California Assembly Bill AB2520 Amended / Bill

 BILL NUMBER: AB 2520AMENDED BILL TEXT AMENDED IN ASSEMBLY MARCH 15, 2016 INTRODUCED BY Assembly Member Rodriguez FEBRUARY 19, 2016 An act  to add and repeal Section 69520 of the Education Code,  relating to student financial aid. LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST AB 2520, as amended, Rodriguez. Student financial  aid: task force.   aid: Student Aid Commission.  Existing law establishes various student financial aid programs under the administration of the Student Aid Commission, and establishes eligibility requirements for the recipients of awards under those programs by participating students attending qualifying institutions. This bill would  express the Legislature's intent to enact legislation that would provide for the establishment of a task force to study and recommend strategies for increasing the number and diversity of high school pupils completing applications for state and federal student financial aid for postsecondary institutions.   require the commission, by the 2017-18 academic year, to report to the Legislature and the   Governor on specified measures to increase student participation in state and federal financial aid programs through completion and submission of the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) and other measures identified by the commission.  Vote: majority. Appropriation: no. Fiscal committee:  no   yes  . State-mandated local program: no. THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:  SECTION   1.   Section 69520 is added to the   Education Code   , to read:   69520. (a) The commission shall, by the 2017-18 academic year, report to the Legislature and the Governor on measures to increase student participation in state and federal student financial aid programs. (b) Measures recommended pursuant to subdivision (a) shall include all of the following: (1) At least one measure to ensure that each grade 12 California high school pupil receives adequate time and faculty support to complete and submit the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) during a required course in the first semester of the pupil's grade 12 school year. (2) At least one measure to address the barrier of a student who is unable to access his or her parents' financial information in order to complete and submit the FAFSA. The recommended measure or measures shall include a recommendation for a sample statement that the student can sign stating that his or her parents' financial information provided in the FAFSA represents the best information available to the student. (3) Other measures identified by the commission. (c) (1) A report to be submitted pursuant to subdivision (a) shall be submitted in compliance with Section 9795 of the Government Code. (2) Pursuant to Section 10231.5 of the Government Code, this section is repealed on July 1, 2022.   SECTION 1.   It is the intent of the Legislature to enact legislation that would provide for the establishment of a task force to study and recommend strategies for increasing the number and diversity of high school pupils completing applications for state and federal student financial aid for postsecondary institutions.