AB 1858: Student financial aid: Financial Aid Shopping Sheet.

(1)Existing law, the Donahoe Higher Education Act, sets forth the missions and functions of the segments of postsecondary education in this state. As defined in the act, these segments include the University of California, the California State University, the California Community Colleges, and independent institutions of higher education as defined in the act, and private postsecondary educational institutions as defined in the California Private Postsecondary Education Act of 2009. Provisions of the Donahoe Higher Education Act apply to the University of California only to the extent that the Regents of the University of California act by resolution to make them applicable.

This bill would add to the Donahoe Higher Education Act a provision that would require, by January 1, 2020, and permanently thereafter, each campus of the University of California, the California State University, and the California Community Colleges, and each independent institution of higher education to provide students with the Financial Aid Shopping Sheet as developed by the United States Department of Education to inform students or individuals who have been offered admission about financial aid award packages. The bill would also require these institutions to provide the completed Financial Aid Shopping Sheet when they provide in print or electronically financial aid award packages to individuals who are offered admission to the institution. The bill would declare that this provision would apply to the University of California irrespective of any action taken by the regents to make it applicable. To the extent that this bill would add to the duties of community college districts, it would constitute a state-mandated local program.

(2)Existing law establishes the Student Aid Commission in state government for, among other duties, the administration of student financial aid programs and the dissemination of information about all institutional, state, and federal student aid programs to potential applicants.

This bill would require the commission, in the event that the Financial Aid Shopping Sheet developed by the United States Department of Education is no longer available, to develop, in consultation with the Bureau for Private Postsecondary Education, a similar form that a postsecondary educational institution subject to the requirements of this bill will use.

(3)The existing California Private Postsecondary Education Act of 2009 provides for the regulation of private postsecondary educational institutions by the Bureau for Private Postsecondary Education in the Department of Consumer Affairs. The act is repealed by its own provisions as of January 1, 2021.

This bill would add to the California Private Postsecondary Education Act of 2009 a provision that would require, by January 1, 2020, and permanently thereafter, as applicable, each private postsecondary educational institution subject to its provisions that participates in federal student financial aid programs or specified veterans financial aid programs to provide students with the Financial Aid Shopping Sheet as developed by the United States Department of Education to inform students or potential students about financial aid award packages prior to enrollment, as specified.

(4)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.