BILL NUMBER: SB 418 AMENDED
BILL TEXT
AMENDED IN SENATE APRIL 15, 2015
INTRODUCED BY Senator Morrell
FEBRUARY 25, 2015
An act to add Section 66026.5 66610
to the Education Code, relating to public postsecondary
education. the Calif ornia State
University.
LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST
SB 418, as amended, Morrell. Public postsecondary
education: attendance. California State University:
readmission.
The Donahoe Higher Education Act sets forth the missions and
functions of the segments of the higher education system in the
state, including, among others other
segments, the California State University, administered by the
Trustees of the California State University, and the
California Community Colleges, administered by the Board of Governors
of the California Community Colleges. University.
Existing federal law provides that a student whose absence from an
institution of higher education is necessitated by service in the
uniformed services shall be entitled to readmission to the
institution if the cumulative length of the absence does not exceed
5 years.
This bill would require the Trustees of the California State
University to amend a specified California regulation by January 1,
2017, to provide that a student's absence due to serving in the
uniformed services shall not be considered an interruption in
attendance, if the total of those absences does not exceed five
years, as specified. By requiring community college districts to
change their student absence policy, this bill would impose a
state-mandated local program.
The California Constitution requires the state to reimburse local
agencies and school districts for certain costs mandated by the
state. Statutory provisions establish procedures for making that
reimbursement.
This bill would provide that, if the Commission on State Mandates
determines that the bill contains costs mandated by the state,
reimbursement for those costs shall be made pursuant to these
statutory provisions.
This bill would require the California State University to comply
with that federal law, as specified, and would authorize the Trustees
of the California State University to adopt regulations to implement
that requirement.
Vote: majority. Appropriation: no. Fiscal committee: yes.
State-mandated local program: yes no .
THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:
SECTION 1. Section 66610 is added to the
Education Code , to read:
66610. The California State University shall comply with Section
668.18(c)(1)(ii) of Title 34 of the Code of Federal Regulations, as
that section read on July 1, 2010. The Trustees of the California
State University may adopt regulations to implement this section.
SECTION 1. It is the intent of the Legislature
to conform California law, Section 40401 of Title 5 of the California
Code of Regulations, regarding approved absences for students at the
California State University and the California Community Colleges,
to federal law, Section 668.18 of Title 34 of the Code of Federal
Regulations, to extend the length of approved absences for students
actively serving in the uniformed services to five years.
SEC. 2. Section 66026.5 is added to the
Education Code, to read:
66026.5. The Trustees of the California State University shall
amend, by January 1, 2017, Section 40401 of Title 5 of the California
Code of Regulations to provide that the cumulative length of an
absence and of all previous absences from the California State
University or the California Community Colleges due to service in the
uniformed services, including only the time a student spends
actually performing service in the uniformed services, shall not be
considered an interruption in attendance, if the absence does not
exceed five years.
SEC. 3. If the Commission on State Mandates
determines that this act contains costs mandated by the state,
reimbursement to local agencies and school districts for those costs
shall be made pursuant to Part 7 (commencing with Section 17500) of
Division 4 of Title 2 of the Government Code.