The State Civil Service Act contains various provisions providing for veterans' credits in relation to any open competitive entrance examination. Under existing law, whenever any veteran, widow or widower of a veteran, or spouse of a 100% disabled veteran achieves a passing score on an entrance exam, that person is required to be ranked in the top rank of the resulting eligibility list. This bill would revise that provision to also apply to an active duty service member who achieves a passing score on an entrance exam. The bill would also provide that authorizing employers may grant a preference in hiring and promotion to the eligible spouse of an active duty service member, veteran, widow or widower of a veteran, or spouse of a 100% disabled veteran. Existing law provides that any member of the Armed Forces who successfully passes any state civil service examination, whose name is placed on an employment list, and who qualifies for veterans' preference shall be allowed the appropriate veterans' credit to the same effect as though that person were entitled to that credit at the time of the establishing of the employment list. This bill would authorize the eligible spouse of an active duty service member, widow or widower of a veteran, or spouse of a 100% disabled veteran to receive the appropriate credit for any selection test generally related to hiring and promotional preferences. The bill would make other related changes to these provisions.
Existing law, the Cal Grant Program, establishes the Cal Grant A Entitlement Awards, the Cal Grant B Entitlement Awards, the California Community College Expanded Entitlement Awards, the California Community College Transfer Entitlement Awards, the Competitive Cal Grant A and B Awards, the Cal Grant C Awards, and the Cal Grant T Awards under the administration of the Student Aid Commission. Existing law, the Cal Grant Reform Act, revises and recasts the provisions establishing and governing the existing Cal Grant Program into a new Cal Grant Program. Existing law specifies that the act becomes operative only if General Fund moneys over the multiyear forecasts beginning in the 2024–25 fiscal year are available to support ongoing augmentations and actions, and if funding is provided in the annual Budget Act to implement the act. Under either Cal Grant Program that is operative, existing law establishes eligibility requirements for awards under the program for participating students attending qualifying institutions, including, among others, California residency requirements, as provided. Existing law establishes the Middle Class Scholarship Program (MCSP) under the administration of the commission. Existing law makes an undergraduate student eligible for a scholarship award under the MCSP if the student is enrolled at the University of California or the California State University, or enrolled in upper division coursework in a community college baccalaureate program, and meets certain eligibility requirements, including, among others, that the applicant meets the eligibility requirements for a Cal Grant. This bill would extend Cal Grant and MCSP eligibility to a student who was not a resident of California at the time of high school graduation or its equivalent but meets all other applicable eligibility requirements and is a dependent natural or adopted child, stepchild, or spouse of a member of the Armed Forces of the United States stationed outside of California on active duty, if the member of the Armed Forces of the United States otherwise maintains California as their state of legal residence. The bill also would make conforming changes.
