BILL ANALYSIS                                                                                                                                                                                                    �



                                                                  AB 2133
                                                                  Page  1

          Date of Hearing:   May 9, 2012

                        ASSEMBLY COMMITTEE ON APPROPRIATIONS
                                Felipe Fuentes, Chair

                 AB 2133 (Blumenfield) - As Amended:  April 26, 2012 

          Policy Committee:                              Higher 
          EducationVote:9-0
                        Veterans Affairs                      8-0

          Urgency:     No                   State Mandated Local Program: 
          Yes    Reimbursable:              Yes

           SUMMARY  

          This bill increases, from 4 to 15, the number of years after 
          leaving active duty that a veteran  who is a resident of 
          California is eligible for priority registration for enrolling 
          in classes at the California Community Colleges (CCC), the 
          California State University (CSU) and the University of 
          California (UC).

          The bill also requires veterans who are students at the CCC, in 
          order to receive priority for registration, to meet existing 
          matriculation requirements, i.e. declaring a specific 
          educational objective within a reasonable period of time.

           FISCAL EFFECT  

          Each of the segments indicates that any costs to extend 
          veterans' eligibility for priority registration would be minor 
          and absorbable.

           COMMENTS  

           1)Background  . In California approximately 30,000 soldiers are 
            leaving active duty annually, and many are pursuing an 
            education. Student veteran enrollment has increased at all 
            three public postsecondary segments in recent years. The 
            community colleges enroll 44,000 students utilizing some form 
            of veteran/tuition benefit; CSU enrolls 6,450 and UC is 
            enrolling 949.

           2)Purpose  . The Post 9/11 GI Bill education benefit program 








                                                                  AB 2133
                                                                  Page  2

            generally pays a total of 36 months of benefits for up to 15 
            years following active duty. Many veterans are not ready to 
            immediately pursue higher education due to injuries, trauma, 
            and life circumstances. According to the author, the existing 
            statutory allowance of four years for priority registration is 
            not enough time because it does not mirror the timeline that 
            veterans have to use their GI benefits.

           3)Prior Legislation  . SB 813 (Committee on Veterans 
            Affairs)/Chapter 375 of 2011 extended priority enrollment for 
            veterans from two to four years.

           Analysis Prepared by  :    Chuck Nicol / APPR. / (916) 319-2081