BILL ANALYSIS Ó SENATE COMMITTEE ON APPROPRIATIONS Senator Ricardo Lara, Chair 2015 - 2016 Regular Session AB 1366 (Lopez) - Public postsecondary education: Dream Resource Liaisons. ----------------------------------------------------------------- | | | | | | ----------------------------------------------------------------- |--------------------------------+--------------------------------| | | | |Version: August 18, 2015 |Policy Vote: ED. 8 - 1 | | | | |--------------------------------+--------------------------------| | | | |Urgency: No |Mandate: Yes | | | | |--------------------------------+--------------------------------| | | | |Hearing Date: August 24, 2015 |Consultant: Jillian Kissee | | | | ----------------------------------------------------------------- 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 ? 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 ? 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. AB 1366 (Lopez) Page 3 of ? 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. -- END --