BILL NUMBER: SB 917INTRODUCED BILL TEXT INTRODUCED BY Senator Denham (Coauthor: Senator Yee) FEBRUARY 1, 2010 An act to add Section 66024.5 to the Education Code, relating to public postsecondary education. LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST SB 917, as introduced, Denham. Public postsecondary education: mandatory systemwide fees: Student Protection Act. Existing law, known as the Donahoe Higher Education Act, provides for a public postsecondary education system in this state. The University of California and the California State University are 2 of the segments of the public postsecondary education system. The provisions of the Donahoe Higher Education Act apply to the University of California only to the extent that the Regents of the University of California act by resolution to make them applicable. Existing law authorizes the trustees of the California State University to require that fees, among other charges, be paid by students that institution. Existing provisions of the California Constitution require the regents to have all powers necessary or convenient for the effective administration of the university. This bill would enact the Student Protection Act, which would require any increase in mandatory systemwide fees adopted by the trustees to become effective at least 180 calendar days after the date on which the increase is adopted. The bill would prohibit the trustees from increasing mandatory systemwide fees, in any academic year, by an amount exceeding 10% of the mandatory systemwide fees for the immediately preceding academic year. The bill would request the regents to adopt policies that are consistent with these provisions. 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 66024.5 is added to the Education Code, to read: 66024.5. (a) This section shall be known, and may be cited, as the Student Protection Act. (b) (1) Notwithstanding any other provision of law, any increase in mandatory systemwide fees charged to the students of the California State University that is adopted by the Trustees of the California State University, shall become effective not less than 180 calendar days after the date of the adoption of the increase. (2) In any academic year, the Trustees of the California State University shall not increase the mandatory systemwide fees charged to students attending the university by an amount exceeding 10 percent of the mandatory systemwide fees for the immediately preceding academic year. (c) The Regents of the University of California are requested to adopt policies for increases in mandatory systemwide fees charged to students attending the University of California that are consistent with subdivision (b).