BILL ANALYSIS
SENATE COMMITTEE ON EDUCATION
Gloria Romero, Chair
2009-2010 Regular Session
BILL NO: SB 361
AUTHOR: Runner
AMENDED: April 13, 2009
FISCAL COMM: Yes HEARING DATE: April 29, 2009
URGENCY: No CONSULTANT:Beth Graybill
SUBJECT : Public Postsecondary Education: priority
registration.
SUMMARY:
This bill clarifies that only former members of the military
who have received an honorable discharge are eligible for
priority registration for enrollment in public postsecondary
institutions and extends the priority enrollment benefit to
members and former members of the National Guard and
Reserves.
BACKGROUND
Existing law requests the University of California, and
requires the California State University (CSU) and each
community college district 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 within two
years of leaving active military duty.
Existing law generally precludes individuals dishonorably
discharged from the armed forces from receiving veteran's
benefits, such as healthcare and certain educational loans.
ANALYSIS
This bill :
1) Extends the benefit of priority for registration for
enrollment to any member or former member of the State
Military Reserve who is within two years of leaving
active duty.
2) Requires former members of the Armed Forces of the
United States to have received an honorable discharge in
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order to qualify for priority for registration for
enrollment.
3) Defines Armed Forces of the United States to mean 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.
STAFF COMMENTS
1) Mandate . The Legislative Counsel notes that this
measure imposes mandated costs by requiring a higher
level of service on community college districts to
extend the priority registration for enrollment benefit
as specified.
2) Who's included ? Under the provisions of this bill,
members and former members of the following armed forces
would be entitled to priority enrollment:
------------------------------------
|Air Force |Air Force Reserve |
|----------------+-------------------|
|Army |Army Reserve |
|----------------+-------------------|
|Coast Guard |Coast Guard |
| |Reserve |
|----------------+-------------------|
|Marine Corps |Marine Corps |
| |Reserve |
|----------------+-------------------|
|Navy |Navy Reserve |
|----------------+-------------------|
|National Guard |Army National |
| |Guard |
|----------------+-------------------|
| |Air National Guard |
|----------------+-------------------|
| |State Military |
| |Reserve |
------------------------------------
The bill does not include the California Naval Militia,
which a small unit of military lawyers and strategists
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who provide advice and legal expertise in the field of
military and naval matters for the benefit of
California's state defense force. Although currently
inactive, the Naval Militia is reactivated periodically.
As a matter of consistency, should the priority for
enrollment benefit extend to this branch of the armed
forces? If the author wishes to include the Naval
Militia, staff recommends amending the bill to add this
branch of the armed forces to the bill.
3) Honorable discharge . Historically, veterans'
benefits are provided to veterans who have received
honorable discharges or discharges other than
dishonorable. SB 372 (Chapter 356, 2006) gave priority
for registration for enrollment to specified former
members of the armed forces if they were within two
years of discharge from military service but did not
specify the type of discharge that would qualify a
former member for the benefit. Several community
college campuses have reported that dishonorably
discharged individuals have been seeking priority
enrollment privileges pursuant to SB 372. This bill
seeks to limit the benefit to individuals who received
an honorable discharge.
4) Other committee action . The Committee on Veterans
Affairs passed this bill on a 7-0 vote on April 14,
2009.
SUPPORT
The American Legion
OPPOSITION
None received.