BILL ANALYSIS
AB 794
Page 1
Date of Hearing: April 1, 2009
ASSEMBLY COMMITTEE ON EDUCATION
Julia Brownley, Chair
AB 794 (Hagman) - As Introduced: February 26, 2009
SUBJECT : Teacher credentialing: fees.
SUMMARY : Requires the Commission on Teacher Credentialing
(CTC) to waive all application and processing fees for
out-of-state applicants for teaching credentials who relocate to
California due to orders received from a branch of the United
States Armed Forces that require the applicant's spouse to
relocate to California.
EXISTING LAW requires:
1)Fees to be levied by the commission for the issuance and
renewal of teaching and service credentials. Commencing
January 1, 1987, the fee for the issuance and renewal of
teaching and service credentials shall be fifty dollars ($50).
In subsequent years, the commission may set a different fee,
but in no case shall a fee exceed seventy dollars ($70)
without express legislative approval. (Education Code Section
44235)
2)Subject to funds being appropriated expressly for this purpose
in the annual Budget Act, credential fees to be waived by the
commission for first-time teaching credential applicants for
the Single subject credential; Multiple subject credential;
Special education credential; and, Specialist instruction
credential. (Education Code Section 44235)
3)Annually, as part of the budget review process, the Department
of Finance to recommend to the Legislature an appropriate
credential fee sufficient to generate revenues necessary to
support the operating budget of the commission plus a prudent
reserve. (Education Code Section 44235)
FISCAL EFFECT : Unknown
COMMENTS : This bill would require the Commission on Teacher
Credentialing (CTC) to waive the initial teacher credential
issuance fee for credential applicants from out of state who
have relocated to California due to orders received by the
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applicant's spouse from a branch of the United States Armed
Forces.
The CTC has authorization to set teaching and service credential
fees to cover the costs of the operating budget of the
Commission. Currently, the CTC charges $55 for an initial
issuance or renewal of a teaching or services credential or to
add an authorization to an existing credential. The CTC also
charges a fingerprinting processing fee of $51, which covers the
Department of Justice and Federal Bureau of Investigation fees
for processing fingerprints. This means a first time teacher or
services credential candidate must pay a total of $106 to the
CTC. AB 794 would waive the Initial State credential fee ($55)
for those out-of-state military spouses who were re-located due
to their spouse receiving military orders. This will cut the
financial burden of these credential candidates by 52%.
Other Fee Waivers . In 1999, the Budget Act authorized the CTC
to waive the credential fees for all first time teaching
credential candidates, when funds are expressly appropriated for
this purpose. This fee waiver was in effect from 1999 until
2002.
According to the California Department of Veterans Affairs,
there are several fee waivers available to members of the Armed
Forces, their children and spouses, as well as veterans of the
Armed Forces. Two of these fee waivers are similar in nature to
the fee waiver proposed by this measure. Veterans, members of
the Armed Forces, children and spouses of a member of the Armed
Forces are eligible for a waiver of non-resident fees at all
State of California Community Colleges, California State
University or University of California campuses, which means
they are eligible to pay these institutions at the California
resident rate. Another fee waiver is available on vehicle
registration and license fees for Medal of Honor recipients,
American Ex-Prisoners of War and disabled veterans. The lost
revenue incurred from both of these fee waivers are absorbed by
the respective agencies, and the revenue is not backfilled by
the State General Fund.
Potential Lost Revenue to the CTC . According to the CTC and the
Annual Teacher Supply Report, in 2006-07 the CTC issued 3,787
teacher credentials to out-of state trained teachers. In the
last 5 years, the CTC has issued an average of 3,678 teacher
credentials to out-of state trained teachers per year. With the
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existing large military installations in California, one could
estimate that the percentage of current credentials being issued
to military spouses from out of state could be as much as 5%,
10% or even 20% of the total number of credentials issued to out
of state candidates. If 20% of the 3,678 credential candidates
were eligible for the waiver proposed by this measure, it would
mean a loss in revenue for the CTC of more than $40,000
annually. If 5% of the 3,678 credential candidates were
eligible for the waiver proposed by this measure, it would mean
a loss in revenue for the CTC of more than $10,000 annually.
The committee should consider how this loss in revenue would
affect the functions of the CTC.
According to the author, "Currently, when an out-of-state
teacher has to relocate to California due to his/her spouse
receiving relocation orders from the military, that teacher is
required to pay an Initial processing fee of $55 in order to
teach in this state. Along with this fee, the teacher also has
to pay a $51 fingerprinting fee, bringing the total to $106. It
is hard enough for California to find enough responsible and
effective educators. We should not make it unfairly more
difficult for out-of-state military spouses to come educate our
California children."
Committee Amendment : Committee staff recommends the bill be
amended to clarify that the fee waived by this measure would be
the "Initial Issuance" fee of $55, and does not include the
fingerprint fee or any renewal fees.
Related legislation : SB 15 (Cedillo) from 2009 expands the
students eligible to receive a Cal Grant A or B award under the
Cal Grant High School Entitlement Program to include California
residents who are current or former members of the United States
Armed Forces beginning with the 2010-11 academic year. SB 15
passed the Senate Education Committee with a vote of 8-0.
Previous legislation : SB 1219 (Cedillo) from 2008 would have
expanded the students eligible to receive a Cal Grant A or B
award under the Cal Grant High School Entitlement Program to
include California residents who are current or former members
of the United States Armed Forces beginning with the 2010-11
academic year. SB 1219 was held in the Senate Appropriations
Committee.
AB 1115 (Strom-Martin, etc.) Chapter 78, Statutes of 1999,
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authorized the CTC to waive all fees for first time teaching
credential applicants, subject to an appropriation in the annual
Budget Act. This fee waiver was in effect from 1999-2002.
REGISTERED SUPPORT / OPPOSITION :
Support
None on file.
Opposition
None on file.
Analysis Prepared by : Chelsea Kelley / ED. / (916) 319-2087