AB 1679, as amended, Weber. Child care: state preschool programs: eligibility: military families.
The Child Care and Development Services Act requires the Superintendent of Public Instruction to administer state preschool programs according to specified funding priorities. The act requires that priority for receiving state preschool services be given to low-income families who meet eligibility standards established by the Superintendent.
This bill would exclude the amount of the basic allowance for housing provided to an individual who is on federal active duty, state active duty, active duty for special work, or Active Guard and Reserve duty in the military that is equal to the lowest rate of the allowance for the military housing area in which the individual resides from income for purposes of determining eligibility for state preschool services.
Vote: majority. Appropriation: no. Fiscal committee: yes. State-mandated local program: no.
The people of the State of California do enact as follows:
(a) The Legislature finds and declares all of the
2following:
3(1) California is home to a large number of military personnel,
4including 150,000 active duty personnel.
5(2) Military families are a unique population with unique
6circumstances. The children of military families face constant
7transition, including family mobility and parental deployment.
8(3) Military families move more than twice as often as civilian
9families. Forty percent of officers and 60 percent of enlisted
10personnel move during the
school year. Thus, the lower the rank
11of the military family member, the more often the family moves.
12(4) During a time of war, military families endure the strains of
13long-term separation as one or both parents may be deployed
14overseas.
15(5) During parental deployment children are often anxious,
16stressed, and confused. Preschools can be a place where stability
17and routine can provide security. The classroom routine helps to
18cushion the impact of parental deployment.
19(6) Preschool can be a determining factor in the early academic
20success of a pupil from a military family by providing educational
21enrichment, as well as a stable and nurturing learning environment.
22(b) Given these special circumstances, it is the intent of the
23Legislature in enacting this act to ensure that military families have
24access to the preschool services that their children need.
Section 8236.2 is added to the Education Code, to
26read:
begin insert(a)end insertbegin insert end insert For purposes of determining eligibility for state
28preschool services pursuant to this article, the income of an
29individual who is on federal active duty, state active duty, active
30duty for special work, or Active Guard and Reserve duty in the
31military does not include the amount of the basic allowance for
32housing pursuant to Section 403 of Title 37 of the United States
33Code provided to the individual that is equal to the lowest rate of
34the allowance for the military housing area in which the individual
35resides.
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(b) Nothing in this section shall supersede the priority for
2state-subsidized child development services included in this
3chapter.
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