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AB-1633 Public postsecondary education: veterans’ educational benefits: information sharing. (2021-2022)

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Date Published: 08/26/2022 09:00 PM
AB1633:v94#DOCUMENT

Assembly Bill No. 1633
CHAPTER 174

An act to add Section 66014.4 to the Education Code, relating to public postsecondary education.

[ Approved by Governor  August 26, 2022. Filed with Secretary of State  August 26, 2022. ]

LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST


AB 1633, Seyarto. Public postsecondary education: veterans’ educational benefits: information sharing.
Under existing law, the Department of Veterans Affairs within state government has specified powers and duties relating to veterans, including those relating to education benefits. Existing law provides federal educational benefit awards for certain members and veterans of the Armed Forces of the United States. Existing law authorizes the California State University, and encourages the University of California, to report to the Department of Veterans Affairs, on an annual basis, specified information, including the total education benefits obtained by all qualified students assisted by a specified office.
This bill would require the California State University, and request the University of California, to electronically transmit specified personal information regarding students whose tuition or fees, or both, are paid, or intended to be paid, using GI Bill educational benefits, as defined, to the Department of Veterans Affairs for each academic year, starting with the 2023–24 academic year, as provided. The bill would, on or before June 1, 2023, require the office of the Chancellor of the California State University, and request the office of the President of the University of California, to develop a template for informed, written consent to be used by campus financial aid offices that permits a student to opt in to having the student’s personal information shared with the Department of Veterans Affairs, as provided.
Vote: MAJORITY   Appropriation: NO   Fiscal Committee: YES   Local Program: NO  

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


SECTION 1.

 Section 66014.4 is added to the Education Code, to read:

66014.4.
 (a) For purposes of this section, “GI Bill educational benefits” means any educational benefit administered by the United States Department of Veterans Affairs pursuant to Title 38 of the United States Code that is designed to help eligible veterans of the Armed Forces of the United States or other eligible persons with a relationship to a veteran of the Armed Forces of the United States to cover the costs associated with enrollment as a student.
(b) Commencing with the 2023–24 academic year, and annually thereafter for each academic year, the California State University shall, and the University of California is requested to, electronically transmit to the Department of Veterans Affairs, all of the following personal information regarding each student whose tuition or fees, or both, are paid, or intended to be paid, using GI Bill educational benefits, if the student has provided informed, written consent to the disclosure pursuant to subdivision (d):
(1) True, full name.
(2) Email address.
(3) Mailing address.
(4) Mobile telephone number.
(c) For purposes of subdivision (b), both of the following apply:
(1) The first data transfer shall include all students using or intending to use GI Bill educational benefits for the 2023–24 academic year.
(2) Each annual data transfer after the first data transfer shall include only new students not identified in the prior data transfer who are using or intending to use GI Bill educational benefits for the academic year.
(d) (1) On or before June 1, 2023, the office of the Chancellor of the California State University shall, and the office of the President of the University of California is requested to, develop and post on its internet website a template for informed, written consent to be used by campus financial aid offices that permits a student, when applying for financial aid, to opt in to having the student’s personal information shared with the Department of Veterans Affairs pursuant to this section.
(2) The informed, written consent shall be developed and administered in compliance with federal and state laws relating to individual privacy, including the requirements of the federal Family Education Rights and Privacy Act of 1974 (Public Law 93-280, as amended) and applicable regulations, as these provisions may from time to time be amended.
(e) Information obtained by the Department of Veterans Affairs pursuant to this section shall be used only for purposes in furtherance of providing benefits and support services for veterans and shall not be used or disclosed for any other purposes.