CONCURRENCE IN SENATE AMENDMENTS

CSA1 Bill Id:AJR 2

Author:(Voepel)

As Amended Ver:June 11, 2019

Majority vote

SUMMARY:

Urges the Congress to increase the maximum Pell Grant from $6,195 to at least $7,500.

The Senate Amendments:

Reflect the 2019-20 maximum annual amount of the federal Pell Grant Program.

EXISTING LAW: The Higher Education Act of 1965 established a need-based federal grant program, which with subsequent amendments to the Act, became the Pell Grant program in 1978 (Title 20 United States (U.S.) Code Section 1070, et seq.).

COMMENTS:

Background. A Pell Grant is a subsidy the U.S. federal government provides for students who demonstrate financial need toward paying for college. Federal Pell Grants are limited to students who have not earned their first bachelor's degree or who are enrolled in certain post-baccalaureate programs, through participating institutions. A Pell Grant is generally considered the foundation of a student's financial aid package, to which other forms of aid are added. The program is administered by the United States Department of Education, which determines the student's financial need and through it, the student's Pell eligibility.

The Pell Grant is named after Democratic U.S. Senator Claiborne Pell of Rhode Island, and was originally known as the Basic Educational Opportunity Grant. These grants, which were created by the Higher Education Act of 1965, may be used by students at any one of approximately 5,400 participating postsecondary institutions.

The maximum Pell Grant is typically established by the Congress through its annual appropriations process. (Multi-year maximum grant levels are also established in statute when the Higher Education Act is reauthorized, but actual appropriations typically provide funding for a much lower maximum grant.) When compared to the Pell Grant maximum of 40 years ago, the current maximum grant has kept up with general inflation, though not in a linear fashion during the intervening time. As college costs have increased more rapidly in recent years, however, the grant has less purchasing power for students than it did 20 years ago.

To note, the 2018-19 maximum Pell Grant award was $6,095.

According to the Author:

"It is more than important to raise awareness of how low [of an] increase was in the Pell Grant last year." The author contends that, "It's time to call the President and the United States Congress to take [a] serious approach in helping hardworking American's and Californian's to success in education and become economically independent after their undergraduate education."

Arguments in Support:

There is no support on file.

Arguments in Opposition:

There is no opposition on file.

FISCAL COMMENTS:

This measure is keyed non-fiscal by the Legislative Counsel.

VOTES:

ASM HIGHER EDUCATION: 12-0-0

YES: Medina, Choi, Muratsuchi, Bloom, Gabriel, Daly, Kiley, Levine, Low, Patterson, Santiago, Weber

ASSEMBLY FLOOR: 74-0-6

YES: Aguiar-Curry, Bauer-Kahan, Berman, Bigelow, Bloom, Boerner Horvath, Bonta, Brough, Burke, Carrillo, Cervantes, Chau, Chiu, Choi, Chu, Cooley, Cunningham, Dahle, Diep, Eggman, Flora, Fong, Frazier, Friedman, Gallagher, Cristina Garcia, Eduardo Garcia, Gipson, Gloria, Gonzalez, Gray, Grayson, Holden, Irwin, Jones-Sawyer, Kalra, Kamlager-Dove, Kiley, Lackey, Levine, Limón, Low, Maienschein, Mathis, Mayes, McCarty, Medina, Melendez, Mullin, Muratsuchi, Nazarian, O'Donnell, Obernolte, Patterson, Petrie-Norris, Quirk, Quirk-Silva, Ramos, Reyes, Luz Rivas, Robert Rivas, Rodriguez, Blanca Rubio, Salas, Santiago, Smith, Mark Stone, Ting, Voepel, Waldron, Weber, Wicks, Wood, Rendon

ABS, ABST OR NV: Arambula, Calderon, Chen, Cooper, Daly, Gabriel

SENATE FLOOR: 40-0-0

YES: Allen, Archuleta, Atkins, Bates, Beall, Borgeas, Bradford, Caballero, Chang, Dahle, Dodd, Durazo, Galgiani, Glazer, Lena Gonzalez, Grove, Hertzberg, Hill, Hueso, Hurtado, Jackson, Jones, Leyva, McGuire, Mitchell, Monning, Moorlach, Morrell, Nielsen, Pan, Portantino, Roth, Rubio, Skinner, Stern, Stone, Umberg, Wieckowski, Wiener, Wilk

UPDATED:

VERSION: June 11, 2019

CONSULTANT: Jeanice Warden / HIGHER ED. / (916) 319-3960, FN: 0001103

 CONSENT  

Bill No: AJR 2

Author: Voepel (R), et al.

Amended: 6/11/19 in Senate

Vote: 21

SENATE EDUCATION COMMITTEE: 7-0, 6/5/19

AYES: Leyva, Wilk, Chang, Durazo, Glazer, McGuire, Pan

ASSEMBLY FLOOR: 74-0, 3/25/19 (Consent) - See last page for vote

SUBJECT: The federal Pell Grant Program awards

SOURCE: Author

DIGEST:

This resolution calls upon the Congress and the President of the United States to increase the maximum Pell Grant from $6,195 to at least $7,500.

ANALYSIS: Existing federal law, under the Higher Education Act of 1965, established a need-based federal grant program, which with subsequent amendments to the Act, became the Pell Grant program in 1978. (Title 20 U.S. Code Section 1070, et seq.)

This resolution:

1. Resolves that the Legislature respectfully requests the Congress and the President of the United States to immediately take action to increase the maximum annual amount of the federal Pell Grant Program award from $6,195 to at least $7,500 to further help low-income college students alleviate the burden of higher education debt.
2. Resolves that the Chief Clerk of the Assembly transmit copies of this resolution to the President and Vice President of the United States, to the Speaker of the House of Representatives, to the Majority Leader of the Senate, and to each Senator and Representative from California in the Congress of the United States.
3. Makes various findings and declarations, including, but not limited to:
   1. As postsecondary education costs for students have increased over the years, it has become more financially burdensome for students to attend higher education.
   2. United States employers require job applicants to receive advanced education degrees or credentials more often than they did in the past.
   3. In the 2018-19 academic year, more than 700,000 students attending higher education in California are receiving Pell Grants that total over $4 billion.
   4. While growth for the maximum award, which is currently $6,195, has kept with inflation the increase has not kept pace with escalating college costs.

Comments

1. Need for the bill. According to the author, many Californians’ cannot afford the high cost of tuition, housing, and food associated with college attendance. The author further asserts that it is important that the state request the federal government to address this concern.

This resolution calls on Congress to increase the maximum Pell Grant to at least $7,500, which is an additional increase of $1,405 in the maximum award amount.

1. Related Pell Grant program activity. On September 28, 2018, President Trump signed H.R. 6157, an omnibus spending bill that set federal funding levels for programs operated by the United States Departments of Defense, Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education. H.R. 6157 provided funding for all federal financial aid programs for Federal Fiscal Year (FFY) 2019, beginning October 1, 2018, and concluding on September 30, 2019. Major adjustments to federal financial aid programs for FFY 2019 includes an increase of $100 in the maximum Pell Grant award from $6,095 to $6,195 in the 2019-20 award year beginning July 1, 2019.

FISCAL EFFECT: Appropriation: No Fiscal Com.: No Local: No

SUPPORT: (Verified 6/10/19)

None received

OPPOSITION: (Verified 6/10/19)

None received

ASSEMBLY FLOOR: 74-0, 3/25/19

AYES: Aguiar-Curry, Bauer-Kahan, Berman, Bigelow, Bloom, Boerner Horvath, Bonta, Brough, Burke, Carrillo, Cervantes, Chau, Chiu, Choi, Chu, Cooley, Cunningham, Dahle, Diep, Eggman, Flora, Fong, Frazier, Friedman, Gallagher, Cristina Garcia, Eduardo Garcia, Gipson, Gloria, Gonzalez, Gray, Grayson, Holden, Irwin, Jones-Sawyer, Kalra, Kamlager-Dove, Kiley, Lackey, Levine, Limón, Low, Maienschein, Mathis, Mayes, McCarty, Medina, Melendez, Mullin, Muratsuchi, Nazarian, Obernolte, O'Donnell, Patterson, Petrie-Norris, Quirk, Quirk-Silva, Ramos, Reyes, Luz Rivas, Robert Rivas, Rodriguez, Blanca Rubio, Salas, Santiago, Smith, Mark Stone, Ting, Voepel, Waldron, Weber, Wicks, Wood, Rendon

NO VOTE RECORDED: Arambula, Calderon, Chen, Cooper, Daly, Gabriel

Prepared by: Olgalilia Ramirez / ED. /

6/12/19 14:12:22

**** END ****

 CONSENT  

Bill No: AJR 2

Author: Voepel (R), et al.

Amended: 6/11/19 in Senate

Vote: 21

SENATE EDUCATION COMMITTEE: 7-0, 6/5/19

AYES: Leyva, Wilk, Chang, Durazo, Glazer, McGuire, Pan

ASSEMBLY FLOOR: 74-0, 3/25/19 (Consent) - See last page for vote

SUBJECT: The federal Pell Grant Program awards

SOURCE: Author

DIGEST:

This resolution calls upon the Congress and the President of the United States to increase the maximum Pell Grant from $6,195 to at least $7,500.

ANALYSIS: Existing federal law, under the Higher Education Act of 1965, established a need-based federal grant program, which with subsequent amendments to the Act, became the Pell Grant program in 1978. (Title 20 U.S. Code Section 1070, et seq.)

This resolution:

1. Resolves that the Legislature respectfully requests the Congress and the President of the United States to immediately take action to increase the maximum annual amount of the federal Pell Grant Program award from $6,195 to at least $7,500 to further help low-income college students alleviate the burden of higher education debt.
2. Resolves that the Chief Clerk of the Assembly transmit copies of this resolution to the President and Vice President of the United States, to the Speaker of the House of Representatives, to the Majority Leader of the Senate, and to each Senator and Representative from California in the Congress of the United States.
3. Makes various findings and declarations, including, but not limited to:
   1. As postsecondary education costs for students have increased over the years, it has become more financially burdensome for students to attend higher education.
   2. United States employers require job applicants to receive advanced education degrees or credentials more often than they did in the past.
   3. In the 2018-19 academic year, more than 700,000 students attending higher education in California are receiving Pell Grants that total over $4 billion.
   4. While growth for the maximum award, which is currently $6,195, has kept with inflation the increase has not kept pace with escalating college costs.

Comments

1. Need for the resolution. According to the author, many Californians’ cannot afford the high cost of tuition, housing, and food associated with college attendance. The author further asserts that it is important that the state request the federal government to address this concern.

This resolution calls on Congress to increase the maximum Pell Grant to at least $7,500, which is an additional increase of $1,405 in the maximum award amount.

1. Related Pell Grant program activity. On September 28, 2018, President Trump signed H.R. 6157, an omnibus spending bill that set federal funding levels for programs operated by the United States Departments of Defense, Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education. H.R. 6157 provided funding for all federal financial aid programs for Federal Fiscal Year (FFY) 2019, beginning October 1, 2018, and concluding on September 30, 2019. Major adjustments to federal financial aid programs for FFY 2019 includes an increase of $100 in the maximum Pell Grant award from $6,095 to $6,195 in the 2019-20 award year beginning July 1, 2019.

FISCAL EFFECT: Appropriation: No Fiscal Com.: No Local: No

SUPPORT: (Verified 6/10/19)

None received

OPPOSITION: (Verified 6/10/19)

None received

ASSEMBLY FLOOR: 74-0, 3/25/19

AYES: Aguiar-Curry, Bauer-Kahan, Berman, Bigelow, Bloom, Boerner Horvath, Bonta, Brough, Burke, Carrillo, Cervantes, Chau, Chiu, Choi, Chu, Cooley, Cunningham, Dahle, Diep, Eggman, Flora, Fong, Frazier, Friedman, Gallagher, Cristina Garcia, Eduardo Garcia, Gipson, Gloria, Gonzalez, Gray, Grayson, Holden, Irwin, Jones-Sawyer, Kalra, Kamlager-Dove, Kiley, Lackey, Levine, Limón, Low, Maienschein, Mathis, Mayes, McCarty, Medina, Melendez, Mullin, Muratsuchi, Nazarian, Obernolte, O'Donnell, Patterson, Petrie-Norris, Quirk, Quirk-Silva, Ramos, Reyes, Luz Rivas, Robert Rivas, Rodriguez, Blanca Rubio, Salas, Santiago, Smith, Mark Stone, Ting, Voepel, Waldron, Weber, Wicks, Wood, Rendon

NO VOTE RECORDED: Arambula, Calderon, Chen, Cooper, Daly, Gabriel

Prepared by: Olgalilia Ramirez / ED. /

6/12/19 15:49:10

**** END ****

SENATE COMMITTEE ON EDUCATION

Senator Connie Leyva, Chair

2019 - 2020 Regular

Bill No: AJR 2 Hearing Date: June 5, 2019

Subject: The federal Pell Grant Program awards.

SUMMARY

This joint resolution calls upon Congress and the President to increase the maximum Pell Grant from $6,095 to at least $ 7,500.

BACKGROUND

Existing federal law, under the Higher Education Act of 1965 established a need-based federal grant program, which with subsequent amendments to the Act, became the Pell Grant program in 1978. (Title 20 U.S. Code Section 1070, et seq.)

ANALYSIS

This joint resolution:

1. Resolves that the Legislature respectfully request Congress and the President of the United States to immediately take action to increase the maximum annual amount of the federal Pell Grant Program award from $6,095 to at least $7,500 to further help low-income college students alleviate the burden of higher education debt.
2. Resolves the Chief Clerk of the Assembly transmit copies of this resolution to the President and Vice President of the United States, to the Speaker of the House of Representatives, to the Majority Leader of the Senate, and to each Senator and Representative from California in the Congress of the United States.
3. Makes various findings and declarations, including but not limited to:
   1. As postsecondary education costs for students have increased over the

years, it has become more financially burdensome for students to attend higher education.

• 1. United States employers require job applicants to receive advanced

education degrees or credentials more often than they did in the past.

• 1. In the 2018-19 academic year, more than 700,000 students attending

higher education in California are receiving Pell grants that total over $4 billion.

• 1. While growth for the maximum award, which is currently $6,095, has kept

with inflation the increase has not kept pace with escalating college costs.

STAFF COMMENTS

1. Need for the bill. According to the author, many Californians’ cannot not afford the high cost of tuition, housing and food associated with college attendance. The author further asserts that it is important that the state request the federal government to address this concern.

This measure calls on Congress to increase the maximum Pell Grant to at least $7,500, which is an additional increase of $1,405 in the maximum award amount.

1. Related Pell Grant Program activity. On September 28, 2018, President Trump signed H.R. 6157, an omnibus spending bill that set federal funding levels for programs operated by the U.S. Departments of Defense, Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education. H.R. 6157 provided funding for all federal financial aid programs for Federal Fiscal Year (FFY) 2019, beginning October 1, 2018 and concluding on September 30, 2019. Major adjustments to federal financial aid programs for FFY 2019 includes an increase of $100 in the maximum Pell Grant award from $6,095 to $6,195 in the 2019-20 award year beginning July 1, 2019.

The maximum award currently stated in this measure will be obsolete as of June 30, 2019, for this reason staff recommends that the resolution be amended and updated to reflect the maximum grant for the 2019-20 award year of $6,195 in lieu of the $6,095 amount set for the 2018-19 year.

SUPPORT

None received

OPPOSITION

None received

-- END --

Date of Hearing: March 19, 2019

ASSEMBLY COMMITTEE ON HIGHER EDUCATION

Jose Medina, Chair

ABPCA Bill Id:AJR 2 (

Author:Voepel) – As Amended Ver:March 7, 2019

SUBJECT: The federal Pell Grant Program awards

SUMMARY: This measure calls on the Congress to increase the maximum Pell Grant from $6,095 to at least $7,500.

EXISTING LAW: The Higher Education Act of 1965 established a need-based federal grant program, which with subsequent amendments to the Act, became the Pell Grant program in 1978. (Title 20 U.S. Code Section 1070, et seq.)

FISCAL EFFECT: This bill is keyed non-fiscal. No direct fiscal impact to the state or local governments. Based on the current maximum grant amount and total program costs, increasing the maximum grant to $7,500 would increase federal costs by around $6 billion annually.

COMMENTS:

Background. A Pell Grant is a subsidy the U.S. federal government provides for students who demonstrate financial need toward paying for college. Federal Pell Grants are limited to students who have not earned their first bachelor's degree or who are enrolled in certain post-baccalaureate programs, through participating institutions. A Pell Grant is generally considered the foundation of a student's financial aid package, to which other forms of aid are added. The program is administered by the United States Department of Education, which determines the student's financial need and through it, the student's Pell eligibility.

The Pell Grant is named after Democratic U.S. Senator Claiborne Pell of Rhode Island, and was originally known as the Basic Educational Opportunity Grant. These grants, which were created by the Higher Education Act of 1965, may be used by students at any one of approximately 5,400 participating postsecondary institutions.

The maximum Pell Grant is typically established by Congress through its annual appropriations process. (Multi-year maximum grant levels are also established in statute when the Higher Education Act is reauthorized, but actual appropriations typically provide funding for a much lower maximum grant.) When compared to the Pell Grant maximum of 40 years ago, the current maximum grant has kept up with general inflation, though not in a linear fashion during the intervening time. As college costs have increased more rapidly in recent years, however, the grant has less purchasing power for students than it did 20 years ago.

Purpose. This measure calls on Congress to increase the maximum Pell Grant to at least $7,500. At this level, the maximum grant would cover the same percentage of the total costs of attendance at the University of California today as in 1998-99. Costs of attendance at the other public higher education segments, as well as at the state’s private colleges and universities, have, of course, increased over this 20-year period at varying degrees.

REGISTERED SUPPORT / OPPOSITION:

Support

None on file.

Opposition

None on file.

Analysis Prepared by: Chuck Nicol / HIGHER ED. / (916) 319-3960