SB 1375

Bill Subjects

Abstract

(1) Under existing law, the segments of the public higher education system in the state include the University of California, which is administered by the Regents of the University of California, the California State University, which is administered by the Trustees of the California State University, and the California Community Colleges, which is administered by the Board of Governors of the California Community Colleges. Existing law authorizes the California Community Colleges and California State University, and encourages the University of California, to coordinate services for qualified students who are veterans or members of the military by clearly designating military and veterans offices and individuals to provide specified services. This bill would encourage the California Community Colleges, the California State University, and the University of California to offer oncampus counseling services for student veterans by utilizing the resources of existing campus military and veterans offices. The bill would require the California Community Colleges and the California State University, and encourage the University of California, to adopt an online course, for one unit of credit, for student veterans to ease their transition to college and assist them in understanding the effects of postwar stress, post-traumatic stress disorder, and traumatic brain injuries. To the extent this bill would impose new duties on community college districts, it would constitute a state-mandated local program. (2) 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 these statutory provisions.