BILL NUMBER: AB 1366 AMENDED
BILL TEXT
AMENDED IN ASSEMBLY MAY 7, 2015
INTRODUCED BY Assembly Member Lopez
FEBRUARY 27, 2015
An act to add Section 68130.6 to the Education Code, relating to
public postsecondary education.
LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST
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 law requires provides 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.
This 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.
The 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:
SECTION 1. The Legislature finds and declares all of the
following:
(a) It is the intent of the Legislature to increase enrollment and
graduation rates among students meeting the requirements of Assembly
Bill 540 of the 2001-02 Regular Session (Firebaugh, Ch. 814) by
requiring the creation of Dream Resource Centers at public
institutions of higher education.
(b) It is estimated that each year approximately 65,000
undocumented students graduate from high schools, and while
California has been a leader in enacting innovative and bold laws to
provide opportunities for undocumented youth to attain higher
education, only 20 percent of these students attend college. Many
undocumented youth and their families are unaware of recent policy
changes, such as the enactment of Assembly Bill 540 of the 2001-02
Regular Session, the California Dream Act of 2011, and the federal
Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA), that make college
graduation more attainable. Currently, the majority of college
campuses do not have a centralized location that provides specialized
support services and resources for students meeting the requirements
of Assembly Bill 540 of the 2001-02 Regular Session.
(c) The creation of Dream Resource Centers would save staff time
and resources by streamlining all available financial aid and
academic opportunities for students meeting the requirements of
Assembly Bill 540 of the 2001-02 Regular Session. These Dream
Resource Centers would seek to empower and create a safe and
welcoming environment for those students. These centers would
increase enrollment, transfer, and graduation rates among this
population.
(d) A number of college campuses have acknowledged the needs and
challenges of these students and have created Dream
Resources Resource Centers. These include: the
University of California, Los Angeles; the University of California,
Davis; the California State University, Los Angeles; the California
State University, Fullerton; and the California State University,
Northridge. These centers provide, among other things, informational
workshops, legal clinics, information on programs available to
undocumented immigrants, and peer mentoring and support services to
increase awareness of existing programs and available resources,
enhance professional development, and increase employment
opportunities.
SEC. 2. Section 68130.6 is added to the Education Code, to read:
68130.6. (a) The California Community
Colleges and the California State University shall, and the
University of California is requested to, create Dream Resource
Centers on each campus to assist students meeting the requirements
set forth in Section 68130.5 by streamlining access to all available
financial aid and academic opportunities for those students.
(b) Notwithstanding Section 11005 of the Government Code and any
other law requiring approval by a state officer of gifts, bequests,
devises, or donations, the Trustees of the California State
University, the Board of Governors of the California Community
Colleges, and the Regents of the University of California may 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.
SEC. 3. If the Commission on State Mandates determines that this
act contains costs mandated by the state, reimbursement to local
agencies and school districts for those costs shall be made pursuant
to Part 7 (commencing with Section 17500) of Division 4 of Title 2 of
the Government Code.