California Assembly Bill AB2160 Amended / Bill

 BILL NUMBER: AB 2160AMENDED BILL TEXT AMENDED IN ASSEMBLY APRIL 1, 2014 INTRODUCED BY Assembly Member Ting (Principal coauthor: Senator Hill) (Coauthors: Assembly Members Ammiano, Brown, Chvez, and Maienschein) (Coauthors: Senators Evans and Padilla) FEBRUARY 20, 2014  An act relating to postsecondary education.   An act to amend Section 69432.9 of the Education Code, relating to postsecondary education.  LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST AB 2160, as amended, Ting.  Postsecondary education: financial aid.   Cal Grant Program: grade point average.   The 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 for awards under these programs for participating students attending qualifying institutions.   A provision of the program specifies that the commission shall require that a grade point average be submitted, as specified, to the commission for Cal Grant A and B applicants, except for those applicants permitted to provide test scores in lieu of a grade point average.   This bill would require that this grade point average be submitted electronically for all high school seniors at public schools and all other Cal Grant A and B applicants, and provide that grade point averages submitted shall be subject to review by the commission or its designee. To the extent that this provision would impose new duties on local educational agencies and community college districts, it would constitute 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.   The Ortiz-Pacheco-Poochigian-Vasconcellos Cal Grant Program sets forth the state's educational opportunity grant program for postsecondary study.   This bill would state the intent of the Legislature to enact legislation that would streamline the financial aid process for students in order to encourage students to pursue higher education.  Vote: majority. Appropriation: no. Fiscal committee:  no   yes  . State-mandated local program:  no   yes  . THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:  SECTION 1.   Section 69432.9 of the   Education Code   is amended to read:  69432.9. (a) A Cal Grant applicant shall submit a complete official financial aid application pursuant to Section 69433 and applicable regulations adopted by the commission. (b) Financial need shall be determined to establish an applicant's initial eligibility for a Cal Grant award and a renewing recipient's continued eligibility using the federal financial need methodology pursuant to subdivision (a) of Section 69506 and applicable regulations adopted by the commission, and as established by Title IV of the federal Higher Education Act of 1965, as amended (20 U.S.C. Secs. 1070 et seq.). (1) "Expected family contribution," with respect to an applicant or renewing recipient shall be determined using the federal methodology pursuant to subdivision (a) of Section 69506 (as established by Title IV of the federal Higher Education Act of 1965, as amended (20 U.S.C. Secs. 1070 et seq.)) and applicable rules and regulations adopted by the commission. (2) "Financial need" means the difference between the student's cost of attendance as determined by the commission and the expected family contribution. The calculation of financial need shall be consistent with Title IV of the federal Higher Education Act of 1965, as amended (20 U.S.C. Secs. 1070 et seq.). (3) (A) The minimum financial need required for receipt of an initial and renewal Cal Grant A or Cal Grant C award shall be no less than the maximum annual award value for the applicable institution, plus an additional one thousand five hundred dollars ($1,500) of financial need. (B) The minimum financial need required for receipt of an initial and renewal Cal Grant B award shall be no less than seven hundred dollars ($700). (c) The commission shall require that a grade point average be submitted for all  high school seniors at public schools and all other  Cal Grant A and B  applicants, except for those permitted to provide test scores in lieu of a grade point average   applicants  . The commission shall require that each report of a grade point average  include a certification, executed under penalty of perjury,   be submitted electronically  by a school  or school district  official,  with a certification, under penalty of perjury,  that the grade point average reported is accurately reported.  The certification shall include a statement that it is   A submitted grade point average shall be  subject to review by the commission or its designee. The commission shall adopt regulations that establish a grace period for receipt of the grade point average and any appropriate corrections, and that set forth the circumstances under which a student may submit a specified test score designated by the commission, by regulation, in lieu of submitting a qualifying grade point average. It is the intent of the Legislature that high schools and institutions of higher education  certify   electronically submit  the grade point averages of their students in time to meet the application deadlines imposed by this chapter. 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.  SECTION 1.   It is the intent of the Legislature to enact legislation that would streamline the financial aid process for students in order to encourage students to pursue higher education.