An act to add Section 68130.6
to
to, and to add Chapter 3.67 (commencing with Section 44778) to Part 25 of Division 3 of Title 2 of,
the Education Code, relating to public postsecondary education.

The people of the State of California do enact as follows:


SECTION 1.
The Legislature finds and declares all of the following:
(a) It is the intent of the Legislature to increase enrollment and graduation rates among students meeting the requirements of Assembly Bill 540 of the 2001–02 Regular Session (Firebaugh, Ch. 814) by requiring the creation of Dream Resource Centers at public institutions of higher education.
(b) It is estimated that each year approximately 65,000 undocumented students graduate from high schools, and while California has been a leader in enacting innovative and bold laws to provide opportunities for undocumented youth to attain higher education, only 20 percent of these students attend college. Many undocumented youth and their families are unaware of recent policy changes, such as the enactment of Assembly Bill 540 of the 2001–02 Regular Session, the California Dream Act of 2011, and the federal Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA), that make college graduation more attainable. Currently, the majority of college campuses do not have a centralized location that provides specialized support services and resources for students meeting the requirements of Assembly Bill 540 of the 2001–02 Regular Session.
(c) The creation of Dream Resource Centers would save staff time and resources by streamlining all available financial aid and academic opportunities for students meeting the requirements of Assembly Bill 540 of the 2001–02 Regular Session. These Dream Resource Centers would seek to empower and create a safe and welcoming environment for those students. These centers would increase enrollment, transfer, and graduation rates among this population.
(d) A number of college campuses have acknowledged the needs and challenges of these students and have created Dream Resource Centers. These include: the University of California, Los Angeles; the University of California, Davis; the California State University, Los Angeles; the California State University, Fullerton; and the California State University, Northridge. These centers provide, among other things, informational workshops, legal clinics, information on programs available to undocumented immigrants, and peer mentoring and support services to increase awareness of existing programs and available resources, enhance professional development, and increase employment opportunities.
SEC. 2.
Chapter 3.67 (commencing with Section 44778) is added to Part 25 of Division 3 of Title 2 of the Education Code, to read:
are encouraged to designate a Dream Resource Liaison on each of their campuses, as specified in subdivision (b), to assist students meeting the requirements set forth in Section 68130.5 by streamlining access to all available financial aid and academic opportunities for those students.
(b) (1) Each campus of the California Community Colleges
shall
is encouraged to
ensure that it has a staff person designated as a Dream Resource Liaison who is knowledgeable in available financial aid, services, and academic opportunities for all students meeting the requirements set forth in Section 68130.5, including undocumented students. The Legislature encourages each of these campuses to place this designated staff person in the campus’ extended
opportunities
opportunity
programs and services office or financial aid office.
(2) Each campus of the California State University
shall
is encouraged to
ensure that it has a staff person designated as a Dream Resource Liaison who is knowledgeable in available financial aid, services, and academic opportunities for all students meeting the requirements set forth in Section 68130.5, including undocumented students. The Legislature encourages each of these campuses to place this designated staff person in the campus’ educational
opportunities
opportunity
programs
and services
office or financial aid office.
(3) The University of California is
requested
encouraged
to designate a Dream Resource Liaison on each of its campuses.
(c) Dream Resource Centers may offer support services, including, but not necessarily limited to, state and institutional financial aid assistance, academic counseling, peer support services, psychological counseling, referral services, and legal services.
(d) (1) This section shall not be construed as requiring the construction of a new or separate space for Dream Resource Centers.
(2) Dream Resource Centers may be housed within existing student service or academic centers.
(3) The space in which the Dream Resource Liaison is located may be deemed a Dream Resource Center.
(e) Notwithstanding Section 11005 of the Government Code and any other law requiring approval by a state officer of gifts, bequests, devises, or donations, the Trustees of the California State University, the Board of Governors of the California Community Colleges, and the Regents of the University of California may seek and accept on behalf of the state any gift, bequest, devise, or donation whenever the gift and the terms and conditions thereof will aid in the creation and operation of Dream Resource Centers for their respective systems.
SEC. 3.
If the Commission on State Mandates determines that this act contains costs mandated by the state, reimbursement to local agencies and school districts for those costs shall be made pursuant to Part 7 (commencing with Section 17500) of Division 4 of Title 2 of the Government Code.

Summary: Existing law establishes the segments of the public , is exempt from paying nonresident tuition at the California Community Colleges and the California State University.
This bill
would, commencing with the 2017–18 academic year, require
would encourage
the California Community
Colleges and
Colleges,
the California State University, and
would request
the University of
California,
California
to designate a Dream Resource Liaison on each of their campuses, as specified, to assist certain students by streamlining access to all available financial aid and academic opportunities for those students.
The bill would encourage the governing board of each school district and each county office of education that maintains any of grades 9 to 12, inclusive, to have a Dream Resource Liaison at each of their respective campuses that includes any of those grades.
The bill would authorize Dream Resource Centers to offer support services,
including
including,
but not necessarily limited to, state and institutional financial aid assistance, academic counseling, peer support services, psychological counseling, referral services, and legal services. The bill would
require
encourage
each campus of the California Community Colleges and the California State University to ensure that it has a staff person designated as a Dream Resource Liaison who is knowledgeable in available financial aid, services, and academic opportunities for all students meeting specified requirements, including undocumented students.
By requiring community colleges to designate a Dream Resource Liaison, this bill would impose a state-mandated local program.
This bill would authorize the trustees, the board of governors, and the regents to seek and accept on behalf of the state any gift, bequest, devise, or donation whenever the gift and the terms and conditions thereof will aid in the creation and operation of Dream Resource Centers for their respective systems.
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.