Public postsecondary education: federal GI Bill: nonresident tuition: real property.

(1) Effective for academic terms beginning after July 1, 2019, existing law exempts a student enrolled at a campus of the California Community Colleges or the California State University from paying nonresident tuition or any other fee that exclusively applies to nonresident students if the student resides in California, meets the definition of "covered individual" under federal law, and is eligible for education benefits under 3 specified categories of beneficiaries under the federal GI Bill, as the federal law read on January 1, 2019. After the expiration of a 3-year period following a discharge under federal law, existing law deems such a student as maintaining "covered individual" status as long as the student remains continuously enrolled, as defined, at a campus, and requires the student to continue to be exempt from paying the tuition and fees described above. This bill would instead provide, effective for academic terms beginning on or after August 1, 2021, in conformity with federal law enacted on January 5, 2021, that eliminated the requirement of the expiration of a 3-year period, that such a student is deemed to maintain "covered individual" status as long as the student remains eligible for any of the 3 federal GI Bill programs referenced above. To the extent that this provision would create new duties for community college districts, the bill would impose a state-mandated local program. (2) Existing law establishes the various campuses of the California State University under the administration of the Trustees of the California State University. Existing law authorizes the Trustees of the California State University to waive entirely, or reduce below the rate, or the minimum rate, the tuition fee of a nonresident student who is both a citizen and a resident of a foreign country and not a citizen of the United States, and who attends a state university or college under a student exchange program, as specified. This bill would eliminate the requirement that the nonresident student receiving the exemption under this provision not be a citizen of the United States. (3) Existing law authorizes the Trustees of the California State University, on the basis of demonstrated financial need and scholastic achievement, to waive entirely, or reduce below the rate, or the minimum rate, the tuition fee of a nonresident student who is a citizen and resident of a foreign country, who is either an undergraduate student of exceptional scholastic ability and prior scholastic achievement who is enrolled in a course of study of at least 10 semester units, or who is a graduate student of exceptional scholastic ability and prior scholastic achievement who is employed 20 or more hours per week by a state university or is enrolled in a course of study of at least 10 semester or quarter units. This bill would instead authorize the trustees to waive or reduce the tuition fee of the nonresident students meeting the requirements described above who are enrolled in a full-time course of study. (4) Existing law authorizes the transfer of jurisdiction of real property owned by the state from one state agency to another state agency with the written approval of the Director of General Services. Where the state interest in real property is not under the jurisdiction of any specified state agency, existing law authorizes the Department of General Services to act as the transferring agency. Existing law requires the recorder in each county in which any portion of real property so transferred is located to record the transfer without a fee, as provided. This bill would add the California State University, as defined, to the definition of "state agency" for the purposes of these real property transfer provisions. By requiring counties to record these real property transfers without a fee, this bill would impose a state-mandated local program. (5) 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.