Senate Resolution 135 is a commemorative measure that formally honors the 40th Infantry Division of the California National Guard for its more than century-long history of service. The resolution highlights the unit's contributions in major conflicts, including World War I, World War II, the Korean War, and post-9/11 operations, as well as its role in responding to natural disasters within California. It specifically acknowledges the division's Medal of Honor recipients and notes that Major General Laura L. Yeager became the first woman to command an infantry division in 2019. The bill directs the Secretary of the Senate to send copies of the resolution to the Adjutant General of California, the division commander, and the author for distribution.
(1) Existing law requires the Department of Parks and Recreation to issue a park pass for free use of all park facilities in the state park system to a veteran of war in which the United States has been, or may be, engaged, who is a resident of this state, who presents to the department proof of a disability, proof of being held captive as a prisoner of war, or proof of being a recipient of a Congressional Medal of Honor, and proof of an honorable discharge from service. This bill would eliminate from the eligibility requirements for this pass that a veteran be a veteran of war. (2) Existing law authorizes the department to offer to a veteran or current active duty or reserve military personnel for the United States Armed Forces or the National Guard of any state a reduced fee or free day use of California state parks, as provided, on Memorial Day and Veterans Day, if proper proof of military service is provided, as specified. This bill would require the department to issue a discount pass entitling the bearer to 15% off the cost to use all facilities in the state park system to these veterans and military personnel, as provided.
Existing law authorizes the governing board of a school district maintaining a secondary school to establish in the school courses in military science and tactics that comply with provisions of federal law regarding Reserve Officers Training Corps units in educational institutions. This bill would revise and recast those provisions by authorizing the governing board or body of a school district, county office of education, or charter school to establish in its schoolsites courses in military science and tactics that comply with provisions of federal law regarding Junior Reserve Officers' Training Corps (JROTC) units in educational institutions. Existing federal law requires a public secondary educational institution that maintains a JROTC unit to permit membership in the unit to homeschooled students residing in the area served by the institution who are qualified for membership in the unit but for lack of enrollment in the institution. This bill would require a local educational agency offering a JROTC program within any of its schools to permit membership in the JROTC program for homeschooled pupils who reside within the attendance area of the local educational agency, if those pupils meet all applicable eligibility requirements for participation in the JROTC program other than enrollment in the school offering the JROTC program. The bill would require the State Department of Education to make information about existing JROTC programs available on its internet website and distribute implementation guidance to local educational agencies on an annual basis.
Existing law establishes 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, as the 3 segments of public postsecondary education in the state. The Donahoe Higher Education Act prohibits the 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, an undergraduate student who is a recipient of a Medal of Honor, or an undergraduate student who is a child of a recipient of a Medal of Honor and who is no more than 27 years of age, if certain requirements are satisfied. This bill would require the California State University and each community college district, and would request the University of California, with respect to each campus in their respective jurisdictions that administers a priority enrollment system, commencing with the 2028–29 academic year, to grant priority for registration for enrollment to (1) a student who receives a fee waiver pursuant to the above-described provisions, and (2) a student who is using any federal GI Bill benefits. By requiring students to receive priority registration at community college districts, 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 the statutory provisions noted above.
Existing law establishes uniform residency requirements for purposes of ascertaining the amount of tuition and fees to be paid by students of public postsecondary educational institutions. Existing law requires a student classified as a nonresident to pay nonresident tuition, in addition to other fees required by the institution, except as provided. 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 4 specified federal GI Bill programs, as the federal law read on January 5, 2022. This bill would add, for purposes of that exemption, the Montgomery GI Bill-Selected Reserve program to the list of federal GI Bill programs and specify that federal law as it read on January 5, 2026, applies. To the extent that the bill would impose new duties on community college districts to determine eligibility for an exemption from paying nonresident tuition or fees, 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 the statutory provisions noted above.
Existing law establishes 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, as the 3 segments of public postsecondary education in the state. The Donahoe Higher Education Act prohibits the 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, an undergraduate student who is a recipient of a Medal of Honor, or an undergraduate student who is a child of a recipient of a Medal of Honor and who is no more than 27 years of age, if certain requirements are satisfied. This bill would additionally prohibit the campuses of the University of California and California State University from charging tuition or fees for specified students who enroll in an extended education course if certain requirements are satisfied and the extended education course is being used to meet the requirements of an undergraduate degree program. The bill would apply to the campuses of the University of California only to the extent that the Regents of the University of California, by appropriate resolution, make it apply. Existing law establishes various student financial aid programs under the administration of the Student Aid Commission, including the California Military Department GI Bill Award Program. Existing law requires a qualifying member of the California National Guard, the State Guard, or the Naval Militia that receives an award under the program to, among other things, agree to use the award to obtain a certificate, degree, or diploma that the person does not hold at the time they apply for the award. Existing law authorizes the award to be used to obtain one baccalaureate, graduate, or doctoral degree or a certificate, degree, or diploma that leads to a baccalaureate, graduate, or doctoral degree. This bill would authorize the award to also be used for an extended education course at a campus of the University of California or the California State University if the extended education course is being used to meet the requirements of an undergraduate degree program.
This Assembly Concurrent Resolution (ACR 3) designates June 19, 2025, as "Veterans of the Republic of Vietnam Armed Forces Day" to honor South Vietnamese military personnel who served during the Vietnam War. It recognizes their service, sacrifices (including over 250,000 South Vietnamese military deaths and 200,000+ injuries), and post-war experiences, such as imprisonment in communist camps after 1975. The resolution has no legal effect beyond commemoration; it does not create new benefits or obligations. It directly affects veterans of the Republic of Vietnam Armed Forces and their families, particularly the estimated 100,000+ living in California.
This measure would urge the United States Congress to pass the Major Richard Star Act to ensure veterans with disabilities receive their full United States Department of Defense retirement pay and United States Department of Veterans Affairs disability compensation without offset.
