BILL NUMBER: SB 957	INTRODUCED
	BILL TEXT


INTRODUCED BY   Senator Price
   (Coauthor: Senator Hancock)

                        FEBRUARY 5, 2010

   An act to amend Section 69439 of the Education Code, relating to
student financial aid.


	LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST


   SB 957, as introduced, Price. Student financial aid: Cal Grant C
awards.
   Existing law, the Ortiz-Pacheco-Poochigian-Vasconcellos Cal Grant
Act, establishes the Cal Grant C Program under the administration of
the Student Aid Commission and establishes eligibility requirements
for awards under this program. The act requires that a Cal Grant C
award be used only for occupational or technical training, as
defined, in a course of not less than 4 months. The act requires the
commission, after consultation with state and federal agencies, to
determine the areas of occupational or technical training for which
Cal Grant C awards shall be awarded.
   This bill would require the Student Aid Commission, in cooperation
with specified entities and persons, to develop and regularly update
the areas of occupational or technical training for which students
may utilize Cal Grant C awards and would require the commission to
give priority in granting the awards to students pursuing
occupational or technical training in areas that meet specified
criteria.
   Vote: majority. Appropriation: no. Fiscal committee: yes.
State-mandated local program: no.


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

  SECTION 1.  Section 69439 of the Education Code is amended to read:

   69439.  (a)  Commencing with the 2001-02 academic year,
and each academic year thereafter, a   A  Cal Grant
C award shall be utilized only for occupational or technical
training in a course of not less than four months. There shall be the
same number of Cal Grant C awards each year as were made in the
2000-01 fiscal year. The maximum award amount and the total amount of
funding shall be determined each year in the annual Budget Act.
   (b) "Occupational or technical training" means that phase of
education coming after the completion of a secondary school program
and leading toward recognized occupational goals approved by the
commission.
   (c) The commission may use criteria it deems appropriate in
selecting students with occupational talents to receive grants for
occupational or technical training.
   (d) The Cal Grant C recipients shall be eligible for renewal of
their grants until they have completed their occupational or
technical training in conformance with terms prescribed by the
commission. In no case shall the grants exceed two calendar years.
   (e) Cal Grant C awards shall be for institutional fees, charges,
and other costs, including tuition, plus training-related costs, such
as special clothing, local transportation, required tools,
equipment, supplies, and books. In determining the amount of grants
and training-related costs, the commission shall take into account
other state and federal programs available to the applicant.
   (f)  Cal Grant C awards shall be awarded in areas of
occupational or technical training as determined by the commission
after consultation with appropriate state and federal agencies
  (1)     To ensure alignment with the
state's dynamic economic needs, the commission, in consultation with
appropriate state and federal agencies, employers and business 
 es   , representatives of organized labor, and
occupational and technical training providers, shall develop and
regularly update areas   of occupational and technical
training for which students may utilize Cal Grant C awards  .

   (2) The commission shall give priority in granting Cal Grant C
awards to students pursuing occupational or technical training in
areas that meet at least two of the following criteria:  
   (A) High employment need.  
   (B) High employment salary or wage projections.  
   (C) High employment growth.  
   (g) The commission shall determine areas of occupational or
technical training that meet the criteria described in paragraph (2)
of subdivision (f) in consultation with the Employment Development
Department using projections available through the Labor Market
Information Data Library.