BILL NUMBER: SB 361	AMENDED
	BILL TEXT

	AMENDED IN SENATE  APRIL 13, 2009

INTRODUCED BY   Senator Runner

                        FEBRUARY 25, 2009

   An act to amend Section 66025.8 of the Education Code, relating to
postsecondary education.


	LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST


   SB 361, as amended, Runner. Public postsecondary education: 
priority registration:  Armed Forces  and State Military
Reserve  service.
   (1) Existing law requires the California State University and each
community college district, and requests the University of
California, with respect to each campus in their respective
jurisdictions that administers a priority enrollment system, to grant
priority for registration for enrollment to any member or former
member of the Armed Forces of the United States for any academic term
attended at one of these institutions within 2 years of leaving
active duty.
   This bill would specify that these priority registration
provisions apply to any member or former member of the Armed Forces
of the United States who has received an honorable discharge  and
to any member or former member of the State Military Reserve. The
bill also would define "Armed Forces of the United States" for
purposes of the priority registration   provisions  .
By establishing revised requirements relating to student eligibility
for priority registration for community college districts, the bill
would impose a state-mandated local program.
   (2) The California Constitution requires the state to reimburse
local agencies and school districts for certain costs mandated by the
state. Statutory provisions establish procedures for making that
reimbursement.
   This bill would provide that, if the Commission on State Mandates
determines that the bill contains costs mandated by the state,
reimbursement for those costs shall be made pursuant to these
statutory provisions.
   Vote: majority. Appropriation: no. Fiscal committee: yes.
State-mandated local program: yes.


THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:

  SECTION 1.  Section 66025.8 of the Education Code is amended to
read:
   66025.8.   (a)    The California State
University and each community college district shall, and the
University of California is requested to, with respect to each campus
in their respective jurisdictions that administers a priority
enrollment system, grant priority in that system for registration for
enrollment to any member or former member of the Armed Forces of the
United States who has received an honorable discharge,  and to
any member or former member of the State Military Reserve,  for
any academic term attended at one of these institutions within two
years of leaving  state or federal  active duty.  As
 
   (b) (1) For purposes of this section, "Armed Forces of the United
States" means the Air Force, Army, Coast Guard, Marine Corps,
National Guard, Navy, and the reserve components of each of those
forces, including the California National Guard. 
    (2)     As  used in this section,
"member or former member of the Armed Forces of the United States"
includes, but is not necessarily limited to, any student who is
called to active military duty compelling that student to take an
academic leave of absence.
  SEC. 2.  If the Commission on State Mandates determines that this
act contains costs mandated by the state, reimbursement to local
agencies and school districts for those costs shall be made pursuant
to Part 7 (commencing with Section 17500) of Division 4 of Title 2 of
the Government Code.