AB 1534: Student financial aid: federal Workforce Pell Grant program.

Beginning on July 1, 2026, for the financial aid award year of 202627 and each award year thereafter, existing federal law establishes the federal Workforce Pell Grant program to award grants to eligible students who are enrolled, or accepted for enrollment, in a short-term educational program that, among other things, provides an education aligned with the requirements of high-skill, high-wage, or in-demand industry sectors or occupations, as provided.

This bill, beginning on July 1, 2026, would prohibit a campus of the University of California, the California State University, or the California Community Colleges, a private postsecondary educational institution, or an independent institution of higher education that receives state financial assistance from disbursing federal Workforce Pell Grant program funds to students enrolled in the institutions short-term programs, and advertising, marketing, or informing students about the availability of those funds unless the institution has (1) obtained authorization from an unspecified state entity the Governor that the institution meets the requirements of the federal Workforce Pell Grant program, and (2) obtained approvals and met all requirements set forth by the United States Department of Education. The bill would require a participating postsecondary educational institution seeking a determination that one or more of its short-term programs meets the requirements of the federal Workforce Pell Grant program to provide to the unspecified state entity, Governor, among other things, certification under penalty of perjury with any applicable verification required by the unspecified state entity Governor that is sufficient to demonstrate that for each federal aid award year, the short-term program meets specified criteria related to its short-term program, as provided. By expanding the crime of perjury, the bill would impose a state-mandated local program.

This bill would prohibit the unspecified state entity Governor from authorizing a participating postsecondary educational institution to receive federal Workforce Pell Grant program funds for a short-term program unless, among other things, the unspecified state entity Governor determines that the short-term program meets the requirements of the above-described federal provisions and the unspecified state entity Governor consults with the Labor and Workforce Development Agency and an advisory board, which the bill would establish. The bill would require a participating postsecondary educational institution to ensure that any confidential student information collected for purposes of the bill is only disclosed to the unspecified state entity. Governor or relevant state entities. The bill would authorize the unspecified state entity Labor and Workforce Development Agency to adopt rules and regulations to implement the bill as it deems necessary.

Existing constitutional provisions require that a statute that limits the right of access to the meetings of public bodies or the writings of public officials and agencies be adopted with findings demonstrating the interest protected by the limitation and the need for protecting that interest.

This bill would make legislative findings to that effect.