BILL NUMBER: AB 1899INTRODUCED BILL TEXT INTRODUCED BY Assembly Member Mitchell FEBRUARY 22, 2012 An act to add Sections 68122 and 69504.5 to the Education Code, relating to postsecondary education. LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST AB 1899, as introduced, Mitchell. Nonresident tuition exemption and financial aid eligibility: crime victims. Existing law, the Donahoe Higher Education Act, sets forth the missions and functions of the public and independent institutions of higher education. 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, by appropriate resolution, make them applicable. Existing law exempts specified students from paying nonresident tuition at the California State University and the California Community Colleges and establishes financial aid programs for students, as specified. This bill would require students who are victims of trafficking, domestic violence, and other serious crimes, as defined, to be exempt from paying nonresident tuition at the California State University and the California Community Colleges, and to be eligible to apply for, and participate in, all student financial aid programs and scholarships administered by a public postsecondary educational institution or the State of California, to the same extent as individuals who are admitted to the United States as refugees under specified federal law. The bill would request the University of California to adopt policies that are consistent with the provisions of the bill. To the extent the bill would place additional requirements on community college districts to exempt those students from nonresident tuition, and administer financial aid programs and scholarships to those students, the bill would impose a state-mandated local program. The California Constitution requires the state to reimburse local agencies and school districts for certain costs mandated by the state. Statutory provisions establish procedures for making that reimbursement. This bill would provide that, if the Commission on State Mandates determines that the bill contains costs mandated by the state, reimbursement for those costs shall be made pursuant to these statutory provisions. Vote: majority. Appropriation: no. Fiscal committee: yes. State-mandated local program: yes. THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS: SECTION 1. Section 68122 is added to the Education Code, to read: 68122. (a) Notwithstanding any other law, students who are victims of trafficking, domestic violence, and other serious crimes, as defined in subdivision (b) of Section 18945 of the Welfare and Institutions Code, shall be exempt from paying nonresident tuition at the California State University and the California Community Colleges to the same extent as individuals who are admitted to the United States as refugees under Section 1157 of Title 8 of the United States Code. (b) The University of California is requested to adopt policies that are consistent with this section. SEC. 2. Section 69504.5 is added to the Education Code, to read: 69504.5. (a) Notwithstanding any other law, students who are victims of trafficking, domestic violence, and other serious crimes, as defined in subdivision (b) of Section 18945 of the Welfare and Institutions Code, shall be eligible to apply for, and participate in, all student financial aid programs and scholarships administered by a public postsecondary educational institution or the State of California to the same extent as individuals who are admitted to the United States as refugees under Section 1157 of Title 8 of the United States Code. (b) The University of California is requested to adopt policies that are consistent with this section. SEC. 3. If the Commission on State Mandates determines that this act contains costs mandated by the state, reimbursement to local agencies and school districts for those costs shall be made pursuant to Part 7 (commencing with Section 17500) of Division 4 of Title 2 of the Government Code.