BILL ANALYSIS Ó
SENATE COMMITTEE ON VETERANS AFFAIRS
Senator Jim Nielsen, Chair
2015 - 2016 Regular
Bill No: AB 1401 Hearing Date: 6/23/15
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|Author: |Baker |
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|Version: |2/27/15 Introduced |
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|Urgency: |No |Fiscal: |Yes |
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|Consultant:|Wade Cooper Teasdale |
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Subject: Veterans: student financial aid.
DESCRIPTION
Summary:
Requests the Office of the Adjutant General (OTAG) to provide
specified assistance, regarding higher education, to members of
the California National Guard (CNG), State Military Reserve
(SMR), and Naval Militia, who do not have a baccalaureate
degree.
Existing law :
Provides various benefits for veterans including the GI Bill,
National Guard Education Assistance Award Program (NGEAAP), and
other state and federal benefits.
Prior law
In effect until January 1, 2012:
1)Requested OTAG 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
CNG, SMR, and Naval Militia not having a baccalaureate degree.
2)Requested OTAG to assist these persons in completing these
forms, as needed.
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This bill :
1)Requests OTAG 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
CNG, SMR, and Naval Militia not having a baccalaureate degree.
2)Requests OTAG to assist these persons in completing these
forms, as needed.
3)Requests that OTAG 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.
BACKGROUND
Higher Education Benefits: APLE-NG
In 2003, the Legislature created the Assumption Program of Loans
for Education program for CNG members (APLE-NG) via AB 547
(Liu). This program was sunsetted on January 1, 2012, but is
presented here for historical context. Under APLE-NG, eligible
service members received a repayment of their loans for study at
a college or university, as follows:
a. For one year of service, up to $2,000 of the student
loan is assumed;
b. For two years of service, up to $5,000 of the
student loan is assumed;
c. For three years of service, up to $8.000 of the
student loan is assumed; and
d. For four years of service, up to $11,000 of the
student loan is assumed.
In addition, AB 547 did the following:
1) Requested OTAG to:
a. Make copies of the enrollment fee waiver application of
the Board of Governors of the California Community Colleges
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and the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA)
available to each member of the CNG, SMR, and Naval Militia
who does not have a baccalaureate degree.
b. Assist these persons in completing these forms, as needed.
2) Established protections for qualifying CNG members who are
deployed to active service during their academic term
including:
a. An academic leave of absence for any academic session that
the qualify member is unable to attend or complete because
he or she is on active duty; and,
b. The protection that the CNG member does not forfeit either
any of the monetary value of the Cal Grant award or any of
the periods of eligibility for that award...
3) Directed OTAG to submit to the Legislature on the
effectiveness of the program, on or before July 1, 2006; and
4) Provided a sunset date of January 1, 2007, for the NG APLE
and the protections.
Because the original APLE-NG statute was scheduled to sunset on
January 1, 2007, the Legislature enacted SB 1322 (Denham, 2004),
which:
1)Extended APLE-NG until January 1, 2012.
2)Provided that APLE-NG would serve as an incentive for persons
to enlist or reenlist.
3)Authorized persons who otherwise qualify for participation in
the program and who are enrolled in or have completed a
program of study in a vocational diploma program, to
participate in the program.
4)Required the California Student Aid Commission (CSAC) to
report annually to the Legislature on the total number of
program participants, as well as the number of participants
who receive a loan assumption benefit.
Higher Education Benefits: CNG EAAP
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The California National Guard Education Assistance Award Program
(CNG EAAP) is a State-funded grant for members of the CNG or SMR
(up to 1,000 or as many participants as the annual budget will
allow). This program authorizes CSAC to make payments to
eligible program participants. Participants can receive up to
the amount of the Cal Grant A award for attending the University
of California or the California State University, up to the Cal
Grant B award for attending a community college, or up to the
University of California Cal Grant A amount for attending a
non-public institution. Graduates may receive an additional $500
for books and supplies.
COMMENT
Related Legislation
1)SB 1322 (Denham, Chapter 554, Statutes of 2004) (1) extends by
five years, from January 1, 2007 until January 1, 2012, the
sunset date for the provisions of AB 547 (2003), which
established the APLE-National Guard program and provided other
academic benefits, (2) expands the pool of beneficiaries for
the provisions of this legislation, as specified, and (3)
makes technical and clarifying changes, as specified.
2)AB 547 (Liu, Chapter 345, Statutes of 2003) establishes NG
APLE - administered by CSAC - and awards qualifying members of
the California Army National Guard (NG), the California Air
NG, the State Military Reserves and the Naval Militia with an
assumption of their educational loans, according to specified
schedules.
POSITIONS
Sponsor: Author
Support:
AMVETS - Department of California
California Association of County Veterans Service Officers
California Community Colleges, Chancellor's Office
Contra Costa, County of
Military Officers Association of America - California Council of
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Chapters
Veterans of Foreign Wars - Department of California
Oppose: None received
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