Bill > SB305

This bill amends the Seymour-Campbell Student Success Act of 2012 to require California community colleges to help students complete financial aid applications, specifically the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) and the California Dream Act application. Starting in the 2026-27 academic year, community colleges must provide students with information about these applications during orientation and for continuing students. By the 2027-28 academic year, colleges must confirm that students have either completed these applications or opted out through a formal process. The bill mandates that colleges direct students to support services to help them complete these applications and ensures student privacy by requiring compliance with federal and state privacy laws. Colleges must also provide information about the benefits and consequences of completing financial aid applications, and students who do not complete the applications will not be penalized or prevented from enrolling. The Student Aid Commission is tasked with developing model opt-out forms and acceptable use policies, and if the state determines this imposes additional costs on local agencies, those costs will be reimbursed according to existing statutory procedures.

Budget and Finance, Education

https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/billStatusClient.xhtml?bill_id=202520260SB305