BILL ANALYSIS Ó
AB 1449
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Date of Hearing: January 21, 2016
ASSEMBLY COMMITTEE ON APPROPRIATIONS
Jimmy Gomez, Chair
AB
1449 (Lopez) - As Amended January 5, 2016
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Urgency: No State Mandated Local Program: NoReimbursable: No
SUMMARY:
This bill allows a student to qualify for a California Community
College (CCC) Transfer Cal Grant Entitlement Program award
without having received a high school diploma or equivalent, as
long as the student was a California resident on his or her 18th
AB 1449
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birthday.
FISCAL EFFECT:
According to the California Student Aid Commission, in 2014-15,
319 applicants were denied a Transfer Entitlement due to lack of
high school graduation or equivalent. Assuming there are 300
such applicants on average each year 85% of these applicants
would obtain an award pursuant to this bill, first-year General
Fund costs, assuming an average award of $8,000, would be about
$2 million. Annual costs thereafter would be around $4 million.
COMMENTS:
1)Background. The Transfer Entitlement provides financially
needy California students whom did not receive a Cal Grant A
or B award after leaving high school with a "second chance" to
receive an award upon transfer to a qualifying institution.
To receive an award, applicants must meet eligibility
requirements, submit the Free Application for Federal Student
Aid and the Cal Grant GPA Verification Form, and complete and
return a Certification Form that includes information on high
school attendance and graduation, CCC attendance, and
California residency.
2)Purpose. According to the author, California has established
an unnecessary barrier for nontraditional low-income transfer
students by requiring Transfer Entitlement award recipients to
possess a California high school diploma or equivalent. The
author notes that CCCs are required to admit all California
students over the age of 18 regardless of whether they have
obtained a high school diploma or equivalency, and a high
school diploma or equivalency is not a requirement for
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admittance at UC or CSU campuses if a student has satisfied
requirements for upper-division transfer from a CCC. AB 1449
allows CCC transfer students to access a Transfer Entitlement
award regardless of whether they have obtained a high school
diploma or its equivalency.
Analysis Prepared by:Chuck Nicol / APPR. / (916)
319-2081