66014.1.
(a) (1) The Student Aid Commission shall convene, until July 1, 2025, a working group consisting of representatives from the department, the Board of Governors of the California Community Colleges, the Trustees of the California State University, the Regents of the University of California, and faculty, staff, and students from the California Community Colleges, the California State University, and the University of California to research and develop recommendations for the creation of a pilot program that would cover the cost of postsecondary education in the State of California by replacing the system of charging students tuition and fees, and addressing additional expenses associated with attendance at a public postsecondary institution.(2) The representatives of each participating entity described in paragraph (1) shall be selected internally by the participating entity.
(b) The working group shall consider feedback and insight from nonprofit stakeholder groups with extensive knowledge of college affordability models and approaches and allow participation from these groups in nonmember roles.
(c) For purposes of the consideration of the working group, the pilot program to be created shall allow students who are residents of the state and who qualify for admission to a public postsecondary institution to enroll in that institution without paying for the cost of education. The working group shall also prioritize the needs of students with the greatest financial need, as determined by the working group.
(d) The working group shall do all of the following:
(1) Identify one or more public postsecondary institutions, including specific campuses of the California Community Colleges, the California State University, and the University of California, for participation in the pilot program.
(2) Determine the length of the pilot program.
(3) Determine a funding source that would be available for the duration of the pilot program.
(4) Identify how the pilot program would complement existing financial aid programs, such as the Cal Grant Program (Chapter 1.7 (commencing with Section 69430) of Part 42).
(e) The working group shall submit to the Legislature, on or before July 1, 2025, in compliance with Section 9795 of the Government Code, a report that outlines recommendations for the proposed pilot program, including the information described in subdivision (d).
(f) This section shall remain in effect only until January 1, 2026, and as of that date is repealed.