SB 971: Community colleges: exemption from nonresident tuition fee: resident of a region impacted by war or regional conflict.

Existing law establishes the California Community Colleges, under the administration of the Board of Governors of the California Community Colleges, as one of the segments of public postsecondary education in this state. Existing law establishes community college districts throughout the state and authorizes them to operate campuses and provide instruction to students. Existing law authorizes community college districts to admit nonresident students, and requires that nonresident students be charged a nonresident tuition fee unless an exemption applies. Existing law includes among these exemptions any nonresident who is both a citizen and resident of a foreign country if the nonresident has demonstrated a financial need, as specified.

This bill would additionally exempt from the nonresident tuition fee a nonresident, low-income student who: (1) is a resident of a region impacted by war or other regional conflict, as defined, (2) registers for lower division courses at a community college in either the Glendale Community College District or the Contra Costa Community College District, and (3) has indicated that they have sought residency in California in an effort to find relief from identified conflicts in their nation of origin. The bill would, in any academic year, prohibit more than 75 full-time equivalent students at a community college district from being exempted from payment of the nonresident tuition fee pursuant to this exemption.

The bill would require the governing boards of the community colleges that choose to use this exemption to adopt one uniform policy to determine a students residence classification, establish procedures for an appeal and review of the residence classification, and determine whether a student is low income. The bill would require the governing boards of the community colleges that choose to use this exemption, on or before January 1, 2029, to jointly submit a report to the Legislature that includes, but is not limited to, the demographics, attendance rate, and class completion rate of nonresident students who receive the exemption described above.

This bill would make these provisions inoperative on January 1, 2029.