California Community Colleges Access and Continuity for Deported Students Act.

Plain English Breakdown

The bill was vetoed by the governor, but there's no information on whether lawmakers have overridden it.

California Community Colleges Access and Continuity for Deported Students Act

The California Community Colleges Access and Continuity for Deported Students Act aims to exempt certain students who leave the United States from paying nonresident tuition upon returning and allows them to retain their residency status and apply for financial aid.

What This Bill Does

• Exempts a student from paying nonresident tuition if they left the U.S. on or after January 1, 2025, were not paying nonresident tuition when they left, provide an attestation of specified information related to their departure, and reenroll in a community college online education program within three years.
• Allows students who previously paid resident tuition to retain residency status upon returning to in-person education at a community college until January 1, 2030.
• Enables deported students to apply for financial aid once they reenroll in a community college.

Who It Names or Affects

• Community college students who leave the United States and later return before January 1, 2030.

Terms To Know

Nonresident tuition

The higher fees charged to students from outside California for attending community colleges in California.

Residency status

A classification that determines whether a student pays resident or nonresident tuition at public educational institutions.

Limits and Unknowns

• The bill was vetoed by the governor, but lawmakers could still override this veto.
• It only applies until January 1, 2030.

Official Summary Text

AB 695, Fong.
California Community Colleges Access and Continuity for Deported Students Act.
Existing law establishes the California Community Colleges, under the administration of the Board of Governors of the California Community Colleges as one of the 3 segments of public postsecondary education in the state. Existing law establishes uniform residency requirements for purposes of ascertaining the amount of tuition and fees to be paid by students of public postsecondary educational institutions. Existing law requires a student classified as a nonresident to pay nonresident tuition, in addition to other fees required by the institution, except as provided.
This bill, the California Community Colleges Access and Continuity for Deported Students Act, would, until
January 1, 2030, exempt a community college student from paying nonresident tuition if the student departs the United States on or after January 1, 2025, for specified reasons, was not paying nonresident tuition at the time of departure, provides an attestation of specified information related to the departure, and reenrolls in a community college online education program no later than 3 years from the date the student departed the United States. The bill, until January 1, 2030, would require a deported student, as defined, who resumes in-person education at a community college to be eligible to retain residency status for the purpose of determining tuition and fees, provided the student was previously classified as a resident and eligible for the nonresident tuition exemption at the time
of departure, and would require the student to be eligible to apply for financial aid upon reenrollment. To the extent that the bill would impose new duties on community college districts, the bill would impose a state-mandated local program.
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.
This bill would declare that it is to take effect immediately as an urgency statute.

Current Bill Text

Download Bill PDF