000 veterans and active duty service members
enrolled at campuses of the California Community Colleges in the
2012-13 academic year.
   (b) Education is a tool for community college students to achieve
economic success.
   (c) Veterans face unique challenges in achieving professional
success, including posttraumatic stress disorder and assimilation to
civilian life during and after serving on active duty.
   (d) The intent of the Veteran Resource Centers Grant Program is to
help veterans and active duty service members enrolled at campuses
of the California Community Colleges achieve academic and
professional success.
  SEC. 2.  Part 52.7 (commencing with Section 88750) is added to
Division 7 of Title 3 of the Education Code, to read:

      PART 52.7.  Veteran Resource Centers Grant Program


      CHAPTER 1.  GENERAL PROVISIONS


   88750.  This part shall be known, and may be cited as, the Veteran
Resource Centers Grant Program.
   88751.  The Veteran Resource Centers Grant Fund is hereby
established in the State Treasury. Moneys in the fund, upon
appropriation by the Legislature in the annual Budget Act, shall be
allocated to the chancellor for the implementation and administration
of this part.
   88752.  The governing board of a community college district that
has or intends to establish veteran resource centers on campuses
within the community college district may apply to the chancellor for
a grant for purposes of providing resources to veterans and active
duty members of the Armed Forces of the United States enrolled at
those campuses to help them succeed academically.
   88753.  The chancellor shall do the following:
   (a) Administer the program and distribute awards to recipient
community college districts.
   (b) Develop application criteria, administrative guidelines, and
other requirements, by May 26, 2016, through a stakeholder process
and public meetings, for purposes of administering the program. Those
requirements may include the chancellor awarding funding priority to
community college district applicants that commit to contributing an
amount of funds in addition to the grant for purposes of developing
or enhancing veteran resource centers on campuses within the
community college district.
   (c) Submit a report to the Legislature on the progress of the
program on or before May 31, 2018.
   (d) (1) The requirement for submitting a report imposed under
subdivision (c) is inoperative on June 1, 2022, pursuant to Section
10231.5 of the Government Code.
   (2) A report to be submitted pursuant to subdivision (c) shall be
submitted in compliance with Section 9795 of the Government Code.