BILL NUMBER: AB 1997ENROLLED BILL TEXT PASSED THE SENATE AUGUST 23, 2010 PASSED THE ASSEMBLY AUGUST 24, 2010 AMENDED IN SENATE JUNE 30, 2010 AMENDED IN SENATE JUNE 16, 2010 AMENDED IN ASSEMBLY MARCH 17, 2010 INTRODUCED BY Assembly Member Portantino FEBRUARY 17, 2010 An act to add and repeal Section 76072 of the Education Code, relating to student financial aid. LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST AB 1997, Portantino. Community colleges: student financial aid: pilot program. Existing law establishes the California Community Colleges, under the administration of the Board of Governors of the California Community Colleges, as one of the segments of public postsecondary education in this state. Existing law establishes community college districts, administered by a governing board, throughout the state, and authorizes these districts to provide instruction to students at the community college campuses maintained by the districts. Existing law requires the Office of the Chancellor of the California Community Colleges to develop a statement that individual students will be asked to sign, which acknowledges that federal and state funds are available to assist with the costs of college and that information regarding these programs, and assistance in applying for those funds, can be obtained at the financial aid office. This bill would require the Office of the Chancellor, until January 1, 2014, to establish a voluntary pilot program, with specified requirements, to increase student participation in state and federal financial aid programs. The bill would require the Office of the Chancellor to provide specified information on the pilot program to the Legislative Analyst's Office by January 10, 2013, which the Legislative Analyst's Office would be required to use to report to the Legislature on the results of the pilot program and make recommendations for statewide expansion of the pilot program. THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS: SECTION 1. Section 76072 is added to the Education Code, to read: 76072. (a) The Office of the Chancellor of the California Community Colleges shall establish a voluntary pilot program to increase student participation in state and federal financial aid programs. The chancellor shall select no more than 10 community college campuses to participate in the pilot program from campuses that volunteer to participate in the program. In selecting campuses for the pilot program, the chancellor, to the extent possible, shall ensure geographic, economic, and demographic diversity. (b) The pilot program shall identify both of the following target populations to participate in the pilot program: (1) Students potentially eligible for financial aid who complete an application for a fee waiver provided pursuant to Section 76300 but do not complete a Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). (2) Students potentially eligible for financial aid who do not receive any campus, state, or federal financial aid. (c) The goal of the pilot program shall be to increase student participation in both state and federal financial aid programs by performing actions including, but not limited to, both of the following: (1) Identifying strategies and best practices for increasing the number of students who submit the FAFSA. (2) Examining and developing strategies for increasing student participation in state and federal financial aid programs beyond the waiver of fees pursuant to Section 76300. (d) The Office of the Chancellor of the California Community Colleges is encouraged to pursue both private and federal funding to support implementation and operation of the pilot program. (e) Once a pilot program has been established pursuant to subdivision (a), the Office of the Chancellor shall provide the following information to the Legislative Analyst's Office on or before January 10, 2013: (1) Strategies and techniques that the participating community college campuses employed in administering the pilot program. (2) Data on student participation in state and federal financial aid programs. (f) Based on the information received pursuant to subdivision (e), the Legislative Analyst's Office shall report to the Legislature on the results of the pilot program and make recommendations for statewide expansion of the pilot program. The report shall include all of the following: (1) A statistical analysis of financial aid applications and awards before and after implementation of the pilot program. (2) A summary of the major strategies and techniques employed by the participating community college campuses in administering the pilot program. (g) This section shall remain in effect only until January 1, 2014, and as of that date is repealed, unless a later enacted statute, that is enacted before January 1, 2014, deletes or extends that date.