BILL ANALYSIS Ó AB 1401 Page 1 Date of Hearing: April 28, 2015 ASSEMBLY COMMITTEE ON VETERANS AFFAIRS Jacqui Irwin, Chair AB 1401 (Baker) - As Introduced February 27, 2015 SUBJECT: Veterans: student financial aid SUMMARY: Requests the Office of the Adjutant General to, among other things, make copies of the enrollment fee waiver application of the Board of Governors of the California Community Colleges and the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) available to each member of the California National Guard, the State Military Reserve, and the Naval Militia not having a baccalaureate degree. Requests the Office of the Adjutant General to assist these persons in completing these forms, as needed. Requests that the Adjutant General also make available additional information regarding the federal Post-9/11 GI Bill and the California National Guard Education Assistance Award Program, and contact information for veterans' educational assistance. EXISTING LAW: Existing law provides various benefits for veterans including the GI Bill, National Guard Education Assistance Award Program, and other state and federal benefits. AB 1401 Page 2 FISCAL EFFECT: Unknown ----------------------------------------------------------------- |COMMENTS: According to the author: | | | | This bill will add Section 981.8 to the Military and Veterans | | Code. Section 981.8 reinstates the law that expired on January | | 1, 2012, and requests the Office of the Adjutant general | | annually to provide all of the following available resources | | to each member of the California National Guard, the State | | Military Reserve, and the Naval Militia who do not have a | | baccalaureate degree: (1) a copy of the enrollment fee | | waiver application of the Board of Governors of the California | | Community Colleges; (2) a copy of the Free Application for | | Federal Student Aid (FAFSA); (3) a copy of the latest brochure | | of information relative to the current Post-9/11 GI Bill; (4) | | a copy of the latest brochure of information relative to the | | California National Guard Education Assistance Award Program; | | (5) contact information for a county Veterans Service Officer | | or the division responsible within the California Department | | of Veterans Affairs for higher education or the California | | National Guard, and (6) any necessary assistance required to | | complete the aforementioned forms. | | | |-----------------------------------------------------------------| |AB 547 (Liu, 2003) created a package of new post-secondary | |education incentives benefits (the biggest being a student loan | |assumption program), for California National Guard members both | |to recognize their service and to incentivize participation in | |the Guard at a time when the United States was in armed conflict | |in Iraq. The section concerning information dissemination was at | |the end of the bill and was likely intended to increase | |awareness about the new Loan Assumption program. | | | |The new program would be administered by the Student Aid | |Commission, which explains why most of the information | |dissemination concerned higher education benefits and forms. | AB 1401 Page 3 |Pertinent legislative intent was: | | | | Section 1 (d) Postsecondary education benefit incentive | | programs have been highly successful in providing enlistment | | and retention inducements for maintaining and strengthening | | national guard and reserve programs in other states. | | | | (e) It is the intent of the Legislature to further the public | | purposes served by the California National Guard, the State | | Military Reserve, and the Naval Militia by providing | | enlistment and retention inducements by making postsecondary | | education benefits available to members serving the state | | faithfully for a period of at least one year. | | | ----------------------------------------------------------------- AB 547 contained a sunset provision and the particular section at issue in this bill, MVC 918.8, ceased to operate as part of the sunset of the program created by the bill. The wording of the section proposed by the bill before the Committee is slightly different than the 2003 bill, to reflect the sunset of the Loan Assumption Program and other changes since 2003. Conditions have changed since 2003 and the context of the bill before the Committee is different than the context of AB 547; no major new higher education programs are being created by this bill, the operation tempo of United States' armed conflicts has decreased, the overall troop strength of the military is generally in a period of contraction, etc. However, the bill is permissive, very modest in scope, either wholly or nearly reflective of the current practice of the Department, and the information dissemination requested is achievable using the Internet. The goal of connecting servicemembers with all of the benefits to which they are entitled is consistent with state policy. AB 1401 Page 4 Technical Suggestions: If the bill progresses the author may wish to consider including information dissemination about the College Tuition Fee Waiver for Veteran Dependents. This benefit, though not for the student veteran him or herself, waives mandatory system-wide tuition and fees at any State of California Community College, California State University, or University of California campus for certain eligible dependents of veterans (including spouses). The value and impact of this benefit to eligible recipients cannot be overstated. REGISTERED SUPPORT / OPPOSITION: Support AMVETS, Department of California California Association of County Veteran Service Officers County of Contra Costa Military Officers Association of America, California Council of Chapters Veterans of Foreign Wars, Department of California Opposition None on File. Analysis Prepared by:John Spangler / V.A. / (916) 319-3550 AB 1401 Page 5