BILL ANALYSIS
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THIRD READING
Bill No: SB 815
Author: Cogdill (R)
Amended: 6/2/09
Vote: 21
SENATE EDUCATION COMMITTEE : 8-0, 4/29/09
AYES: Romero, Huff, Hancock, Liu, Maldonado, Padilla,
Simitian, Wyland
NO VOTE RECORDED: Alquist
SENATE APPROPRIATIONS COMMITTEE : 12-0, 5/28/09
AYES: Kehoe, Cox, Corbett, Denham, DeSaulnier, Hancock,
Leno, Oropeza, Runner, Walters, Wyland, Yee
NO VOTE RECORDED: Wolk
SUBJECT : Student financial aid: National Guard
education assistance
SOURCE : Author
DIGEST : This bill creates the National Guard Education
Assistance Award Program to provide financial support for
qualifying active members of the California National Guard,
the State Military Reserve, or the Naval Militia attending
a qualifying postsecondary institution. Participants would
apply to the Adjutant General, who would certify
eligibility to the California Student Aid Commission
(CSAC), who would issue the awards. Qualifying applicants
would receive funding equal to the amount of a Cal Grant A
or, if attending a community college, a Cal Grant B award.
CONTINUED
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Grantees would agree to use the award to obtain a
certificate, degree, or diploma that he or she does not
hold at the time of application, as specified. Sunsets
1/1/20.
ANALYSIS : CSAC administers a variety of student
financial aid grant and loan programs including several
different Cal Grant programs. The Cal Grant programs
provide awards to students who meet both specific income
and academic eligibility criteria. These programs include:
1. Cal Grant A & B "entitlement program" for graduating
high school seniors. About 173,000 new and continuing
awards are projected for 2008-09.
2. Cal Grant A and B "competitive program" for students who
begin college more than a year after graduating from
high school. Statute limits the number of new awards in
any one year to not more than 22,500. Because of this,
approximately only 18 percent of qualified applicants
receive awards. Approximately 57,000 new and renewal
grants were awarded in the current year. The Governor's
2008-09 proposed budget includes no funding for this
program.
3. California Community Colleges Transfer Entitlement
Program for students transferring from a California
Community College to a four-year institution.
Approximately 8,000 new and continuing transfer
entitlement awards are projected for 2008-09.
4. Cal Grant C for students attending occupational or
vocational programs of less than two-years duration.
Approximately 7,900 new awards are authorized for
2008-09.
Members of the California National Guard, as well as most
other Californians, may participate in these programs
should they meet the eligibility requirements.
In addition, there are a variety of other federal,
campus-based, and private financial aid opportunities with
varying eligibility requirements.
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This bill creates the California National Guard Education
Assistance Award Program to provide awards to qualifying
members of the California National Guard, the State
Military Reserve or the Naval Militia. Specifically, this
bill:
1. Requires that a "qualifying member" meet all of the
following:
A. Be a California resident.
B. Be an active member of the California National
Guard, the State Military Reserve or the Naval
Militia and have served for at least two years.
C. Be an accepted or registered student at a
qualifying postsecondary education institution.
D. Agree to:
(1) Use the award to obtain a certificate,
degree or diploma that he or she does not hold at
the time the person applies for the award.
(2) Enroll in at least three academic units per
semester (or its equivalent).
E. Is not eligible for, or has no remaining, student
financial aid or educational benefits pursuant to the
federal Montgomery GI Bill or any other federal
educational benefits program for veterans.
F. Has submitted the Free Application for Federal
Student Aid to the United States Department of
Education.
G. Has demonstrated financial need pursuant to the
criteria adopted pursuant to Section 69432.9.
2. Requires applicants to submit applications to the
Adjutant General for review. The Adjutant General would
be required to certify eligibility of the qualifying
member to CSAC.
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3. Requires CSAC to issue the awards and to provide
specified information to the Adjutant General and notify
recipients of their selection for an award.
4. Specifies the qualifying applicants would receive
funding equal to the amount of a Cal Grant A award, or
if attending a community college, a Cal Grant B award.
It caps the award for private school recipients to the
amount received by UC students.
5. Provides that the awards may be renewed for each new
academic year for a maximum of five years full-time
equivalent enrollment providing that the qualifying
member maintains their military eligibility and a 2.0
cumulative grade point average.
6. Prohibits qualifying members from receiving both a
California National Guard Education award and a Cal
Grant for the same academic year.
7. Requires the Student Aid Commission:
A. In consultation with the military department to
adopt emergency rules and regulations to administer
the program.
B. To report annually to the Legislature regarding
program participation, as specified.
8. Provides that costs incurred by CSAC to issue and
process awards and be reimbursed through an interagency
agreement from appropriations in the annual Budget Act
to the Commission. This bill also authorizes CSAC to
enter into contracts to improve the processing and
distribution of awards through the use of electronic
networks and unified databases.
9. Requires the Legislative Analyst to report to the
Legislature by January 1, 2015, on the efficacy of the
program established by this bill.
10.Specifies that the implementation is to be contingent
upon the receipt of federal funding for the purposes of
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the bill.
11.Sunsets 1/1/20.
Prior legislation . This bill is substantially similar to
SB 1752 (Wyland), 2007-08 Session, which was held in the
Senate Appropriations Committee.
FISCAL EFFECT : Appropriation: No Fiscal Com.: Yes
Local: No
According to the Senate Appropriations Committee:
Fiscal Impact (in thousands)
Major Provisions 2009-10 2010-11
2011-12 Fund
Awards $1,800 $3,600$3,600General
CSAC $400 $140 $140 General
Adjutant General $100 $100 General
SUPPORT : (Verified 6/2/09)
Adjunct General, Major General William H. Wade II
Assistant Adjunct General, Brigadier General Mary J. Kight
Secretary of Education, Glen W. Thomas
National Guard Association of California
CA Labor and Workforce Development Agency
Los Angeles County
Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors
Veterans of Foreign Wars
County Veterans Service Officers
Vietnam Veterans of America, California State Council
American Veterans
Sergeants Major Association of CA
DLW:mw:n 6/2/09 Senate Floor Analyses
SUPPORT/OPPOSITION: SEE ABOVE
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