BILL ANALYSIS Ó
AB 2494
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Date of Hearing: March 29, 2016
ASSEMBLY COMMITTEE ON VETERANS AFFAIRS
Jacqui Irwin, Chair
AB 2494
(Roger Hernández) - As Introduced February 19, 2016
SUBJECT: Veteran Resource Centers Grant Program
SUMMARY: This bill would establish the Veteran Resource Centers
Grant Program at the California Community Colleges (CCC).
Specifically, this bill:
1)Authorizes the governing board of a community college district
and a community college campus at which a veterans resource
center has been or is intended to be established to jointly
apply to the chancellor for a grant for purposes of providing
resources to veterans and active duty members of the Armed
Forces of the United States enrolled at the campus.
2)Establishes the Veteran Resource Centers Grant Fund in the
State Treasury.
3)Allocates moneys in the fund, upon appropriation by the
Legislature in the annual Budget Act, to the chancellor for,
among other things, administration of the program and
distribution of awards to recipient community college
districts and campuses.
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4)Require the chancellors to submit a report to the Legislature
on the progress of the program by May 31, 2019.
EXISTING LAW: Existing law establishes the CCC under the
administration of the Board of Governors of the CCC and requires
the board of governors to appoint a chief executive officer, to
be known as the Chancellor of the CCC.
FISCAL EFFECT: Unknown.
COMMENTS:
According to the author:
There are currently 113 campuses that make up the CCC system.
According to the CCC, an estimated 2.2 million veterans reside
in California, the most in the nation. That number is expected
to increase dramatically as more military personnel serving in
Iraq and Afghanistan complete their service.
As these veterans transition back to civilian life, many
attend one of California's community colleges. In fact, over
60,000 veteran students are in enrolled in a community college
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today.
In 2010, the California Community Colleges High Tech Center
Training Unit created a pilot program to establish VRCs at
community colleges. The VRCs assist veteran students in
re-entering the educational system by providing veteran
students additional guidance and services.
The California Community Colleges Chancellor's Office released
the Veterans Resource Center Review Project report, which
cited the progress of several VRCs statewide. Within its
findings, the Chancellor's Office found VRCs offer dedicated
staff and camaraderie to veteran students which help these
students succeed. Furthermore, the report stated that funding
sources are necessary in order to adequately accommodate
existing veteran students and to prepare for the increase of
veteran students in the near future.
AB 2494 builds on the success of the VRC pilot program by
creating a state initiative to expand VRCs and encourages the
creation of VRCs at campuses that currently do not offer them.
As mentioned in the authors' statement, the pilot program report
notes funding as the primary challenge to VRCs. The report's
conclusion is worth quoting here:
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Funding has been expressed as the major road block to the
continued viability of this and all other VRCs. The message
that Santa Monica wishes the CO to hear is? "All California
Community College campuses should have a VRC. I hear too many
stories from veterans about lack of services on other college
campuses. I don't think we can do much to affect the CSUs
(although they are getting some nice centers) or the UC
campuses but the CCCs are the ideal places to help our
veterans transition to civilian life and higher education."
The SMVRC is a small center with a large heart. While the
space is limited and cramped, the staff are dedicated, the
students inspiring, and the atmosphere friendly and inviting.
The services are all there and range from certification for VA
benefits to coordinated wellness programs and Veterans' Club
activities. Recreational space is limited, but staff are
hopeful about a future expanded location. The website is easy
to access and understand and the staff are helpful and while
by necessity somewhat directing they are looking to the
veterans themselves to chart the future course of the SMVRC.
This bill is an elegant attempt to create a scalable competitive
grant program to triage and meet the wide range of VRC needs and
varying levels of service across the massive community college
system.
REGISTERED SUPPORT / OPPOSITION:
Support
None on File
AB 2494
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Opposition
None on File
Analysis Prepared by:John Spangler / V.A. / (916) 319-3550