Public postsecondary education: resident classification.

Under existing law, the segments of the public postsecondary education system in the state include the University of California, which is administered by the Regents of the University of California, the California State University, which is administered by the Trustees of the California State University, and the California Community Colleges, which are 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 tuition and fees to be paid by students of public postsecondary education institutions. Existing law entitles a student to resident classification for the purpose of determining tuition and fees if the student is a member, or a child or spouse who is a dependent of a member, of the Armed Forces of the United States stationed in the state on active duty, except as specified. Existing law also entitles a student who was a member of the Armed Forces of the United States stationed in the state on active duty for more than one year immediately prior to being discharged from the Armed Forces to resident classification for a certain length of time. This bill would expand the provisions entitling students to resident classification for the purpose of determining tuition and fees to include every student who is a member of the armed forces reserve and every student who is a dependent child or dependent spouse of a member of the armed forces reserve. The bill would delete the existing provisions providing for resident classification for students who were members of the Armed Forces of the United States who were discharged within the immediately prior year, and would instead entitle every student who is a veteran and every student who is a dependent child or dependent spouse of a veteran to resident classification for the purpose of determining tuition and fees. The bill would request the Regents of the University of California to establish the same residency requirements as those established by this bill for students enrolled at the University of California. To the extent the bill would require community college districts to exempt more students from nonresident tuition, the 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.