AB 1781, as amended, Linder. California National Guard Education Assistance Award Program.
Existing law establishes the California National Guard Education Assistance Award Program, which provides financial aid to qualifying members of the California National Guard, the State Military Reserve, and the Naval Militia, under the administration of the Student Aid Commission, in consultation with the Military Department. Existing law provides that a qualifying member is eligible to receive an award if, among other conditions, the person enrolls in at least 3 academic units per semester, or the equivalent thereof.
This bill wouldbegin delete revise this eligibility condition to specify that it is satisfied by a person enrolling in at least 3 academic units per summer session or intersession term.end deletebegin insert
provide that a qualifying member who meets those conditions may be eligible to receive an award for a summer session term if the member submits a letter from his or her unit commander that states that the summer session will not adversely impact the member’s attendance at mandatory military training.end insert The bill also would statebegin delete various legislative findings, declarations, and intentend deletebegin insert the intent of the Legislatureend insert relating to these provisions.
Vote: majority. Appropriation: no. Fiscal committee: yes. State-mandated local program: no.
The people of the State of California do enact as follows:
The Legislature finds and declares both of the
2following:
3(a) The California National Guard Education Award Assistance
4Program is a highly effective student-soldier assistance program
5emphasizing certification, program, and degree completion.
6(b) Student-soldiers are
strongly encouraged to seek available
7academic advising services to create their academic schedule and
8program with the goal of working towards a certification or degree.
It is the intent of the Legislature to build upon
11the success of the California National Guard Education Award
12Assistance Program by providing student-soldiers more flexibility
13in achieving their academic goals.
Section 69999.16 of the Education Code is amended
16to read:
(a) Commencing January 1 of the 2009-10 academic
18year, and each academic year thereafter, any qualifying member
19of the California National Guard, the State Military Reserve, or
20the Naval Militia may apply for a California National Guard
21Education Assistance Award.
22(b) begin insert(1)end insertbegin insert end insertA qualifying member shall meet all of the following
23conditions to be eligible to receive a California National Guard
24Education Assistance Award:
25(1)
end delete
26begin insert(A)end insert The person is a resident within the meaning of Section
2768017.
28(2)
end delete
29begin insert(B)end insert The person is an active member of, and has served two years
30in, the California National Guard, the State Military Reserve, or
31the Naval Militia.
32(3)
end delete
P3 1begin insert(C)end insert The person has been accepted or registered at, or enrolled
2in, a qualifying institution, as defined in subdivision (l) of Section
369432.7.
4(4)
end delete
5begin insert(D)end insert The person agrees to use the award to obtain a certificate,
6degree, or diploma that he or she does not hold at the time he or
7she applies for the award, and enrolls in at least three academic
8units per semester, or the equivalentbegin delete thereof, or per summer session
9
or intersession term.end delete
10(5)
end delete
11begin insert(E)end insert The person has submitted the Free Application for Federal
12Student Aid (FAFSA) to the United States Department of
13Education.
14(2) To be eligible for an award for a summer session term, a
15qualifying member who meets the conditions in paragraph (1)
16shall submit a letter from his or her unit commander that states
17that the member’s enrollment
in that summer session will not
18adversely impact the member’s attendance at mandatory military
19training.
20(c) Each person applying for a California National Guard
21
Education Assistance Award shall submit an application for an
22award to the Adjutant General.
23(d) The Adjutant General shall do all of the following:
24(1) Annually identify the skills most needed by the California
25National Guard to retain members who possess, or seek to possess,
26those identified skills.
27(2) Prioritize those applicants who qualify for an award pursuant
28to subdivision (b) based on the skills most needed by the California
29National Guard, as identified pursuant to paragraph (1).
30(3) Select award recipients from among eligible applicants
31pursuant to subdivision (e).
32(4) Certify
the eligibility of applicants to the Student Aid
33Commission.
34(5) Notify recipients of their selection for an award.
35(e) The Adjutant General shall select recipients who have been
36judged by the Adjutant General to have outstanding ability on the
37basis of criteria that may include, but shall not be limited to, any
38of the following:
39(1) The Military Occupational Specialty Code or the Air Force
40Specialty Code.
P4 1(2) An annual noncommissioned officer evaluation report or
2officer evaluation report of the preceding two years.
3(3) A memorandum from the applicant’s commander
4recommending the applicant for
the award.
5(4) Commendations the applicant has received.
6(5) An essay, written by the applicant, explaining why education
7is important to the applicant.
8(f) The number of awards issued by the Student Aid Commission
9in any fiscal year shall be limited to the number authorized in the
10annual Budget Act for that year, but in no event shall exceed 1,000
11in any fiscal year.
12(g) The Student Aid Commission shall issue the awards in
13accordance with Section 69999.18.
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