Public postsecondary education: exemption from payment of nonresident tuition.

(1) Existing law exempts a student, other than a person excluded from the term "immigrant," as defined, from paying nonresident tuition at the California State University and the California Community Colleges if, among other conditions, the student has a total of 3 or more years of full-time attendance in certain California schools or attainment of equivalent credits earned while in those schools, as specified, or the student completes 3 or more years of full-time high school coursework in California and a total of 3 or more years of attendance in California elementary schools or California secondary schools. Existing law requires attendance in credit courses at a campus of the California Community Colleges counted toward meeting the 3-year requirement to not exceed 2 years of full-time attendance. This bill would delete the requirement that attendance in credit courses at a campus of the California Community Colleges counted toward meeting the 3-year requirement not exceed 2 years of full-time attendance. Because the bill would impose new duties on community college districts with respect to determining eligibility for exemptions from paying nonresident tuition, the bill 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.