AB 1366, as amended, Lopez. Public postsecondary education: Dream Resource Centers.
Existing law establishes the segments of the public postsecondary education system in the state, including the University of California administered by the Regents of the University of California, the California State University administered by the Trustees of the California State University, and the California Community Colleges administered by the Board of Governors of the California Community Colleges.
Existing lawbegin delete requiresend deletebegin insert providesend insert that a student, other than a nonimmigrant alien, as defined, who has attended high school in California for 3 or more years, who has graduated from a California high school or attained the equivalent thereof, who has
registered at or attends an accredited institution of higher education in California not earlier than the fall semester or quarter of the 2001-02 academic year, and who, if he or she is an alien without lawful immigration status, has filed an affidavit, as specified, is exempt from paying nonresident tuition at the California Community Colleges and the California State University.
This bill would require the California Community Colleges and the California State University, and would request the University of California, to create Dream Resource Centers on each campus to assist certain students by streamlining access to all available financial aid and academic opportunities for those students. By requiring community colleges to create Dream Resource Centers, this bill would impose a state-mandated local program.
begin insertThis bill would authorize the trustees, the board of governors, and the regents to seek and accept on behalf of the state any gift, bequest, devise, or donation whenever the gift and the terms and conditions thereof will aid in the creation and operation of Dream Resource Centers for their respective systems.
end insertThe California Constitution requires the state to reimburse local agencies and school districts for certain costs mandated by the state. Statutory provisions establish procedures for making that reimbursement.
This bill would provide that, if the Commission on State Mandates determines that the bill contains costs mandated by the state, reimbursement for those costs shall be made pursuant to these statutory provisions.
Vote: majority. Appropriation: no. Fiscal committee: yes. State-mandated local program: yes.
The people of the State of California do enact as follows:
The Legislature finds and declares all of the
2following:
3(a) It is the intent of the Legislature to increase enrollment and
4graduation rates among students meeting the requirements of
5Assembly Bill 540 of the 2001-02 Regular Session (Firebaugh,
6Ch. 814) by requiring the creation of Dream Resource Centers at
7public institutions of higher education.
8(b) It is estimated that each year approximately 65,000
9undocumented students graduate from high schools, and while
10California has been a leader in enacting innovative and bold laws
11to provide opportunities for undocumented youth to attain
higher
12education, only 20 percent of these students attend college. Many
13undocumented youth and their families are unaware of recent
14policy changes, such as the enactment of Assembly Bill 540 of the
152001-02 Regular Session, the California Dream Act of 2011, and
16the federal Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA), that
P3 1make college graduation more attainable. Currently, the majority
2of college campuses do not have a centralized location that provides
3specialized support services and resources for students meeting
4the requirements of Assembly Bill 540 of the 2001-02 Regular
5Session.
6(c) The creation of Dream Resource Centers would save staff
7time and resources by streamlining all available financial aid and
8academic opportunities for students meeting the requirements of
9Assembly Bill 540 of the 2001-02 Regular Session. These
Dream
10Resource Centers would seek to empower and create a safe and
11welcoming environment for those students. These centers would
12increase enrollment, transfer, and graduation rates among this
13population.
14(d) A number of college campuses have acknowledged the needs
15and challenges of these students and have created Dreambegin delete Resourcesend delete
16begin insert Resourceend insert Centers. These include: the University of California, Los
17Angeles; the University of California, Davis; the California State
18University, Los Angeles; the California State University, Fullerton;
19and the California State University, Northridge. These centers
20provide, among other things, informational workshops, legal
21clinics, information
on programs available to undocumented
22immigrants, and peer mentoring and support services to increase
23awareness of existing programs and available resources, enhance
24professional development, and increase employment opportunities.
Section 68130.6 is added to the Education Code, to
26read:
begin insert(a)end insertbegin insert end insertThe California Community Colleges and the
28California State University shall, and the University of California
29is requested to, create Dream Resource Centers on each campus
30to assist students meeting the requirements set forth in Section
3168130.5 by streamlining access to all available financial aid and
32academic opportunities for those students.
33(b) Notwithstanding Section 11005 of the Government Code
34and any other law requiring approval by a state officer of gifts,
35bequests, devises, or donations, the Trustees of the California State
36University, the
Board of Governors of the California Community
37Colleges, and the Regents of the University of California may seek
38and accept on behalf of the state any gift, bequest, devise, or
39donation whenever the gift and the terms and conditions thereof
P4 1will aid in the creation and operation of Dream Resource Centers
2for their respective systems.
If the Commission on State Mandates determines that
4this act contains costs mandated by the state, reimbursement to
5local agencies and school districts for those costs shall be made
6pursuant to Part 7 (commencing with Section 17500) of Division
74 of Title 2 of the Government Code.
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