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<ns0:ActionText>INTRODUCED</ns0:ActionText>
<ns0:ActionDate>2026-01-05</ns0:ActionDate>
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<ns0:SessionYear>2025</ns0:SessionYear>
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<ns0:AuthorText authorType="LEAD_AUTHOR">Introduced by Assembly Member Irwin</ns0:AuthorText>
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<ns0:Legislator>
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<ns0:House>ASSEMBLY</ns0:House>
<ns0:Name>Irwin</ns0:Name>
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<ns0:Title> An act to add Article 17 (commencing with Section 69870) to Chapter 2 of Part 42 of Division 5 of Title 3 of the Education Code, relating to student financial aid.</ns0:Title>
<ns0:RelatingClause>student financial aid</ns0:RelatingClause>
<ns0:GeneralSubject>
<ns0:Subject>Student financial aid: federal Workforce Pell Grant program.</ns0:Subject>
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<html:p>Beginning on July 1, 2026, for the financial aid award year of 2026–27 and each award year thereafter, existing federal law establishes the federal Workforce Pell Grant program to award grants to eligible students who are enrolled, or accepted for enrollment, in a short-term educational program that, among other things, provides an education aligned with the requirements of high-skill, high-wage, or in-demand industry sectors or occupations, as provided.</html:p>
<html:p>This bill, beginning on July 1, 2026, would prohibit a campus of the University of California, the California State University, or the California Community Colleges, a private postsecondary educational institution, or an independent institution of higher education that receives state financial assistance from disbursing federal Workforce Pell Grant program funds to students
enrolled in the institution’s short-term programs, and advertising, marketing, or informing students about the availability of those funds unless the institution has (1) obtained authorization from an unspecified state entity that the institution meets the requirements of the federal Workforce Pell Grant program, and (2) obtained approvals and met all requirements set forth by the United States Department of Education. The bill would require a participating institution seeking a determination that one or more of its short-term programs meets the requirements of the federal Workforce Pell Grant program to provide to the unspecified state entity, among other things, certification under penalty of perjury with any applicable verification required by the unspecified state entity that is sufficient to demonstrate that for each federal aid award year, the short-term program meets specified criteria related to its short-term program, as provided. By expanding the crime of perjury, the bill would impose a
state-mandated local program.</html:p>
<html:p>This bill would prohibit the unspecified state entity from authorizing a participating institution to receive federal Workforce Pell Grant program funds for a short-term program unless, among other things, the unspecified state entity determines that the short-term program meets the requirements of the above-described federal provisions and the unspecified state entity consults with an advisory board, which the bill would establish. The bill would require a participating institution to ensure that any confidential student information collected for purposes of the bill is only disclosed to the unspecified state entity. The bill would authorize the unspecified state entity to adopt rules and regulations to implement the bill as it deems necessary.</html:p>
<html:p>The California Constitution requires the state to reimburse local agencies and school
districts for certain costs mandated by the state. Statutory provisions establish procedures for making that reimbursement.</html:p>
<html:p>This bill would provide that no reimbursement is required by this act for a specified reason.</html:p>
<html:p>Existing constitutional provisions require that a statute that limits the right of access to the meetings of public bodies or the writings of public officials and agencies be adopted with findings demonstrating the interest protected by the limitation and the need for protecting that interest.</html:p>
<html:p>This bill would make legislative findings to that effect.</html:p>
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<ns0:Preamble>The people of the State of California do enact as follows:</ns0:Preamble>
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<ns0:Num>SECTION 1.</ns0:Num>
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Article 17 (commencing with Section 69870) is added to Chapter 2 of Part 42 of Division 5 of Title 3 of the
<ns0:DocName>Education Code</ns0:DocName>
, to read:
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<ns0:LawHeading type="ARTICLE" id="id_051BA3D7-21B0-44BF-B783-C6FBE95D578F">
<ns0:Num>17.</ns0:Num>
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<ns0:LawHeadingText>Federal Workforce Pell Grant Program</ns0:LawHeadingText>
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<ns0:Num>69870.</ns0:Num>
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<html:p>For purposes of this article, the following definitions apply:</html:p>
<html:p>
(a)
<html:span class="EnSpace"/>
“Advisory board” means the California Workforce Pell Grant Advisory Board established pursuant to Section 69873.
</html:p>
<html:p>
(b)
<html:span class="EnSpace"/>
“Authorized state entity” means ____.
</html:p>
<html:p>
(c)
<html:span class="EnSpace"/>
“Participating institution” means a federal Workforce Pell Grant-eligible postsecondary educational institution that offers a short-term program in the state or enrolls students living in the state in a short-term program.
</html:p>
<html:p>
(d)
<html:span class="EnSpace"/>
“Postsecondary educational institution” means a campus of the University of California, the California State University, or the
California Community Colleges, a private postsecondary educational institution, or an independent institution of higher education that receives state financial assistance.
</html:p>
<html:p>
(e)
<html:span class="EnSpace"/>
“Short-term program” means an educational program offered by a participating institution that includes 150 to 599, inclusive, hours of instruction, or an equivalent number of credit hours, over 8 to 14 weeks, inclusive.
</html:p>
<html:p>
(f)
<html:span class="EnSpace"/>
“Workforce Pell Grant program” means the federal program established pursuant to the One Big Beautiful Bill Act (Public Law 119-21), under which federal Workforce Pell Grants may be awarded to students enrolled in a short-term program at a participating institution.
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<ns0:Num>69871.</ns0:Num>
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<html:p>A participating institution shall not disburse Workforce Pell Grant program funds to students enrolled in the institution’s short-term programs, and shall not advertise, market, or inform students about the availability of those funds unless the institution has met both of the following:</html:p>
<html:p>
(a)
<html:span class="EnSpace"/>
Obtained authorization from the authorized state entity pursuant to this article.
</html:p>
<html:p>
(b)
<html:span class="EnSpace"/>
Obtained approvals and met all requirements set forth by the United States Department of Education.
</html:p>
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<ns0:LawSection id="id_7A06ED58-8576-46C5-9080-E51C1B1EA47C">
<ns0:Num>69872.</ns0:Num>
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<html:p>
(a)
<html:span class="EnSpace"/>
The authorized state entity shall determine whether a participating institution’s short-term program meets the requirements established pursuant to this article.
</html:p>
<html:p>
(b)
<html:span class="EnSpace"/>
A participating institution seeking a determination that one or more of its short-term programs meets the requirements of the Workforce Pell Grant program shall provide all of the following to the authorized state entity:
</html:p>
<html:p>
(1)
<html:span class="EnSpace"/>
Documentation that the short-term program meets all requirements set forth in Section 83002(b) of the One Big Beautiful Bill Act (Public Law 119-21) and any applicable federal or state law or regulation.
</html:p>
<html:p>
(2)
<html:span class="EnSpace"/>
Certification under
penalty of perjury with any applicable verification required by the authorized state entity that is sufficient to demonstrate that for each federal aid award year, the short-term program meets both of the following:
</html:p>
<html:p>
(A)
<html:span class="EnSpace"/>
A completion rate of at least 70 percent, within 150 percent of the normal time for completion of the program, verified by an independent auditor.
</html:p>
<html:p>
(B)
<html:span class="EnSpace"/>
A job placement rate of at least 70 percent, measured within 180 days after completion of the program, verified in a manner determined by the authorized state entity.
</html:p>
<html:p>
(3)
<html:span class="EnSpace"/>
Data requested by the authorized state entity related to the short-term program, which shall include, but not be limited to, all of the following:
</html:p>
<html:p>
(A)
<html:span class="EnSpace"/>
Program-level data, including all of the following:
</html:p>
<html:p>
(i)
<html:span class="EnSpace"/>
The name of the short-term program.
</html:p>
<html:p>
(ii)
<html:span class="EnSpace"/>
The Classification of Instructional Programs code and title.
</html:p>
<html:p>
(iii)
<html:span class="EnSpace"/>
(I)
<html:span class="EnSpace"/>
For a participating institution with a physical presence in the state, the total number of students that enrolled in the short-term program during the previously completed federal financial aid award year, the students’ state of residence, and the number of those students that completed the short-term program.
</html:p>
<html:p>
(II)
<html:span class="EnSpace"/>
For a participating institution without a physical presence in the state, the total number of students living in the state that enrolled in the short-term program during the previously completed federal financial aid award year and the number of those students that completed the short-term program.
</html:p>
<html:p>
(iv)
<html:span class="EnSpace"/>
The total cost of attendance, including tuition and fees, and the average cost of the short-term program.
</html:p>
<html:p>
(v)
<html:span class="EnSpace"/>
Any information requested by the authorized state entity that will enable the entity to calculate the median earnings and percentage of graduates who are employed.
</html:p>
<html:p>
(vi)
<html:span class="EnSpace"/>
The number of students who completed the short-term program that are employed in a position related to the short-term program and a list of the positions and employers that are considered to be in the program’s field of study, if available.
</html:p>
<html:p>
(B)
<html:span class="EnSpace"/>
Student-level data, including all of the following:
</html:p>
<html:p>
(i)
<html:span class="EnSpace"/>
Demographic information, including student identifiers, names, dates of birth, and race or ethnicity.
</html:p>
<html:p>
(ii)
<html:span class="EnSpace"/>
Financial aid information, including dependency status, family income, aid amounts, including federal, state, and institutional aid, Pell Grant status, net cost, tuition, and fees.
</html:p>
<html:p>
(c)
<html:span class="EnSpace"/>
The authorized state entity shall not authorize a participating institution to receive Workforce Pell Grant program funds for a short-term program unless all of the following have been met:
</html:p>
<html:p>
(1)
<html:span class="EnSpace"/>
The authorized state entity determines that the short-term program meets the requirements set forth in Section 83002(b) of the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, or in any applicable federal or state law or regulation.
</html:p>
<html:p>
(2)
<html:span class="EnSpace"/>
The authorized state entity has consulted with the advisory board.
</html:p>
<html:p>
(3)
<html:span class="EnSpace"/>
The participating institution
has met the requirements of subdivision (b).
</html:p>
<html:p>
(4)
<html:span class="EnSpace"/>
The participating institution does not do any of the following:
</html:p>
<html:p>
(A)
<html:span class="EnSpace"/>
Partner, affiliate, contract, or use any institution, company, or service provider to offer instruction for the short-term program that is not accredited by an accrediting agency recognized and approved by the United States Department of Education.
</html:p>
<html:p>
(B)
<html:span class="EnSpace"/>
Offer or affiliate with any company that offers financing for the short-term program using a private educational loan, including an income share agreement or a similar type of credit product, other than loans or payment plans that charge no interest to a student.
</html:p>
<html:p>
(C)
<html:span class="EnSpace"/>
Charge tuition and fees to a student for the short-term program that is more than the maximum amount of Workforce Pell Grant
funds available for a student in the short-term program, as determined by the Secretary of the United States Department of Education, for the period of time that the program is offered.
</html:p>
<html:p>
(5)
<html:span class="EnSpace"/>
The participating institution is accredited by an accrediting agency recognized and approved by the United States Department of Education and that reviews and provides approval for short-term programs.
</html:p>
<html:p>
(6)
<html:span class="EnSpace"/>
The short-term program is offered using only credit-bearing courses that are reviewed by the participating institution’s accrediting agency.
</html:p>
<html:p>
(7)
<html:span class="EnSpace"/>
The short-term program has been offered by the participating institution for at least one year before the date that the participating institution submitted its application for approval pursuant to this article.
</html:p>
<html:p>
(d)
<html:span class="EnSpace"/>
The
authorized state entity shall revoke the approval of a participating institution related to the Workforce Pell Grant program if either of the following occurs:
</html:p>
<html:p>
(1)
<html:span class="EnSpace"/>
The participating institution fails to annually meet the requirements of subdivision (b).
</html:p>
<html:p>
(2)
<html:span class="EnSpace"/>
The participating institution is determined by a court to have engaged in unlawful, unfair, or fraudulent business acts or practices, including unfair, deceptive, untrue, or misleading statements related to the short-term program.
</html:p>
<html:p>
(e)
<html:span class="EnSpace"/>
The authorized state entity may enter into a data-sharing agreement with the Labor and Workforce Development Agency to match program and student data in order to obtain any of the following:
</html:p>
<html:p>
(1)
<html:span class="EnSpace"/>
Standard Occupational Classification codes and titles.
</html:p>
<html:p>
(2)
<html:span class="EnSpace"/>
North American Industry Classification System codes and titles.
</html:p>
<html:p>
(3)
<html:span class="EnSpace"/>
Preenrollment and postenrollment employment status and employer.
</html:p>
<html:p>
(4)
<html:span class="EnSpace"/>
Preenrollment and postenrollment earnings data.
</html:p>
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<ns0:LawSection id="id_A6E43546-BD78-4A1C-94FC-A9EAC9620BB1">
<ns0:Num>69873.</ns0:Num>
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<html:p>
(a)
<html:span class="EnSpace"/>
The California Workforce Pell Grant Advisory Board is hereby established for purposes of reviewing short-term programs that may be eligible for Workforce Pell Grant funds and recommending to participating institutions, or the authorized state entity, necessary processes and policies, including, but not limited to, data collecting and reporting, program approval and denials, managing student transitions when programs are deemed ineligible for funding, and designating an entity to manage student complaints.
</html:p>
<html:p>
(b)
<html:span class="EnSpace"/>
The advisory board shall consist of all of the following:
</html:p>
<html:p>
(1)
<html:span class="EnSpace"/>
A representative from the Labor and Workforce Development Agency.
</html:p>
<html:p>
(2)
<html:span class="EnSpace"/>
A representative from the California Workforce Development Board.
</html:p>
<html:p>
(3)
<html:span class="EnSpace"/>
A representative from the Employment Training Panel.
</html:p>
<html:p>
(4)
<html:span class="EnSpace"/>
A representative from the Employment Development Department.
</html:p>
<html:p>
(5)
<html:span class="EnSpace"/>
A representative from the Division of Apprenticeship Standards.
</html:p>
<html:p>
(6)
<html:span class="EnSpace"/>
The President of the University of California.
</html:p>
<html:p>
(7)
<html:span class="EnSpace"/>
The Chancellor of the California State University.
</html:p>
<html:p>
(8)
<html:span class="EnSpace"/>
The Chancellor of the California Community Colleges.
</html:p>
<html:p>
(9)
<html:span class="EnSpace"/>
A representative from the Student Aid Commission.
</html:p>
<html:p>
(10)
<html:span class="EnSpace"/>
A representative from the Bureau for Private Postsecondary Education.
</html:p>
<html:p>
(11)
<html:span class="EnSpace"/>
A representative from the Association of Independent California Colleges and Universities.
</html:p>
<html:p>
(12)
<html:span class="EnSpace"/>
A representative from the State Department of Education.
</html:p>
<html:p>
(13)
<html:span class="EnSpace"/>
A representative from the California Health and Human Services Agency.
</html:p>
<html:p>
(14)
<html:span class="EnSpace"/>
A representative from the Governor’s Office of Business and Economic Development.
</html:p>
<html:p>
(15)
<html:span class="EnSpace"/>
A representative from the Office of Cradle-to-Career Data.
</html:p>
<html:p>
(16)
<html:span class="EnSpace"/>
Industry leaders.
</html:p>
<html:p>
(17)
<html:span class="EnSpace"/>
Nonprofit
leaders.
</html:p>
<html:p>
(18)
<html:span class="EnSpace"/>
Other representatives designated by the Governor.
</html:p>
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<ns0:LawSection id="id_52944950-2252-4BE6-9938-035B14D5436D">
<ns0:Num>69874.</ns0:Num>
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<ns0:Content>
<html:p>
(a)
<html:span class="EnSpace"/>
A participating institution shall ensure that any confidential student information collected for purposes of this article is only disclosed to the authorized state entity.
</html:p>
<html:p>
(b)
<html:span class="EnSpace"/>
A participating institution shall separately identify any confidential information submitted to the authorized state entity pursuant to this article. Any information that is not identified as confidential information shall be considered public information and subject to disclosure.
</html:p>
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<ns0:LawSection id="id_F3E28B33-EC84-44EF-BA2E-8190DB1424A9">
<ns0:Num>69875.</ns0:Num>
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<html:p>The authorizing state entity may adopt rules and regulations for the implementation of this article as it deems necessary.</html:p>
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</ns0:LawSection>
<ns0:LawSection id="id_529C3F67-B363-4753-84DB-535C83371268">
<ns0:Num>69876.</ns0:Num>
<ns0:LawSectionVersion id="id_80C57D09-7541-4E51-8EC3-05889AC198B1">
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<html:p>This article shall take effect on July 1, 2026.</html:p>
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<ns0:Num>SEC. 2.</ns0:Num>
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<html:p>
No reimbursement is required by this act pursuant to Section 6 of Article XIII
<html:span class="ThinSpace"/>
B of the California Constitution because the only costs that may be incurred by a local agency or school district will be incurred because this act creates a new crime or infraction, eliminates a crime or infraction, or changes the penalty for a crime or infraction, within the meaning of Section 17556 of the Government Code, or changes the definition of a crime within the meaning of Section 6 of Article XIII
<html:span class="ThinSpace"/>
B of the California Constitution.
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<ns0:BillSection id="id_16CE1580-8665-4D2F-95EB-65AFE331418C">
<ns0:Num>SEC. 3.</ns0:Num>
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<html:p>The Legislature finds and declares that Section 1 of this act, which adds Section 69874 to the Education Code, imposes a limitation on the public’s right of access to the meetings of public bodies or the writings of public officials and agencies within the meaning of Section 3 of Article I of the California Constitution. Pursuant to that constitutional provision, the Legislature makes the following findings to demonstrate the interest protected by this limitation and the need for protecting that interest:</html:p>
<html:p>To ensure access and use of federal Workforce Pell Grant program funds, which serve the state’s economic interests, the privacy of student data submitted to institutions on a confidential basis must be maintained.</html:p>
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