Public postsecondary education: nonresident tuition: military members.

Existing law establishes the segments of the public postsecondary education system in the state, including the University of California administered by the Regents of the University of California, the California State University administered by the Trustees of the California State University, and the California Community Colleges administered by the Board of Governors of the California Community Colleges. Existing law establishes uniform student residency requirements for purposes of ascertaining the amount of fees to be paid by students at these segments of public postsecondary education. This bill would require a student, or a spouse of a person, who is a former member of the Armed Forces of the United States or the State Military Reserve who served for at least 36 months and received a specified discharge, to be exempt from paying nonresident tuition for his or her first year of continuous enrollment at the California State University and the California Community Colleges if he or she files an affidavit with the institution stating his or her intent to establish residency in California as soon as possible, and would request that such a person be exempt from paying nonresident tuition for his or her first year of continuous enrollment at the University of California. By requiring community college districts to exempt these persons from paying nonresident tuition, this 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.