BILL ANALYSIS Ó
AB 2164
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Date of Hearing: May 4, 2016
ASSEMBLY COMMITTEE ON APPROPRIATIONS
Lorena Gonzalez, Chair
AB
2164 (O'Donnell) - As Amended April 18, 2016
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|Policy |Higher Education |Vote:|13 - 0 |
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Urgency: No State Mandated Local Program: NoReimbursable: No
SUMMARY:
This bill expands an existing exemption from mandatory tuition
and fees at the University of California (UC), the Hastings
College of Law, the California State University (CSU), and the
California Community Colleges-for an eligible survivor of a
firefighter or law enforcement officer who died in the line of
duty-to also include the survivor of a firefighter or law
enforcement officer who died as a result of an industrial injury
or illness arising out of and in the course of active law
enforcement or fire suppression and prevention duties. The bill
also provides, for student survivors receiving the existing
waiver, an additional waiver of mandatory campus-based fees.
AB 2164
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FISCAL EFFECT:
Expanding the circumstances under which the survivor of a
firefighter or law enforcement officer would be eligible for
tuition and fee waivers would result in losses of revenue at UC,
CSU, and the CCC.
UC indicates less than 20 current students are receiving the
current waiver. The total is 36 students at CSU and was about
350 at the community colleges in 2014-15. The numbers of
additional students at each segment who would become eligible
for a waiver under this bill is unknown, but assuming it is
one-half the above numbers, the annual revenue losses would be
about $134,000 at UC, $123,000 at CSU and $160,000 at the CCC.
In addition, since the bill waives mandatory campus-based fees,
there would be additional revenue losses of $11,000 at UC and
$48,000 at CSU.
COMMENTS:
Background and Purpose. The Alan Pattee Scholarship Act of 1970
was created in order to assist surviving family members of
firefighters and law enforcement officers who died in the line
of duty. The Act waives all mandatory tuition and fees at UC,
Hastings, and CSU for these survivors. By reference to the Act
in Education Code Section 76300, fees are also waived at the
CCC. Since 1970, California's workers' compensation laws have
been amended to reflect other serious occupational hazards
firefighters and law enforcement officers face. Today these laws
provide for benefits to these public safety officers who also
endure the cumulative effect of exposure to toxic materials. The
Act has never been updated to reflect these changes, which AB
2164 would accomplish.
AB 2164
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Analysis Prepared by:Chuck Nicol / APPR. / (916)
319-2081