BILL ANALYSIS
Senate Appropriations Committee Fiscal Summary
Senator Kevin Murray, Chairman
2489 (Leno)
Hearing Date: 8/17/06 Amended: 5/26/06
Consultant: Bob Franzoia Policy Vote: Ed 9-1
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BILL SUMMARY: AB 2489 would enact the Foster Youth Higher
Education Preparation and Support Act of 2006. The act would:
- Authorize, notwithstanding an existing two percent limitation,
new Cal Grant B award recipients who are currently foster youth
to be eligible for payments of tuition and fees in their first
academic year of attendance.
- Require state universities give priority to foster youth to
university housing. The provisions of the bill would apply to
the University of California to the extent the Regents adopt a
resolution to make it applicable.
- Express legislative intent that all current and former foster
youth who are current residents have their systemwide and campus
fees covered by grant funds in their package of student
financial aid.
- Express legislative intent that, to the extent that a student
of the California State University (CSU) who is a foster youth
does not receive a Cal Grant award sufficient to cover those
fees, the CSU shall grant funds to cover all those fees.
- Require the DSS to notify in writing foster youth 13 years of
age and older of the educational support available pursuant to
this bill.
- Express legislative intent that new and renewal payments be
made to eligible foster youth in the California Higher Education
Chafee Grants Program by 10/1/2006.
- Allow county offices of education and school districts to
elect to apply to the Superintendent of Public Instruction for
grant funding, to the extent funds are available, to operate an
education based foster youth services program to provide
educational and support services.
- Require the Student Aid Commission (SAC) to make a specified
report by 3/1/2007.
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Fiscal Impact (in thousands)
Major Provisions 2006-07 2007-08 2008-09 Fund
Increased Cal Grant $2,091 $4,181 $4,181 General
eligibility
SAC administration Up to $240 in the first
year, decreasing to General
$100 in future years
CSU housing priority Unknown likely major cost
pressure General
and fee backfilling annually
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STAFF COMMENTS: SUSPENSE FILE. AS PROPOSED TO BE AMENDED.
Under current law, the Student Aid Commission may not award to
more than two percent of new Cal Grant B award recipients
enrolling for the first time in an institution of
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AB 2489 (Leno)
postsecondary education access grants ($1,551) and awards for
the payment of tuition
and fees in their first academic year of attendance. This bill
would allow foster youth to receive both grants and awards.
Awards for tuition and fees would be $2,520 for CSU, $6,141 for
UC, and $8,322 for independent colleges. A foster youth
attending a California Community College would receive $1,551
but not an award for tuition and fees as the youth would qualify
for a Board of Governors fee waiver.
Currently, approximately 2,200 foster youth receive Chafee grant
payments. If one half of these youth were added to the two
percent, the Cal Grant program would have costs of $4,181,000
(1,100 x ($1,551 + $2,250) annually. Attendance at UC or an
independent college would increase Cal Grant costs accordingly.
The proposed amendments would delete the FYS expansion and add
consistent accountability provisions for all FYS programs.