Community colleges: California College Promise: members of the Armed Forces of the United States.

(1) Existing law establishes the California College Promise, under the administration of the Chancellor of the California Community Colleges, to provide funding, upon appropriation by the Legislature, to each community college meeting prescribed requirements. Existing law authorizes a community college to use that funding to accomplish specified policy goals and to waive some or all of the fees for 2 academic years for certain first-time students at the college who are enrolled in 12 or more semester units or the equivalent, or less for students certified as "full time," as specified, and who complete and submit either a Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) or a California Dream Act application. This bill would require that a student who is a member of the Armed Forces of the United States, as defined, and is called to duty as specified, may withdraw from participation in the California College Promise and resume participation in the program upon the student's return from duty without losing eligibility for the fee waiver or any other benefit of the program. The bill would also provide that the time during which the student was obliged to withdraw because of active duty shall not count toward the limit of the period of that student's eligibility for participation in the California College Promise. To the extent that this bill would create new duties for community colleges that participate in the California College Promise, it would constitute 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.