BILL ANALYSIS Ó
SB 1314
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SENATE THIRD READING
SB
1314 (Block)
As Amended August 1, 2016
Majority vote
SENATE VOTE: 39-0
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|Committee |Votes|Ayes |Noes |
| | | | |
| | | | |
| | | | |
|----------------+-----+----------------------+--------------------|
|Higher |13-0 |Medina, Baker, Bloom, | |
|Education | |Chávez, Irwin, | |
| | |Jones-Sawyer, Levine, | |
| | |Linder, Low, Olsen, | |
| | |Santiago, Weber, | |
| | |Williams | |
| | | | |
|----------------+-----+----------------------+--------------------|
|Appropriations |20-0 |Gonzalez, Bigelow, | |
| | |Bloom, Bonilla, | |
| | |Bonta, Calderon, | |
| | |Chang, Daly, Eggman, | |
| | |Gallagher, Eduardo | |
| | |Garcia, Holden, | |
| | |Jones, Obernolte, | |
| | |Quirk, Santiago, | |
| | |Wagner, Weber, Wood, | |
SB 1314
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| | |McCarty | |
| | | | |
| | | | |
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SUMMARY: Provides that California Community College (CCC)
students participating in a baccalaureate degree pilot program
are eligible for California financial aid. Specifically, this
bill:
1)Provides that CCC students participating in a baccalaureate
degree pilot program, who meet all other Cal Grant program
eligibility criteria, are eligible to receive an award to
cover upper division coursework fees.
2)Provides that CCC students participating in a baccalaureate
degree pilot program are eligible to receive a Middle Class
Scholarship for two years of full-time upper division
coursework. The CCC Chancellor's Office would be required to
report to the California Student Aid Commission (CSAC)
regarding any financial aid data necessary for the
determination of award amounts.
EXISTING LAW:
1)Establishes the Cal Grant program, administered by CSAC, to
provide grants to financially needy students to attend a
college or university. The Cal Grant programs include both
the entitlement and the competitive Cal Grant awards. The
program consists of the Cal Grant A, Cal Grant B, and Cal
Grant C programs and eligibility is based upon financial need,
grade point average (GPA), California residency and other
criteria. (Education Code (EC) Sections 69430 to 69433)
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2)Establishes the Middle Class Scholarship to provide
undergraduate students enrolled at the University of
California (UC) or the California State University (CSU) a
scholarship award that, when combined with other grants and
fee waivers, totals up to 40% of the systemwide tuition and
fees. To qualify, students are required to have an annual
household income that does not exceed $150,000, as adjusted
for changes in cost of living, satisfies specified
requirements for the Cal Grant award, maintain at least a 2.0
GPA, and meet other requirements. Existing law requires the
UC and the CSU to provide the CSAC with any financial aid data
that are necessary for the determination of award amounts. (EC
Sections 70020 to 70023)
3)Authorizes the Board of Governors of CCC, in consultation with
the CSU and the UC, to establish a statewide baccalaureate
degree pilot program at not more than 15 CCC districts, as
specified. In addition to the $46 per unit enrollment fee
authorized pursuant to EC Section 76300, districts are
authorized to charge an $84 per unit fee for upper division
coursework in a baccalaureate degree pilot program. (EC
Sections 78040 to 78042)
FISCAL EFFECT: According to the Assembly Appropriations
Committee:
1)Estimated General Fund costs of $1.2 million in 2016-17, $2.4
million in 2017-18, and $2.8 million in 2018-19 for Cal Grants
and Middle Class Scholarship awards, based on an estimated
320,619, and 720 total recipients, respectively. Costs will
continue until the pilot program sunsets in 2022-23. Cost will
continue if the program is extended and will increase if the
program is expanded to additional districts.
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2)CSAC will have annual administrative costs (General Fund) of
about $90,000 for one position.
COMMENTS: Background. CCC students who meet income and other
eligibility requirements can have their CCC fees waived under
the Board of Governors Fee Waiver (BOGFW) program. Due to this,
under current law, Cal Grant awards to CCC students do not cover
tuition and fees. Additionally, Middle Class Scholarship is
specifically limited to support students at CSU and UC. CCC
students enrolled in a CCC baccalaureate degree pilot program
will be assessed tuition and fees not currently covered by the
BOGFW. This bill provides CSAC the authority to disperse Cal
Grant and Middle Class Scholarship awards to cover these fees to
students who meet all other qualifications.
Purpose of this bill. According to the author, this bill "seeks
to clarify and ensure that the Cal Grant (A or B), Cal Grant
Transfer Entitlement, and Middle Class Scholarship can be
awarded to CCC students seeking a 4-year degree under the Pilot
Program established by SB 850 (Block), Chapter 747, Statutes of
2014. The lack of clarity in current law could create issues of
inequity in that some upper division students would not be able
to receive state financial assistance as other students and
thereby would reduce the possibility of completing a four-year
course of study because of financial need. This bill would
remove any ambiguity in statute and ensure that all students
enrolled in a four-year course of study at a CCC would enjoy
access to California's financial aid programs."
Analysis Prepared by:
Laura Metune / HIGHER ED. / (916) 319-3960 FN:
0004013
SB 1314
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