BILL ANALYSIS                                                                                                                                                                                                    Ó



                                                                    AB 2164


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          Date of Hearing:  May 4, 2016


                        ASSEMBLY COMMITTEE ON APPROPRIATIONS


                               Lorena Gonzalez, Chair


          AB  
          2164 (O'Donnell) - As Amended April 18, 2016


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          Urgency:  No  State Mandated Local Program:  NoReimbursable:  No


          SUMMARY:


          This bill expands an existing exemption from mandatory tuition  
          and fees at the University of California (UC), the Hastings  
          College of Law, the California State University (CSU), and the  
          California Community Colleges-for an eligible survivor of a  
          firefighter or law enforcement officer who died in the line of  
          duty-to also include the survivor of a firefighter or law  
          enforcement officer who died as a result of an industrial injury  
          or illness arising out of and in the course of active law  
          enforcement or fire suppression and prevention duties. The bill  
          also provides, for student survivors receiving the existing  
          waiver, an additional waiver of mandatory campus-based fees.









                                                                    AB 2164


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          FISCAL EFFECT:


          Expanding the circumstances under which the survivor of a  
          firefighter or law enforcement officer would be eligible for  
          tuition and fee waivers would result in losses of revenue at UC,  
          CSU, and the CCC.


          UC indicates less than 20 current students are receiving the  
          current waiver. The total is 36 students at CSU and was about  
          350 at the community colleges in 2014-15. The numbers of  
          additional students at each segment who would become eligible  
          for a waiver under this bill is unknown, but assuming it is  
          one-half the above numbers, the annual revenue losses would be  
          about $134,000 at UC, $123,000 at CSU and $160,000 at the CCC.  
          In addition, since the bill waives mandatory campus-based fees,  
          there would be additional revenue losses of $11,000 at UC and  
          $48,000 at CSU.


          COMMENTS:


          Background and Purpose. The Alan Pattee Scholarship Act of 1970  
          was created in order to assist surviving family members of  
          firefighters and law enforcement officers who died in the line  
          of duty. The Act waives all mandatory tuition and fees at UC,  
          Hastings, and CSU for these survivors. By reference to the Act  
          in Education Code Section 76300, fees are also waived at the  
          CCC. Since 1970, California's workers' compensation laws have  
          been amended to reflect other serious occupational hazards  
          firefighters and law enforcement officers face. Today these laws  
          provide for benefits to these public safety officers who also  
          endure the cumulative effect of exposure to toxic materials. The  
          Act has never been updated to reflect these changes, which AB  
          2164 would accomplish.









                                                                    AB 2164


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          Analysis Prepared by:Chuck Nicol / APPR. / (916)  
          319-2081