BILL ANALYSIS Ó
SENATE COMMITTEE ON VETERANS AFFAIRS
Senator Jim Nielsen, Chair
2015 - 2016 Regular
Bill No: AB 2494 Hearing Date: 6/28/16
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|Author: |Roger Hernández |
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|Version: |5/27/16 |
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|Urgency: |No |Fiscal: |Yes |
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|Consultant:|Wade Teasdale |
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Subject: Veteran Resource Centers Grant Program
DESCRIPTION
Establishes the Veteran Resource Center Grant Program (Program)
to award grant funds - if the funds are made available by
legislative appropriation in the annual Budget Act - to
community colleges and community college districts that operate
or intend to establish a veteran resource center (VRC). Sunsets
as of January 1, 2013.
Existing law:
1)Establishes the California Community Colleges (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.
2)Requires the California State University and the CCC and
encourages the University of California to coordinate services
for qualified students who are veterans or members of the
military by clearly designating Military and Veterans Offices
and individuals to provide specified services to qualified
students. Current law defines "qualified student" as a
student who is any of the following:
a) Member of an active component of the United States Armed
Forces.
b) Member of the California National Guard or Federal
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Reserve component of the U.S. Armed Forces.
c) Veteran of the U.S. Armed Forces.
d) A family member of any of the above, who is a legal
dependent under 28 years of age or living in the household
of that person and eligible to be claimed as a dependent on
federal or state tax returns.
This bill:
1)Makes legislative findings and declarations, including:
a) More than 60,000 veterans and active duty service
members were enrolled at campuses of the California
Community Colleges in the 2013-14 academic year.
b) Veterans face unique challenges in achieving
professional success, including post-traumatic stress
disorder and assimilation to civilian life during and after
serving on active duty.
c) The intent of the Program is to help veterans and active
duty service members enrolled at campuses of the California
Community Colleges achieve academic and professional
success.
2)Establishes the Program.
3)Establishes the Veteran Resource Center Grant Fund (Fund)
within the State Treasury.
4)Provides that moneys in the Fund, upon appropriation by the
Legislature in the annual Budget Act, shall be allocated to
the Chancellor for the implementation and administration of
the Program.
5)Provides that a governing board of a community college
district and a community college campus - at which a VRC has
been or is intended to be established - may jointly apply to
the Chancellor for a grant to provide resources to veterans
and active duty members of the Armed Forces of the United
States, who are enrolled at the campus, to help them succeed
academically.
6)Requires the Chancellor shall do both of the following:
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a) Administer the program and distribute awards to
recipient community college districts and campuses.
b) Develop application criteria, administrative guidelines,
and other requirements, by May 26, 2017, through a
stakeholder process and public meetings, for administering
the program.
7)With regard to grant applicants, provides:
a) That an applicant, who receives a grant award in the
first fiscal year in which the grants are awarded, shall
not be required to match the amount of the award.
b) That an applicant, who receives a grant award during a
subsequent fiscal year, shall match the amount of the award
dollar-for-dollar.
8)Establishes a sunset date: The provisions establishing the
Program and Fund shall remain in effect only until January 1,
2023, and as of that date is repealed, unless a later enacted
statute, that is enacted before January 1, 2023, deletes or
extends that date.
BACKGROUND
In 2010, the California Community Colleges High Tech Center
Training Unit created a pilot program to establish VRCs at
community colleges. The veteran centers assist veteran students
in re-entering the educational system by providing veteran
students additional guidance and services.
In 2014 the California Community Colleges Chancellor's Office
released the Veteran 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.
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According to the analysis by the Senate Committee on Education:
There is wide acknowledgment among the California Community
Colleges of the re-entry challenges many student veterans face
and colleges have recognized the need to expand support
services to help veterans successfully integrate into college
life. The Community College Chancellor's office, in response
to the growing number of student veterans and to provide
statewide leadership and coordination to assist the colleges
has lead several statewide efforts that includes; 1)
appointing a full-time Veteran Services Specialist, 2) hosting
an annual summit to share information and best practices for
staff, faculty and administrators who work with student
veteran's services 3) supporting the development and
implementation of a training program for faculty and staff to
increase awareness on military culture and challenges faced by
many community college student veterans through the
participation in the "Welcome Home Training Program," and; 4)
supporting the development of VRC project.
There are approximately 77 of 113 colleges with VRCs that
range in space and support services but for the most part
these centers help to facilitate academic success and assist
in psychosocial reintegration. There is inconsistency in the
level of support throughout the system. This bill seeks to
establish a grant program thereby allowing more colleges to
provide the services necessary to meet the specific needs of
this emerging student population.
COMMENT
Prior/Related Legislation
AB 393 (R. Hernández, held on suspense in Assembly
Appropriations, 2015) would have established a grant program to
support California Community Colleges (CCC) veterans' resource
centers.
AB 421 (Calderon, held on suspense, Assembly Appropriations,
2015) would have, among others, required the governing board of
a community college district to provide in each CCC within the
district, a veterans counselor.
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POSITIONS
Sponsor: Author.
Support:
AMVETS-Department of California
California Association of County Veterans Service Officers
Military Officers Association of America-California Council of
Chapters
North Orange County Community College District
Veterans of Foreign Wars-Department of California
Vietnam Veterans of America-California State Council
Oppose: None received.
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