BILL ANALYSIS
AB 794
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Date of Hearing: April 22, 2009
ASSEMBLY COMMITTEE ON APPROPRIATIONS
Kevin De Leon, Chair
AB 794 (Hagman) - As Amended: April 14, 2009
Policy Committee: Education
Vote:11-0
Urgency: No State Mandated Local Program:
No Reimbursable: No
SUMMARY
This bill requires the Commission on Teacher Credentialing (CTC)
to waive all application and processing fees for the initial
issuance of a teaching credential for an out-of-state prepared
applicant who relocates to California due to orders received
from a branch of the United States Armed Forces that require the
applicant's spouse to relocate to the state.
FISCAL EFFECT
Loss of GF revenue, likely less than $50,000, by waiving the
initial issuance or renewal fee of $55 for out-of-state prepared
applicants who relocate to California due to their spouses
receiving military orders. According to the CTC, an average of
3,678 out-of-state teachers (over a five year period) have
annually applied for their teaching or services credential.
COMMENTS
1)Purpose . Existing law authorizes the CTC to establish
teaching and service credential fees to cover the cost of its
operating budget. Statute also authorizes the CTC to
establish a fee not to exceed $70, unless approved by the
Legislature. Currently, the fee for an initial issuance or
renewal of a teaching or services credential is $55. An
applicant is required to pay an additional $51 for fingerprint
processing, which covers the fees of the Department of Justice
and Federal Bureau of Investigation. Therefore, the total fee
charged to a first time teacher or services credential
candidate is $106.
AB 794
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According to the author, "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."
2)Existing state fee waivers for member of the United States
Armed Forces . The California Community Colleges, the
California State University (CSU), and the University of
California (UC) provide tuition fee waivers to surviving
spouses of military personnel killed in the line of duty. In
addition, the CSU and UC provide fee waivers to any
undergraduate student who is a recipient of the Congressional
Medal of Honor (Medal of Honor) or a child of a recipient of
the Medal of Honor, under specified circumstances.
The Department of Motor Vehicles waives all fees, except for
duplication purposes, for Medal of Honor winners, former
American prisoners of war, and the surviving spouses of Medal
of Honor winners, if they elect to keep a special license
plate previously used by the recipient of the Medal of Honor.
Analysis Prepared by : Kimberly Rodriguez / APPR. / (916)
319-2081