Public postsecondary education: exemption from tuition and fees: qualifying survivors of persons providing medical or emergency services deceased during COVID-19 California state of emergency.

(1) Existing law prohibits the Board of Directors of the Hastings College of the Law, the Board of Governors of the California Community Colleges, the Trustees of the California State University, and, if they adopt an appropriate resolution, the Regents of the University of California from collecting mandatory systemwide tuition and fees from any surviving spouse or surviving child of a deceased person who was a resident of the state and employed by or contracting with a public agency whose principal duties consisted of active law enforcement service or active fire suppression and prevention, and who died as a result of their duties, as specified. This bill would additionally prohibit the Board of Directors of the Hastings College of the Law, the Board of Governors of the California Community Colleges, the Trustees of the California State University, and, if they adopt an appropriate resolution, the Regents of the University of California from collecting mandatory systemwide tuition and fees from any qualifying surviving spouse or surviving child of a deceased person who was a resident of this state, who was a licensed physician or a licensed nurse employed by or under contract with a health facility regulated and licensed by the State Department of Public Health to provide medical services or a first responder, as specified, and who died of COVID-19 during the COVID-19 pandemic state of emergency in California. The bill would also make conforming changes to related code sections. To the extent that this bill would impose new duties on community college districts, it would constitute a state-mandated local program. (2) This bill would incorporate additional changes to Section 76300 of the Education Code proposed by AB 1456 to be operative only if this bill and AB 1456 are enacted and this bill is enacted last. (3) 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.