BILL ANALYSIS                                                                                                                                                                                                    �



                                                                AB 882
                                                                Page  1

        CONCURRENCE IN SENATE AMENDMENTS
        AB 882 (Cook and Blumenfield)
        As Amended  August 30, 2011
        Majority vote
         
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        |ASSEMBLY:  |76-0 |(June 1, 2011)  |SENATE: |40-0 |(September 6,  |
        |           |     |                |        |     |2011)          |
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         Original Committee Reference:    V.A.  

         SUMMARY  :  States that if a member of the Armed Forces or his or her 
        dependent is a student in California at an institution of higher 
        education when the military member is ordered transferred out of 
        state, this bill allows the student (the member or dependent) to 
        maintain residency status for tuition and fees purposes so long as 
        the student remains continuously enrolled in the institution.

         The Senate amendments  delete the contents of the bill and add the 
        contents of AB 853 (Blumenfield) pertaining to veterans education.  
        The June 30th amendments taken in the Senate contained both the 
        County Veteran Service Center Pilot Program and the education 
        provisions.  Subsequently, the bill was amended again by the Senate 
        Appropriations Committee; those amendments deleted the pilot project 
        portion of the bill, the portion that was in the bill when it left 
        the Assembly, leaving only the education portions added from AB 853 
        (Blumenfield).

         FISCAL EFFECT  :  According to the Senate Appropriations Committee, 
        the California State University, the California Community Colleges, 
        and the University of California, all systems are already adhering 
        to federal law regarding in-state tuition for members of the Armed 
        Forces and their dependents, consequently, there will not be any new 
        costs associated with the implementation of this bill.

         AS PASSED BY THE ASSEMBLY  , this bill required the establishment of a 
        pilot project between the California Department of Veterans Affairs 
        and the Employment Development Department to improve the delivery of 
        services to veterans.  The bill also contained a sunset provision.

         COMMENTS  :  The federal government enacted the Higher Education 
        Opportunity Act of 2008 (H.R. 4137).  The Act stipulates that a 
        state receiving assistance under H.R. 4137 shall not charge members 
        of the Armed Forces, or their spouses or dependents, tuition at a 
        public postsecondary education institution in that state at a rate 







                                                                AB 882
                                                                Page  2

        that is greater than the rate charged residents of that state.  This 
        restriction continues so long as the student is continuously 
        enrolled at the institution, notwithstanding a subsequent change in 
        the permanent change of duty station of the member to a location 
        outside of the state.   The Armed Services member must be on active 
        duty for more than 30 days, and his or her domicile or permanent 
        duty station must be in the state.  This bill conforms state law to 
        federal law.  

        The subject matter of this bill has been substantially amended twice 
        by the Senate.  However, the subject matter which remains was heard 
        and the bill passed out of the Assembly Higher Education and 
        Veterans Affairs Committees when this same language was in AB 853 
        (Blumenfield).  AB 853 was passed by the Assembly on a 71-0 vote.


        Analysis Prepared by  :    John Spangler/ V.A. /(916) 319-3550

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