BILL ANALYSIS                                                                                                                                                                                                    Ó



                                                                     SB 418


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          Date of Hearing:  June 23, 2015


                       ASSEMBLY COMMITTEE ON HIGHER EDUCATION


                                 Jose Medina, Chair


          SB  
          418 (Morrell) - As Amended April 15, 2015


          SENATE VOTE:  36-0


          SUBJECT:  California State University: readmission.


          SUMMARY:  Requires the California State University (CSU) to  
          comply with specified federal law regarding readmission  
          requirements for service members attending postsecondary  
          education institutions, and authorizes the CSU to adopt  
          regulations to implement said provisions.  




          EXISTING LAW:    




          Federal law.  Establishes readmission requirements for service  
          members attending postsecondary education institutions and  
          specifically prohibits an institution from denying readmission  
          to a person who is a member of, applies to be a member of,  
          performs, has performed, applies to perform, or has an  
          obligation to perform, service in the uniformed services on the  








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          basis of that membership, application for membership,  
          performance of service, application for service, or obligation  
          to perform service.  Specifies that an institution is required  
          to promptly readmit the individual with the same academic status  
          as the student had when he/she last attended the institution or  
          was last admitted to the institution.  Requires that the  
          cumulative length of the absence (and of all previous absences  
          from that institution by reason of service, including only the  
          time the student spends actually performing service in the  
          uniformed services) does not exceed five years (Code of Federal  
          Regulations 34, Section 668.18).




          State law.  Requires each segment (California Community  
          Colleges, CSU, and University of California) of public higher  
          education to establish, and update as necessary, a written  
          policy concerning students who are called to active military  
          service, and specifically requires that the policy ensure that  
          those students do not lose academic credits or degree status,  
          and provide for a refund of fees paid by the student for the  
          term in which he or she was called to active military service  
          (Education Code Section 66023).


          FISCAL EFFECT:  According to the Senate Appropriations  
          Committee, pursuant to Senate Rule 28.8, negligible state costs.


          COMMENTS:  CSU compliance?  According to the CSU, in response to  
          recently modified federal law, on January 10, 2014, all CSU  
          campuses were directed to promptly readmit service member  
          students in the same program with the same enrollment and  
          academic status.  Campuses were also advised that student  
          service members may defer their return no later than three years  
          after completing service and may not have a cumulative period of  
          more than five years absence, including service.  It appears  
          that the CSU complies with federal law requirements regarding  








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          readmission; however, state regulations have not been updated to  
          reflect the federal changes.

          Purpose for this measure.  According to the author, "The purpose  
          of this bill is to ensure that every campus in the CSU system is  
          in compliance with federal law regarding approved absences for  
          active duty military personnel.  CSU has updated its policies to  
          reflect recent [federal] changes, however, at least one campus  
          still holds to the previous two-year limit on these approved  
          absences."

          This measure seeks to ensure that the state is in full  
          compliance with federal law regarding this issue; and, ensures  
          that the CSU Trustees adopt regulations that all CSU campuses  
          must implement.


          REGISTERED SUPPORT / OPPOSITION:




          Support


          None on file.




          Opposition


          None on file.




          Analysis Prepared by:Jeanice Warden / HIGHER ED. / (916)  








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          319-3960