BILL NUMBER: AB 649INTRODUCED BILL TEXT INTRODUCED BY Assembly Member Harkey (Coauthor: Senator Wyland) FEBRUARY 16, 2011 An act to amend Section 66025.8 of the Education Code, relating to public postsecondary education. LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST AB 649, as introduced, Harkey. Public postsecondary education: veteran's enrollment. Existing law requires the California State University and each community college district, and requests the University of California, with respect to each campus in their respective jurisdictions that administers a priority enrollment system, to grant priority for registration for enrollment to any member or former member of the Armed Forces of the United States for any academic term attended at one of these institutions within 2 years of leaving active duty. This bill would also grant priority admission and class registration to these members or former members of the Armed Forces within 5 years of leaving active duty. Because the bill would impose additional duties on the California Community Colleges in evaluating an individual's eligibility for priority in enrollment, 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 66025.8 of the Education Code is amended to read: 66025.8. (a) The California State University and each community college district shall, and the University of California is requested to, with respect to each campus in their respective jurisdictions that administers a priority enrollment system, grant priority in that system for admission and class registration for enrollment to any member or former member of the Armed Forces of the United States who has received an honorable discharge, a general discharge, or an other than honorable discharge; and to any member or former member of the State Military Reserve, for any academic term attended at one of these institutions withintwofive years of leaving state or federal active duty. A former member of the Armed Forces of the United States or the State Military Reserve who received a dishonorable discharge or a bad conduct discharge is not eligible for priority admission and class registration for enrollment pursuant to this section. (b) (1) For purposes of this section, "Armed Forces of the United States" means the Air Force, Army, Coast Guard, Marine Corps, National Guard, Naval Militia, Navy, and the reserve components of each of those forces, including the California National Guard. (2) As used in this section, "member or former member of the Armed Forces of the United States" includes, but is not necessarily limited to, any student who is called to active military duty compelling that student to take an academic leave of absence. SEC. 2. 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.