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Measure AB 681
Authors Elhawary  
Subject California DREAM Loan Program: limits.
Relating To relating to student financial aid.
Title An act to amend Section 70034 of the Education Code, relating to student financial aid.
Last Action Dt 2025-10-13
State Chaptered
Status Chaptered
Active? Y
Vote Required Majority
Appropriation No
Fiscal Committee Yes
Local Program No
Substantive Changes None
Urgency No
Tax Levy No
Leginfo Link Bill
Actions
2025-10-13     Chaptered by Secretary of State - Chapter 702, Statutes of 2025.
2025-10-13     Approved by the Governor.
2025-09-11     Enrolled and presented to the Governor at 4 p.m.
2025-09-04     In Assembly. Ordered to Engrossing and Enrolling.
2025-09-04     Read third time. Passed. Ordered to the Assembly. (Ayes 30. Noes 9. Page 2516.).
2025-08-29     Read second time. Ordered to third reading.
2025-08-29     From committee: Do pass. (Ayes 5. Noes 2.) (August 29).
2025-06-23     In committee: Referred to suspense file.
2025-06-11     From committee: Do pass and re-refer to Com. on APPR. (Ayes 5. Noes 1.) (June 11). Re-referred to Com. on APPR.
2025-05-14     Referred to Com. on ED.
2025-05-06     In Senate. Read first time. To Com. on RLS. for assignment.
2025-05-05     Read third time. Passed. Ordered to the Senate. (Ayes 61. Noes 10. Page 1419.)
2025-04-10     Read second time. Ordered to third reading.
2025-04-09     From committee: Do pass. (Ayes 10. Noes 4.) (April 9).
2025-03-19     From committee: Do pass and re-refer to Com. on APPR. (Ayes 8. Noes 2.) (March 18). Re-referred to Com. on APPR.
2025-03-03     Referred to Com. on HIGHER ED.
2025-02-15     From printer. May be heard in committee March 17.
2025-02-14     Read first time. To print.
Keywords
Tags
Versions
Chaptered     2025-10-13
Enrolled     2025-09-08
Introduced     2025-02-14
Last Version Text
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		<ns0:AuthorText authorType="LEAD_AUTHOR">Introduced by Assembly Member Elhawary</ns0:AuthorText>
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		<ns0:Title> An act to amend Section 70034 of the Education Code, relating to student financial aid. </ns0:Title>
		<ns0:RelatingClause>student financial aid</ns0:RelatingClause>
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			<ns0:Subject>California DREAM Loan Program: limits. </ns0:Subject>
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			<html:p>Existing law establishes the California DREAM Loan Program, which authorizes a student attending a participating campus of the University of California or California State University to receive a loan, referred to as a DREAM loan, if the student satisfies certain requirements. Existing law prohibits a student from borrowing more than $4,000 within a single academic year and more than $40,000 in the aggregate under the program. Existing law prohibits a student enrolled in an undergraduate program from borrowing more than $20,000 as an undergraduate student and prohibits a student enrolled in a graduate program from borrowing more than $20,000 as a graduate student.</html:p>
			<html:p>This bill would instead prohibit a student enrolled in an undergraduate program from borrowing more than $4,000 within a single academic year, and a student enrolled in a graduate
		program from borrowing more than $20,500 within a single academic year. The bill would increase the aggregate limit under the program for a student enrolled in a graduate program to $118,500 as a graduate student, while maintaining the $20,000 aggregate limit under the program for a student enrolled in an undergraduate program, thereby increasing the overall aggregate limit under the program for a student who receives a DREAM loan for both undergraduate and graduate enrollment to $138,500.</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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				Section 70034 of the 
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				 is amended to read:
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								(a)
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								The amount of a DREAM loan offered to an individual student by a participating institution shall be determined by the institution, subject to the following provisions:
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								(1)
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								The loan may not exceed the financial need of the student.
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								(2)
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								(A)
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								A student who is enrolled in an undergraduate program may not borrow more than four thousand dollars ($4,000) under this
				  program within a single academic year.
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								(B)
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								A student who is enrolled in a graduate program may not borrow more than twenty thousand five hundred dollars ($20,500) under this program within a single academic year.
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								(3)
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								(A)
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								A student who is enrolled in
				  an undergraduate program may not borrow, as an undergraduate student, more than twenty thousand dollars ($20,000) in the aggregate under the program.
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								(B)
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								A student who is enrolled in a graduate program may not borrow, as a graduate student, more than one hundred eighteen thousand five hundred dollars ($118,500) in the aggregate under the program.
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								(C)
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								A student may not borrow more than one hundred thirty-eight thousand five hundred dollars ($138,500) in the aggregate under the program, consistent with the limitations specified in subparagraphs (A) and (B).
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								(4)
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								The proportion of program funding used for instructional programs and for graduate programs shall be determined at the discretion of the participating institution. Priority shall be given to loans for instructional programs.
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								(b)
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								The interest rate for loans issued under the program shall be the same as the
				  then-current interest rate for undergraduate loans under the William D. Ford Federal Direct Loan Program (20 U.S.C. Sec. 1087a et seq.).
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								(c)
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								Except as provided in subdivision (d), the standard repayment term for a DREAM loan shall be 10 years. Repayment shall commence following a six-month grace period that begins when a student graduates or ceases to maintain at least half-time enrollment in a degree or certificate program.
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								(d)
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								On or before January 1, 2020, a participating institution shall adopt procedures allowing a borrower to select an income-based repayment plan for the repayment of a DREAM loan, in accordance with the standards set forth in the William D. Ford Federal Direct Loan Program for income-based repayment plans.
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								(e)
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								Interest shall not accrue on a DREAM loan during periods of at least half-time
				  enrollment in a degree or certificate program or during the six-month grace period specified in subdivision (c).
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								(f)
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								Eligibility for deferment, discharge, or forbearance of a DREAM loan shall be determined by the participating institution in accordance with the standards set forth in the William D. Ford Federal Direct Loan Program.
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								(g)
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								On or before January 1, 2024, a participating institution shall establish loan forgiveness options for borrowers who receive a DREAM loan with similar standards as those set forth in the Federal Perkins Loan Program.
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								(h)
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								(1)
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								A borrower shall qualify for administrative relief consistent with the standards set forth in the Federal Direct Loan Program during periods of national emergency declared by the President of the United States.
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								(2)
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								A borrower shall qualify for any state of emergency administrative forbearance on student loans that is provided by the Governor by executive order or the participating institution.
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								(3)
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								A borrower shall be granted administrative relief for 90 days if the borrower lives or works where a natural disaster has occurred upon notification by the borrower, a member of the borrower’s family, or another reliable source that the borrower has been affected by the natural disaster.
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								(i)
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								Participating institutions shall use a common promissory note, approved by the Treasurer, to issue DREAM loans.
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Last Version Text Digest Existing law establishes the California DREAM Loan Program, which authorizes a student attending a participating campus of the University of California or California State University to receive a loan, referred to as a DREAM loan, if the student satisfies certain requirements. Existing law prohibits a student from borrowing more than $4,000 within a single academic year and more than $40,000 in the aggregate under the program. Existing law prohibits a student enrolled in an undergraduate program from borrowing more than $20,000 as an undergraduate student and prohibits a student enrolled in a graduate program from borrowing more than $20,000 as a graduate student. This bill would instead prohibit a student enrolled in an undergraduate program from borrowing more than $4,000 within a single academic year, and a student enrolled in a graduate program from borrowing more than $20,500 within a single academic year. The bill would increase the aggregate limit under the program for a student enrolled in a graduate program to $118,500 as a graduate student, while maintaining the $20,000 aggregate limit under the program for a student enrolled in an undergraduate program, thereby increasing the overall aggregate limit under the program for a student who receives a DREAM loan for both undergraduate and graduate enrollment to $138,500.