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Introduced CA SB 968
FREE San Mateo Community College

Article Source: CA State Senator Josh Becker

Introduced - SB 968
Senate Bill
No. 968

Introduced by Senator Becker
(Coauthors: Assembly Members Berman and Papan)

February 03, 2026

An act to amend Section 76302 of the Education Code, relating to community colleges.


LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST


SB 968, as introduced, Becker. Community colleges: San Mateo County Community College District.
Existing law, until July 1, 2028, authorizes the San Mateo County Community College District to adopt a policy that uses local unrestricted general funds to provide fee waivers to students with the greatest financial need when other fee waivers are not provided to those students, as specified. Existing law authorizes the San Mateo County Community College District to use local unrestricted general funds, in addition to funding received under the California College Promise, to provide assistance to students for the total cost of attendance, as defined, only for students who reside within the boundary of the community college district.
This bill would delete the repeal date, thereby extending the San Mateo County Community College District’s authority to adopt the above-described policy indefinitely. The bill would also repeal an obsolete reporting requirement.
This bill would make legislative findings and declarations as to the necessity of a special statute for the San Mateo County Community College District.
Vote: MAJORITY   Appropriation: NO   Fiscal Committee: NO   Local Program: NO  

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


SECTION 1.

 Section 76302 of the Education Code is amended to read:
76302.
 (a) The governing board of the San Mateo County Community College District may adopt a policy that uses local unrestricted general funds to provide fee waivers to students with the greatest financial need, as determined by the community college district, when other fee waivers are not provided to those students. The policy shall include a requirement to prepare a fiscal impact statement, including a three-year projection of fiscal impact of the fee waiver on the community college district. The fiscal impact statement shall be presented at a public meeting of the governing board of the community college district and made available to the public.
(b) In addition to funding received pursuant to subdivision (b) of Section 76396, the San Mateo County Community College District may use local unrestricted general funds to provide assistance to students for the total cost of attendance.
(c) The San Mateo County Community College District may use local unrestricted general funds for the purposes described in this section only for students who reside within the boundary of the community college district.

(d)On or before March 1, 2026, the governing board of the San Mateo Community College District shall submit a report to the Chancellor’s Office of the California Community Colleges, the Department of Finance, and the appropriate committees of the Legislature on the implementation of this section. The report shall include all of the following:

(1)How the district has determined to use local unrestricted general funds to support implementation of the California College Promise.

(2)How the district has determined to use local unrestricted general funds to assist students with the total cost of attendance.

(3)How the district has determined to use California College Promise funds to assist students with the total cost of attendance.

(4)A copy of the policy adopted by the governing board of the San Mateo Community College District pursuant to subdivision (a).

(5)A copy of the fiscal impact statement prepared pursuant to subdivision (a).

(6)The number and percentage of students receiving a fee waiver pursuant to this section, disaggregated by age, race and ethnicity, unit load, and income level.

(7)The number and percentage of students receiving a California Promise Grant, disaggregated by age, race and ethnicity, unit load, and income level.

(8)The number and percentage of students receiving other forms of institutional aid, including scholarships and grants, disaggregated by age, race and ethnicity, unit load, and income level.

(9)The services and programs that were limited or eliminated due to the implementation of this section.

(e)

(d) For purposes of this section, the total cost of attendance for a student attending a community college shall be defined to include the student’s tuition and fees, books and supplies, living expenses, transportation expenses, and any other student expenses used to calculate a student’s financial need for purposes of federal Title IV student aid programs.

(f)This section shall become inoperative on July 1, 2028, and as of January 1, 2029, is repealed.

SEC. 2.

 The Legislature finds and declares that a special statute is necessary and that a general statute cannot be made applicable within the meaning of Section 16 of Article IV of the California Constitution because of the unique circumstances of the San Mateo County Community College District that necessitate greater flexibility in the use of local resources to support students’ basic needs and removal of financial barriers for students to access higher education in a high cost-of-living region.



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