BILL ANALYSIS Ó
AB 1361
Page 1
Date of Hearing: May 27, 2015
ASSEMBLY COMMITTEE ON APPROPRIATIONS
Jimmy Gomez, Chair
AB
1361 (Burke) - As Amended May 20, 2015
-----------------------------------------------------------------
|Policy |Higher Education |Vote:|12 - 0 |
|Committee: | | | |
| | | | |
| | | | |
|-------------+-------------------------------+-----+-------------|
| | | | |
| | | | |
| | | | |
|-------------+-------------------------------+-----+-------------|
| | | | |
| | | | |
| | | | |
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Urgency: No State Mandated Local Program: NoReimbursable: No
SUMMARY:
This bill:
Exempts, from the age limitations (must be age 28 or younger) of
AB 1361
Page 2
the California Community College (CCC) Transfer Cal Grant
Entitlement Program, a current or former member of the Armed
Forces of the United States, unless the individual received a
dishonorable discharge.
Stipulates that a veteran cannot use a Cal Grant awarded per (1)
and the veteran's GI Bill benefits in the same academic year.
FISCAL EFFECT:
Likely minor ongoing General Fund costs for additional Cal
Grants. Because GI Bill benefits are more generous that Cal
Grants, which only cover tuition costs (plus a stipend under Cal
Grant B), veterans eligible for both benefit would be more
likely to use the former. Examples where this bill might apply
would be a transferring veteran who elects to use their Cal
Grant to obtain their bachelor's degree and then uses their GI
Bill benefits for graduate school, or a veteran who depletes
their GI Bill benefits at a private institution, then attends
and completes lower division work at a community college, and
finally uses their Cal Grant to get their bachelor's degree.
COMMENTS:
1)Background. The CCC Transfer Entitlement Program provides Cal
Grant A and B awards to qualified students transferring from a
CCC to a qualified baccalaureate-degree granting institution.
Students are required to meet specified criteria, including
that the student will not yet be 28 years of age by December
31 of the award year. In 2014-15, CSAC estimated 60,000 -
75,000 CCC transfer students were potentially eligible for the
award, made offers to 17,745, and paid 14,491 awards.
According to CSAC, the remaining students (up to 58,000) that
were not offered an award may have been disqualified for a
AB 1361
Page 3
variety of reasons, including exceeding the age limit.
2)GI Bill. The Post-9/11 GI Bill provides the following annual
educational benefits (when fully eligible) to current and
former members of the Armed Forces:
a) Paying in-state tuition and fees (up to $17,500
annually) for students attending California schools.
b) Monthly housing allowance based on zip code of school,
including for students enrolled solely in distance
learning.
c) Up to $1,000 annually for books and supplies. (Cal
Grants do not provide assistance specifically for books and
supplies.)
d) Up to $1,200 for tutoring assistance. (Cal Grants do
not provide tutoring assistance.)
e) Selected opportunities to transfer these benefits to a
spouse or dependent child. (Cal Grants are
nontransferable.)
3)Purpose. According to the author, the age eligibility
requirement presents a barrier for veterans who are attending
college later in life. According to The Million Records
Project by the Student Veterans of America, nationwide 85
percent of veteran students are older than 24 years of age, 47
percent of veterans students are supporting a family, and 46
percent of veterans students are 25 years of age or older when
they first enroll in college. This bill assists veterans by
removing the age eligibility requirement for current or former
members of the Armed Forces of the United States for the CCC
Transfer Entitlement Program.
AB 1361
Page 4
Analysis Prepared by:Chuck Nicol / APPR. / (916)
319-2081