Public postsecondary education: holders of certain special immigrant visas.

(1) Existing law establishes the California State University, the California Community Colleges, and the University of California as the 3 segments of public postsecondary education in this state. Existing law exempts specified students from paying nonresident tuition at the California State University and the California Community Colleges, as specified. This bill would express legislative findings and declarations relating to persons provided with special immigrant visa status due to their displacement because of wars taking place in their home countries. The bill would exempt students who have been granted special immigrant visas pursuant to a specified federal statute, or are refugees admitted to the United States under a specified federal statute, and who, upon entering the United States, settled in California, from paying nonresident tuition at the California Community Colleges. The bill would also authorize a community college district to report a student, who is exempt from nonresident tuition under this bill and who is enrolled as a student of that district, as a full-time equivalent student for apportionment purposes. To the extent that this bill would place additional requirements on community college districts to exempt those 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 the statutory provisions noted above.