BILL ANALYSIS �
SENATE COMMITTEE ON EDUCATION
Alan Lowenthal, Chair
2011-2012 Regular Session
BILL NO: AB 2133
AUTHOR: Blumenfield
AMENDED: June 19, 2012
FISCAL COMM: Yes HEARING DATE: June 27, 2012
URGENCY: No CONSULTANT:Daniel Alvarez
SUBJECT : Veterans: priority registration.
SUMMARY
This bill extends the period of time, from 4 years to 15
years, that a former member of the Armed Forces of the
United States, as defined, can receive priority
registration enrollment at the California State University
(CSU) and the California Community Colleges (CCC). The bill
requests that the University of California comply with
priority enrollment as specified in this measure.
BACKGROUND
Current law:
Requires CSU and CCC, and requests UC, to grant priority
registration for enrollment to a member or former member of
the Armed Forces, as defined, who is a resident of
California and who has received an honorable discharge, a
general discharge, or an other than honorable discharge for
any academic term within four years of leaving state or
federal active duty, provided the campus administers
priority enrollment. (Education Code � 66025.8)
Requires that the community colleges make available a
variety of "matriculation services" to students in order to
ensure that students receive educational services necessary
to optimize their opportunities for success. Matriculation
requirements are only operative if funds are specifically
appropriated for these purposes. (EC � 78210-78219)
ANALYSIS
This bill extends the period of time, from 4 years to 15
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years, that a former member of the Armed Forces of the
United States, as defined, can receive priority
registration enrollment at the California State University
(CSU) and the California Community Colleges (CCC). The bill
requests that the University of California comply with
priority enrollment as specified in this measure. In
addition, this bill:
1) 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.
2) Requires that priority registration provided pursuant
to this measure shall apply to enrollment for all
degree and certificate programs offered by the
institution after the military or veteran status of
the student has been verified by the institution he or
she attends.
STAFF COMMENTS
1) Need for the bill. According to the author, there is
limited flexibility to veterans who need additional
time given the rigidity of the current four-year
timeline for preferred enrollment which begins at the
date of honorable discharge.
This is a problem because today's young veterans
disproportionately face challenges that can delay
their pursuit of higher education due to injuries,
trauma, and life circumstances. In addition, there is
no conformity with the 15-year timeline veterans can
draw down federal education benefits paid under the
Post 9/11 GI Bill.
2) Length of time to access and maximum time limit for
benefits . According to the US Department of Veteran
Affairs, the Post 9/11 GI Bill education benefit
program generally pays a total of 36 months of
benefits for up to 15 years following active duty.
This is generally the high-end of time to receive and
activate earned benefits.
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3) Value of priority registration enrollment . Priority
registration enrollment decisions are made at the
campus level at each segment. This process allows
specified students access to classes ahead of the
general student population. As state support for
higher education has decreased while enrollments have
increased at the three segments, classes have become
increasingly impacted-unable to accommodate all
students who enroll in the course. Thus, students who
have priority registration enrollment status have a
significant advantage over other students,
particularly at CCC. In general, the systems provide
priority enrollment for students with disabilities,
participants in Educational Opportunity Program
Students, and continuing students nearing their
education goals.
4) Further complicating matters, perpetual Budget
shortfalls. The 2011 Budget proposes funding
reductions of $500 million to both UC and CSU. Both
systems are over-enrolled (they serve more students
than the State funds them to educate) and may need to
reduce the number of students they admit in order to
absorb the reductions in their State budgets. The
Governor's budget proposes a $400 million budget
reduction to CCC, which translates into fewer course
offerings since CCC has no admission
requirements. Thus, admission to UC and CSU will
become increasingly competitive as they reduce their
enrollments, and competition for class offerings at
CSU and CCC, in particular, will continue to increase
as fewer courses are offered as a result of budget
cuts.
5) Compelling argument can be made that a veteran student
may need some time, perhaps even years, before
deciding to use their GI bill educational benefits and
go to college and that state statute should somehow
recognize this. However, staff could not find any
information on the "average" time that a veteran may
access their benefits. The GI Educational benefit
programs recognize that a veteran's pursuit of higher
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education can be delayed due to injuries, trauma, and
life circumstances and therefore give a longer period
of time in which the veteran may use his or her
benefit. This measure would provide a veteran 15
years of continuous priority registration enrollment
once discharged from military service, well in excess
of the 36 months (3 years) of educational benefits the
federal government provides that can be used over a 15
year period of time after discharge. Last year, this
committee acknowledged the necessity of providing
additional time for veterans to access priority
registration by extending the period for such a
benefit from 2 years to 4 years.
Staff, therefore, recommends amendments that provide
veterans four years of priority registration
enrollment, but authorizes the use of the priority
registration enrollment within a 15-year window
starting from the time of discharge.
6) Measure is keyed with a possible mandate . Legislative
Counsel has determined by requiring community college
districts to provide priority registration for
enrollment for additional years, the bill would impose
a state-mandated local program.
7) Related legislation .
AB 2462 (Block) requires the Chancellor of the
California Community Colleges (CCC) to implement a
process for awarding credit for prior military
academic experience that meets the pertinent standards
of the American Council on Education (ACE), as
specified.
AB 2478 (Hayashi) extends resident classification for
two years to California Community College students who
were stationed in California on active duty for more
than one year immediately prior to being discharged.
This bill will be heard in this committee on June 27,
2012.
Chapter 375, Statutes of 2011 (SB 813, Senate
Committee on Veterans Affairs), extended priority
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enrollment for veterans from two to four years.
Chapter 356, Statutes of 2007 (SB 272, Runner),
established priority registration for two years for
members of the military.
SUPPORT
California Community Colleges, Chancellor's Office
Coast Community College District
Community College League of California
National Association of Social Workers - California Chapter
North Orange County Community College District
Orange County Community Colleges Legislative Task Force
Rancho Santiago Community College District
South Orange County Community College
OPPOSITION
None on file.