Public postsecondary education: veterans: waiver of mandatory systemwide tuition and fees.

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. The Donahoe Higher Education Act prohibits campuses of those segments from charging mandatory systemwide tuition or fees to specified students who apply for a waiver, including a child of any veteran of the United States military who has a service-connected disability, has been killed in service, or has died of a service-connected disability, where the annual income of the child, including the value of any support received from a parent, does not exceed the national poverty level. This bill would instead require that the annual income of the child not exceed the area median income, as defined. The bill would also make nonsubstantive changes to provisions relating to this waiver of mandatory systemwide tuition and fees. To the extent these provisions would add additional duties on community college districts, the bill would impose a state-mandated local program. Existing law establishes various educational benefits for dependents of veterans who were killed during military service or are totally disabled, as specified. Existing law defines "dependant of a veteran" to include the spouse of a totally disabled veteran. Existing law prohibits a dependent of a veteran from receiving these educational benefits during the time the dependent is entitled to receive specified federal educational benefits or duplicate assistance from any other government source. This bill would instead include the spouse of a veteran with a disability rating of 70 percent or greater in the definition of "dependent of a veteran." The bill would repeal the provision prohibiting a dependent of a veteran from receiving those educational benefits, as specified. 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.