Public postsecondary education: exemption from nonresident tuition.

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 exempts a student of the California Community Colleges or the California State University who was a member of the Armed Forces of the United States stationed in this state on active duty for more than one year immediately prior to being discharged from paying nonresident tuition for the length of time he or she lives in the state after being discharged up to the minimum time necessary to become a resident. Existing law also exempts a student meeting the qualifications described above if he or she is enrolled, or intending to enroll, at a campus of the California Community Colleges or as an undergraduate at a campus of the California State University from paying nonresident tuition for up to one year if he or she files an affidavit with the institution stating that he or she intends to establish residency in California as soon as possible. Existing law requires a student to use this exemption within 2 years of being discharged. Existing law requires the California Community Colleges and the California State University, and requests the University of California, to update and adopt policies no later than July 1, 2015, regarding tuition rates for eligible veterans and their eligible dependents to ensure conformity to, and compliance with, the federal Veterans Access, Choice, and Accountability Act of 2014 and the requirements of the provisions described above. This bill would require or request, as applicable, that the policies of each segment of public postsecondary education be updated and adopted to also ensure continued participation in GI Bill education benefits, as defined. This bill would declare that it is to take effect immediately as an urgency statute.