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		<ns0:Id>20250AB__103599INT</ns0:Id>
		<ns0:VersionNum>99</ns0:VersionNum>
		<ns0:History>
			<ns0:Action>
				<ns0:ActionText>INTRODUCED</ns0:ActionText>
				<ns0:ActionDate>2025-02-20</ns0:ActionDate>
			</ns0:Action>
			<ns0:Action>
				<ns0:ActionText>REVISED</ns0:ActionText>
				<ns0:ActionDate>2025-04-09</ns0:ActionDate>
			</ns0:Action>
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		<ns0:LegislativeInfo>
			<ns0:SessionYear>2025</ns0:SessionYear>
			<ns0:SessionNum>0</ns0:SessionNum>
			<ns0:MeasureType>AB</ns0:MeasureType>
			<ns0:MeasureNum>1035</ns0:MeasureNum>
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		<ns0:AuthorText authorType="LEAD_AUTHOR">Introduced by Assembly Member Mark González</ns0:AuthorText>
		<ns0:AuthorText authorType="PRINCIPAL_COAUTHOR_OPPOSITE">(Principal coauthor: Senator Cervantes)</ns0:AuthorText>
		<ns0:AuthorText authorType="COAUTHOR_ORIGINATING">(Coauthors: Assembly Members Alvarez and Hadwick)</ns0:AuthorText>
		<ns0:Authors>
			<ns0:Legislator>
				<ns0:Contribution>LEAD_AUTHOR</ns0:Contribution>
				<ns0:House>ASSEMBLY</ns0:House>
				<ns0:Name>Mark González</ns0:Name>
			</ns0:Legislator>
			<ns0:Legislator>
				<ns0:Contribution>PRINCIPAL_COAUTHOR</ns0:Contribution>
				<ns0:House>SENATE</ns0:House>
				<ns0:Name>Cervantes</ns0:Name>
			</ns0:Legislator>
			<ns0:Legislator>
				<ns0:Contribution>COAUTHOR</ns0:Contribution>
				<ns0:House>ASSEMBLY</ns0:House>
				<ns0:Name>Alvarez</ns0:Name>
			</ns0:Legislator>
			<ns0:Legislator>
				<ns0:Contribution>COAUTHOR</ns0:Contribution>
				<ns0:House>ASSEMBLY</ns0:House>
				<ns0:Name>Hadwick</ns0:Name>
			</ns0:Legislator>
		</ns0:Authors>
		<ns0:Title>An act to amend Section 76396.3 of the Education Code, relating to community colleges. </ns0:Title>
		<ns0:RelatingClause>community colleges</ns0:RelatingClause>
		<ns0:GeneralSubject>
			<ns0:Subject>Community colleges: California College Promise: fee waiver eligibility.</ns0:Subject>
		</ns0:GeneralSubject>
		<ns0:DigestText>
			<html:p>Existing law establishes the California College Promise, under the administration of the Chancellor of the California Community Colleges, to provide funding, upon appropriation by the Legislature, to each community college meeting prescribed requirements. Existing law authorizes a community college to use that funding to waive some or all of the fees for 2 academic years for first-time community college students and returning community college students, as defined, who are enrolled in 12 or more semester units or the equivalent, or less for students certified as “full time,” as specified, and who complete and submit either a Free Application for Federal Student Aid or a California Dream Act application, except as provided.</html:p>
			<html:p>This bill would authorize extending the term of eligibility of the California College Promise for an additional 2 academic
		years for first-time community college students and returning community college students who matriculate into upper division coursework of a community college baccalaureate degree program, as specified.</html:p>
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		<ns0:DigestKey>
			<ns0:VoteRequired>MAJORITY</ns0:VoteRequired>
			<ns0:Appropriation>NO</ns0:Appropriation>
			<ns0:FiscalCommittee>YES</ns0:FiscalCommittee>
			<ns0:LocalProgram>NO</ns0:LocalProgram>
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			<ns0:ImmediateEffect>NO</ns0:ImmediateEffect>
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				<ns0:Urgency>NO</ns0:Urgency>
				<ns0:TaxLevy>NO</ns0:TaxLevy>
				<ns0:Election>NO</ns0:Election>
				<ns0:UsualCurrentExpenses>NO</ns0:UsualCurrentExpenses>
				<ns0:BudgetBill>NO</ns0:BudgetBill>
				<ns0:Prop25TrailerBill>NO</ns0:Prop25TrailerBill>
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	<ns0:Bill id="bill">
		<ns0:Preamble>The people of the State of California do enact as follows:</ns0:Preamble>
		<ns0:BillSection id="id_61DCEA5A-6C9D-4303-A6C3-F540E2EC9573">
			<ns0:Num>SECTION 1.</ns0:Num>
			<ns0:Content>
				<html:p>The Legislature finds and declares all of the following:</html:p>
				<html:p>
					(a)
					<html:span class="EnSpace"/>
					As of 2023, California ranks in the top one-third of states in the nation for average student loan debt held by borrowers at $37,400.
				</html:p>
				<html:p>
					(b)
					<html:span class="EnSpace"/>
					According to data from the Integrated Public Use Microdata Series, by 2019, less than 15 percent of Latinx Californians and less than 30 percent of Black Californians had attained a baccalaureate degree, while more than 40 percent of White Californians had attained a baccalaureate degree.
				</html:p>
				<html:p>
					(c)
					<html:span class="EnSpace"/>
					According to data from the California Community Colleges, the California College Promise provides free tuition to
		  approximately 1,000,000 community college students; nearly one-half of the 2,100,000 students enrolled at the California Community Colleges.
				</html:p>
				<html:p>
					(d)
					<html:span class="EnSpace"/>
					In the 2022–23 academic year, 60 percent of all undergraduate students enrolled at the California State University, and 55 percent of all undergraduate students enrolled at the University of California, had their full cost of tuition covered by grants, scholarships, or waivers.
				</html:p>
				<html:p>
					(e)
					<html:span class="EnSpace"/>
					The California Community Colleges currently offer 39 baccalaureate degree programs in an effort to make earning a four-year degree more attainable for all Californians.
				</html:p>
				<html:p>
					(f)
					<html:span class="EnSpace"/>
					The Public Policy Institute of California has identified the need for more than 1,000,000 additional baccalaureate degree holders in California by 2030.
				</html:p>
			</ns0:Content>
		</ns0:BillSection>
		<ns0:BillSection id="id_79725805-71FD-4B38-ABAF-2BB0D874E240">
			<ns0:Num>SEC. 2.</ns0:Num>
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				Section 76396.3 of the 
				<ns0:DocName>Education Code</ns0:DocName>
				 is amended to read:
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					<ns0:Num>76396.3.</ns0:Num>
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						<ns0:Content>
							<html:p>
								(a)
								<html:span class="EnSpace"/>
								A community college that has been certified by the chancellor as meeting the conditions established under Section 76396.2 shall receive funding pursuant to Section 76396.
							</html:p>
							<html:p>
								(b)
								<html:span class="EnSpace"/>
								(1)
								<html:span class="EnSpace"/>
								The community college may use funding appropriated pursuant to this article to waive some or all of the fees for first-time community college students and returning community college students who are enrolled at the college full time, and who complete and submit either a Free Application for Federal Student Aid or a California Dream Act application, except that a student who has previously earned a degree or certificate from a postsecondary educational institution is not eligible for this fee waiver. A fee waiver that a first-time community college student or
				  returning community college student receives pursuant to this subdivision shall only be for two academic years, and fees shall only be waived for the summer term and each semester or quarter of an academic year in which the student maintains full-time status. A fee waiver provided pursuant to this subdivision shall not be available to a student who is charged a tuition fee pursuant to Section 76140.
							</html:p>
							<html:p>
								(2)
								<html:span class="EnSpace"/>
								Notwithstanding paragraph (1), a student who is a member of the Armed Forces of the United States and is called to duty compelling the student to take a leave of absence pursuant to provisions of Title 10, Title 14, or Title 32 of the United States Code, or to state-funded active duty on order of the Governor, may withdraw from participation in the California College Promise and resume participation in the program upon the student’s return from duty without losing eligibility for the fee waiver or any other benefit of the program. The time
				  during which the student was obliged to withdraw because of active duty shall not count toward the limit of the period of that student’s eligibility for participation in the California College Promise.
							</html:p>
							<html:p>
								(3)
								<html:span class="EnSpace"/>
								Notwithstanding paragraph (1), a high school pupil who enrolls in community college pursuant to Section 48800, 52620, or 76004 shall be considered a first-time community college student for purposes of paragraph (1) upon the student’s enrollment in community college after high school graduation.
							</html:p>
							<html:p>
								(4)
								<html:span class="EnSpace"/>
								Notwithstanding paragraph (1), a first-time community college student or a returning community college student who is enrolled full time and who matriculates into upper division coursework of a community college baccalaureate degree program may receive a fee waiver pursuant to paragraph (1) for fees,
				  including, but not limited to, fees for coursework in a baccalaureate degree program described in paragraph (4) of subdivision (g) of Section 78042 and upper division baccalaureate coursework fees described in paragraph (5) of subdivision (g) of Section 78042 for only an additional two academic years.
							</html:p>
							<html:p>
								(c)
								<html:span class="EnSpace"/>
								For purposes of this section, the following terms have the following meanings:
							</html:p>
							<html:p>
								(1)
								<html:span class="EnSpace"/>
								“Academic year” means the total of the summer term that immediately precedes the first semester or quarter of the fall term, and the two consecutive semesters or three quarters that immediately follow that summer term. Each semester or quarter is approximately the same length.
							</html:p>
							<html:p>
								(2)
								<html:span class="EnSpace"/>
								“Armed Forces of the United States” means the United States Air Force, Army, Coast Guard, Marine Corps, Space Force, and Navy, and
				  the reserve components of each of those forces, and the California National Guard, the California State Guard, and the California Naval Militia.
							</html:p>
							<html:p>
								(3)
								<html:span class="EnSpace"/>
								(A)
								<html:span class="EnSpace"/>
								Except as provided in subparagraph (B), “full time” means 12 or more semester units or the equivalent.
							</html:p>
							<html:p>
								(B)
								<html:span class="EnSpace"/>
								A student enrolled in fewer than 12 units may be deemed “full time” at the discretion of the institution if the student has been certified as “full time” by a staff person in the disabled student services program at the institution who is qualified to make such a designation.
							</html:p>
							<html:p>
								(4)
								<html:span class="EnSpace"/>
								“Returning community college student” means a student who has taken a break of one or more semesters, or the equivalent quarters.
							</html:p>
							<html:p>
								(d)
								<html:span class="EnSpace"/>
								It is the intent of the Legislature that funding provided to
				  support the California College Promise be used by the community college to advance the goals outlined in Section 76396.1.
							</html:p>
							<html:p>
								(e)
								<html:span class="EnSpace"/>
								On or before July 1, 2024, the chancellor’s office shall submit a report to the Legislature in compliance with Section 9795 of the Government Code evaluating the use of funding for the California College Promise to waive student fees. The report shall determine whether the goals outlined in Section 76396.1 are being met.
							</html:p>
							<html:p>
								(f)
								<html:span class="EnSpace"/>
								The chancellor’s office may require community colleges and community college districts receiving funding pursuant to this article to report on an annual basis the use of these funds consistent with the conditions of Section 76396.2. Funding during the following academic year may only be distributed to those community colleges and community college districts that provided this information, if required by the chancellor’s office, in a
				  timely manner during the prior academic year and demonstrated compliance with the requirements of Section 76396.2 and this subdivision.
							</html:p>
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		<ns0:Correction>
	 REVISIONS:</ns0:Correction>
		<ns0:Correction>
	 Heading—Line 2.</ns0:Correction>
	</ns0:Bill>
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