California Assembly Bill AB1285 Introduced / Bill

 BILL NUMBER: AB 1285INTRODUCED BILL TEXT INTRODUCED BY Assembly Member Fong FEBRUARY 22, 2013 An act to amend Section 69435 of the Education Code, relating to student financial aid. LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST AB 1285, as introduced, Fong. Student financial aid: Cal Grant Program. Existing law, the Ortiz-Pacheco-Poochigian-Vasconcellos Cal Grant Program (Cal Grant Program), establishes the Cal Grant A and B Entitlement Awards, the California Community College Transfer Cal Grant Entitlement Awards, the Competitive Cal Grant A and B Awards, the Cal Grant C Awards, and the Cal Grant T Awards under the administration of the Student Aid Commission, and establishes eligibility requirements and maximum levels for awards under these programs for participating students attending qualifying institutions. With respect to Cal Grant B Entitlement Awards, existing law requires that no more than 2% of new Cal Grant B recipients enrolling for the first time in an institution of postsecondary education are eligible for payments for tuition or fees, or both, in their first academic year of attendance. This bill would delete the 2% limit for receipt of payments for tuition or fees, or both, for new Cal Grant B recipients in their first academic year of attendance at an institution of postsecondary education, thus making all of the Cal Grant B recipients eligible for these payments. 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 more than 2 percent of new   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 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.