California Assembly Bill AB1761 Introduced / Bill

 BILL NUMBER: AB 1761INTRODUCED BILL TEXT INTRODUCED BY Assembly Member Fong FEBRUARY 8, 2010 An act to amend Section 69435 of the Education Code, relating to student financial aid. LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST AB 1761, as introduced, Fong. Cal Grant B awards: award amount. Existing law, known as the Ortiz-Pacheco-Poochigian-Vasconcellos Cal Grant Program, establishes the Cal Grant B Entitlement Awards under the administration of the Student Aid Commission, and establishes eligibility requirements for awards under these programs for participating students attending qualifying institutions. The act requires that the award be used only for tuition, student fees, and access costs in a for-credit instructional program that is not less than one academic year in length. Access grants are awarded in a student's first academic year. The act provides that not more than 2% of new Cal Grant B recipients be eligible for payments for tuition or fees, or both, in their first academic year of attendance. This bill would increase, during the 2011-12 academic year, the percentage of new Cal Grant B recipients eligible for payments for tuition or fees, or both, in their first academic year of attendance to 25%. The bill would increase this percentage to 50% for the 2012-13 academic year, and to 75% for the 2013-2014 academic year. The bill would also provide that commencing with the 2014-15 academic year, all new Cal Grant B recipients enrolling for the first time in an institution of postsecondary education would be eligible for payments for tuition or fees, or both, during their first academic year. 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. Section 69435 of the Education Code is amended to read: 69435. (a) (1) A Cal Grant B award shall be used only for tuition, student fees, and access costs in a for-credit instructional program that is not less than one academic year in length. (2) The commission, or a qualifying institution pursuant to Article 8 (commencing with Section 69450), shall award access grants in a student's first academic year. In subsequent years, the award shall include an additional amount to pay tuition or fees, or both, to attend college at a public or private four-year college or university or other qualifying institution for all Cal Grant B awards pursuant to paragraph (2) of subdivision (b) of Section 66021.2. In no event shall the total award in any year exceed the applicant's calculated financial need. (3)  Not   (A)     During the 2011-12 academic year, not  more than  2   25  percent of new Cal Grant B recipients enrolling for the first time in an institution of postsecondary education shall be eligible for payments for tuition or fees, or both, in their first academic year of attendance.  The   (B) During the 2012-13 academic year, not more than 50 percent of new Cal Grant B recipients enrolling for the first time in an institution of postsecondary education shall be eligible for payments for tuition or fees, or both, in their first academic year of attendance.   (C) During the 2013-14 academic year, not more than 75 percent of new Cal Grant B recipients enrolling for the first time in an institution of postsecondary education shall be eligible for payments for tuition or fees, or both, in their first academic year of attendance.   (D) Commencing with the 2014-15 academic year, all new Cal Grant B recipients enrolling for the first time in an institution of postsecondary education shall be eligible for payment for tuition or fees, or both, in their first academic year of attendance.   (E)     The  commission shall adopt regulations specifying the criteria used to determine which applicants, if any, receive both tuition and fees plus the access grant in the first year of enrollment. Priority shall be given to students with the lowest expected family contribution pursuant to Section 69432.7 and the highest level of academic merit. (b) An award for access costs under this article shall be in an annual amount not to exceed one thousand five hundred fifty-one dollars ($1,551). This amount may be adjusted in the annual Budget Act.