BILL NUMBER: AB 2494	INTRODUCED
	BILL TEXT


INTRODUCED BY   Assembly Member Roger Hernández

                        FEBRUARY 19, 2016

   An act to add Part 52.7 (commencing with Section 88670) to
Division 7 of Title 3 of the Education Code, relating to community
colleges.



	LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST


   AB 2494, as introduced, Roger Hernández. Veteran Resource Centers
Grant Program.
   Existing law establishes the California Community Colleges under
the administration of the Board of Governors of the California
Community Colleges. Existing law requires the board of governors to
appoint a chief executive officer, to be known as the Chancellor of
the California Community Colleges.
   This bill would establish the Veteran Resource Centers Grant
Program, which would authorize the governing board of a community
college district and a community college campus at which a veterans
resource center has been or is intended to be established to jointly
apply to the chancellor for a grant for purposes of providing
resources to veterans and active duty members of the Armed Forces of
the United States enrolled at the campus. The bill would establish
the Veteran Resource Centers Grant Fund in the State Treasury. The
bill would allocate moneys in the fund, upon appropriation by the
Legislature in the annual Budget Act, to the chancellor for, among
other things, administration of the program and distribution of
awards to recipient community college districts and campuses. The
bill would also require the chancellor to submit a report to the
Legislature on the progress of the program by May 31, 2019.
   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.  The Legislature finds and declares the following:
   (a) More than 60,000 veterans and active duty service members were
enrolled at campuses of the California Community Colleges in the
2013-14 academic year.
   (b) Education is a tool for community college students to achieve
economic success.
   (c) Veterans face unique challenges in achieving professional
success, including posttraumatic-stress disorder and assimilation to
civilian life during and after serving on active duty.
   (d) The intent of the Veteran Resource Centers Grant Program is to
help veterans and active duty service members enrolled at campuses
of the California Community Colleges achieve academic and
professional success.
  SEC. 2.  Part 52.7 (commencing with Section 88670) is added to
Division 7 of Title 3 of the Education Code, to read:

      PART 52.7.  Veteran Resource Centers Grant Program


   88670.  This part shall be known, and may be cited as, the Veteran
Resource Centers Grant Program.
   88671.  The Veteran Resource Centers Grant Fund is hereby
established in the State Treasury. Moneys in the fund, upon
appropriation by the Legislature in the annual Budget Act, shall be
allocated to the chancellor for the implementation and administration
of this part.
   88672.  A governing board of a community college district and a
community college campus at which a veterans resource center has been
or is intended to be established may jointly apply to the chancellor
for a grant for purposes of providing resources to veterans and
active duty members of the Armed Forces of the United States enrolled
at the campus to help them succeed academically.
   88673.  (a) The chancellor shall do the following:
   (1) Administer the program and distribute awards to recipient
community college districts and campuses.
   (2) Develop application criteria, administrative guidelines, and
other requirements, by May 26, 2017, through a stakeholder process
and public meetings, for purposes of administering the program. Those
requirements may include the chancellor awarding funding priority to
community college district and campus applicants that commit to
contributing an amount of funds in addition to the grant to develop,
enhance, or maintain a veteran resource center at a community college
campus.
   (b) The chancellor shall submit a report to the Legislature on the
progress of the program on or before May 31, 2019.
   (c) (1) The requirement for submitting a report imposed under
subdivision (b) is inoperative on June 1, 2023, pursuant to Section
10231.5 of the Government Code.
   (2) A report to be submitted pursuant to subdivision (b) shall be
submitted in compliance with Section 9795 of the Government Code.