BILL ANALYSIS Ó
SENATE COMMITTEE ON APPROPRIATIONS
Senator Ricardo Lara, Chair
2015 - 2016 Regular Session
AB 1366 (Lopez) - Public postsecondary education: Dream Resource
Liaisons.
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|Version: August 18, 2015 |Policy Vote: ED. 8 - 1 |
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|Urgency: No |Mandate: Yes |
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|Hearing Date: August 24, 2015 |Consultant: Jillian Kissee |
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This bill meets the criteria for referral to the Suspense File.
Bill
Summary: This bill requires the California Community Colleges
(CCC) and the California State University (CSU) and requests the
University of California (UC) to designate a Dream Resource
Liaison on each of their campuses and authorizes the governing
boards of the segments to accept private funds to establish and
operate centers.
Fiscal
Impact:
Reimbursable state mandate costs to the CCC of $100,000 per
campus ($11.3 million statewide) to support a Dream Resource
Liaison position to the extent the Commission on State
Mandates determines this bill to impose a state mandate. If
so determined, there would be pressure to increase the
community college mandate block grant to reflect the inclusion
of this mandate. (Proposition 98)
AB 1366 (Lopez) Page 1 of
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The CCC Chancellor's Office indicates the need for one
part-time position and $60,000 to support oversight of Dream
Resource Centers. (General Fund)
The CSU indicates that there may be a cost pressure to hire an
additional staff member at some campuses at a cost of $70,000
each. (General Fund)
No costs to the UC because each campus currently has a Dream
Resource Liaison.
Background: AB 540 (Chapter 814, 2001) exempts certain nonresident
students, including undocumented students, from paying
nonresident tuition at CCC and CSU if certain criteria are met.
The UC has adopted this policy as well.
Students must have: (1) attended a California high school for
three years or more or obtained equivalent number of units and
attended at least three years in California elementary or
secondary schools; (2) graduated from a high school in
California; (3) registered at an accredited institution of
higher education in California; and (4) for a person without
lawful immigration status, filed an affidavit with the
institution stating that the student has filed an application to
legalize his or her immigration status. (Education Code §
68130.5)
The California Dream Act allows undocumented and nonresident
documented students who meet certain provisions to apply for and
receive private scholarships funded through public universities,
state-administered financial aid, university grants, and
community college fee waivers.
The California DREAM Loan Program is intended to provide low
interest loans to Dream Act students who are accessing the state
student financial aid program and attending UC and CSU. The
California Dream Act Application is used by undocumented
students who meet the eligibility requirements of AB 540. These
students are not eligible for federal student loans, making it
difficult for some to cover the total costs of college. (EC §
70030-70039)
According to the author's office, this bill seeks to create a
AB 1366 (Lopez) Page 2 of
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centralized location for AB 540 students to access student
support services and other applicable resources.
Proposed Law:
This bill requires the CCC and the CSU, and requests the UC,
to designate a Dream Resource Liaison on each of their campuses
to assist students meeting the applicable requirements for being
exempt from paying nonresident tuition at the CSU and CCC by
streamlining access to all available financial aid and academic
opportunities available to them.
Each CCC campus is required to ensure that it has a staff person
designated as a Dream Resource Liaison who is knowledgeable in
available financial aid, services, and academic opportunities
for all students meeting the requirements for being exempt from
paying nonresident tuition at the CSU and CCC, including
undocumented students. This bill encourages the designated
staff person to be placed in each CCC campus' extended
opportunities programs and services office or financial aid
office and in each CSU campus' educational opportunities
programs and services office or financial aid office.
The Dream Resource Centers may offer support services, including
state institutional financial aid assistance, academic
counseling, peer support services, psychological counseling,
referral services, and legal services.
Finally, this bill authorizes the CSU, CCC, and the UC to seek
and accept any gift or donation for the creation and operation
of Dream Resource Centers.
Related
Legislation: SB 247 (Lara, 2015) would have authorized the
governing board of a school district or county office of
education that maintains grades 9-12, the governing board of a
CCC district, and the Trustees of the CSU, and encouraged the
Regents of the UC to establish on-campus Dream Centers. SB 247
was placed on this committee's Suspense File.
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Staff
Comments: Each UC campus designates a point of contact
specifically for providing information to undocumented students.
All but three campuses have a physical space designated for
this purpose. Among the twenty-three CSU campuses, four have a
designated location and the rest provide information through
existing student support programs. The CSU indicates that some
campuses may feel compelled to hire an additional staff member
to meet the intent of the bill.
Information and services offered at the CCC varies from campus
to campus. For the most part the colleges do not have a
centralized location dedicated for AB 540 students.
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