Public postsecondary education: exemption from payment of nonresident tuition for victims of certain crimes.

(1) Existing law exempts specified students from paying nonresident tuition at the California State University and the California Community Colleges. Existing law requires the governing board of each community college district to charge resident students a fee of $46 per unit per semester and to waive that fee for specified students. Existing law provides that students who are victims of trafficking, domestic violence, and other serious crimes who have been granted a specified status under federal law are exempt from paying nonresident tuition at the California State University and the California Community Colleges to the same extent as individuals who are admitted to the United States as refugees under a specified federal law. Existing law requests the University of California to adopt policies that are consistent with those provisions. This bill would additionally provide that students who have attended a California high school for 3 or more years, and graduated from a California high school or attained the equivalent of high school graduation, are eligible for the waiver of these fees. To the extent the bill would place additional requirements on community college districts to exempt students from nonresident tuition, the bill would impose a state-mandated local program. (2) 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.