BILL ANALYSIS Ó
AB 1361
Page 1
ASSEMBLY THIRD READING
AB
1361 (Burke)
As Amended May 20, 2015
Majority vote
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|Committee |Votes |Ayes |Noes |
| | | | |
| | | | |
|----------------+------+--------------------+----------------------|
|Higher |12-0 |Medina, Baker, | |
|Education | |Bloom, Chávez, | |
| | |Harper, Irwin, | |
| | |Levine, Linder, | |
| | |Low, Santiago, | |
| | |Weber, Williams | |
| | | | |
|----------------+------+--------------------+----------------------|
|Appropriations |17-0 |Gomez, Bigelow, | |
| | |Bonta, Calderon, | |
| | |Chang, Daly, | |
| | |Eggman, Gallagher, | |
| | | | |
| | | | |
| | |Eduardo Garcia, | |
| | |Gordon, Holden, | |
| | |Jones, Quirk, | |
| | |Rendon, Wagner, | |
| | |Weber, Wood | |
| | | | |
| | | | |
AB 1361
Page 2
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SUMMARY: Exempts a current or former member of the Armed Forces
of the United States, unless the individual received a
dishonorable discharge, from the age limitations of the California
Community College (CCC) Transfer Cal Grant Entitlement Program.
Requires an institution to ensure that it does not accept award
funds under both this section and United States Code Title 38 in
the same award year for a current or former member of the Armed
Forces of the United States who is 28 years of age or older.
EXISTING LAW: Establishes the Cal Grant program, administered by
the California Student Aid Commission (CSAC), to provide tuition
and access cost assistance to eligible students attending
qualified institutions. The CCC Transfer Entitlement Awards
provides Cal Grant A and B awards to every student who graduated
from a California high school after June 30, 2000, was a
California resident at the time of high school graduation,
transferred to a qualifying baccalaureate-degree granting
institution from a CCC during the award year, was under the age of
28 at the time of the transfer, and had a minimum California
Community College grade point average (GPA) of 2.4. Maximum award
amounts for California State University (CSU) and University of
California (UC) are established in the annual Budget Act and have
traditionally covered all systemwide tuition and fees. The
maximum tuition award for Cal Grant A and B for students attending
private for-profit colleges is $4,000 (commencing 2013-14), and
for students attending non-profit or Western Association of
Schools and Colleges (WASC)-accredited for-profit institutions is
$8,056 (commencing 2015-16).
FISCAL EFFECT: According to the Assembly Appropriations
Committee, 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
AB 1361
Page 3
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: 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% of veteran
students are older than 24 years of age, 47% of veterans students
are supporting a family, and 46% 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.
Analysis Prepared by:
Laura Metune / HIGHER ED. / (916) 319-3960 FN:
0000556