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AB 1920

Community colleges: California College Promise: fee waiver eligibility.

2025-2026 Regular Session Introduced by Patrick Ahrens and 2 co-sponsors

AB 1920 clarifies that earning a certificate on the way to an associate degree cannot disqualify a student from CCP fee waivers, broadening access.

Chaptered by Secretary of State - Chapter 32, Statutes of 2026.
#californiacollegepromise #communitycolleges #feewaivereligibility
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Bill Summary · AB 1920

Summary: AB 1920 (2025-2026) – California College Promise: fee waiver eligibility

Purpose and intent

  • AB 1920 aims to modify how California Community Colleges administer the California College Promise (CCP) fee waivers.
  • The bill ensures that a certificate earned as part of a course sequence leading to an associate degree cannot disqualify a student from receiving the CCP fee waiver.
  • In short: it clarifies that certain postsecondary certificates earned en route to an associate degree should not render a student ineligible for CCP fee waivers.

Key provisions and changes

  • Amends Education Code Section 76396.3.
  • CCP funding may be used to waive some or all fees for:
    • First-time community college students and returning students who are enrolled full-time and who complete and submit either:
    • The Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA), or
    • The California Dream Act application.
  • Core change: If a student earns a certificate from a postsecondary institution as part of a course sequence leading to an associate degree, that certificate shall not make the student ineligible for the CCP fee waiver under this subdivision.
  • Eligibility limits:
    • Fee waivers are for two academic years.
    • Waivers apply for the summer term and each semester/quarter in which the student maintains full-time status.
    • Waivers are not available to students charged tuition under Section 76140.
  • Special provisions:
    • Military duty exceptions: If a student in the CCP program is called to active duty (federal Title 10/14/32 or state active duty), they may withdraw and later resume without losing CCP eligibility or benefits. Duty time does not count toward the program’s eligibility limit.
    • High school pupils enrolling in community college after graduation (per specified Education Code sections) are treated as first-time CCP participants for purposes of paragraph (1).
  • Definitions and terms (for CCP purposes):
    • Academic year: Summer term before fall plus the following two semesters or three quarters.
    • Full-time: Typically 12+ units, with a discretionary exception for active DSPS-certified students.
    • Returning student: A student who has taken a break of one or more semesters or equivalent.
    • Armed Forces: Includes all U.S. military branches plus reserve components and California National Guard/State Guard/Naval Militia.

Who is affected

  • California community colleges and their student populations participating in the California College Promise program.
  • First-time and returning community college students who receive CCP fee waivers.
  • Students pursuing an associate degree who earn a certificate as part of a related certificate-to-degree pathway (the bill ensures their eligibility is not compromised).

Procedural and timeline aspects

  • Legislative history highlights:
    • Referred to Higher Education committee in March 2026, then moved through the process with committee approvals.
    • As of late April 2026, the bill advanced with a “Do pass” recommendation from the committee and was re-referred to the Assembly Committee on Appropriations.
  • Fiscal impact:
    • The bill does not create an appropriation; it amends program rules within the existing CCP framework. No new funding amount is specified in the bill text.
  • Reporting:
    • The bill retains existing accountability provisions, including potential reporting requirements on CCP fund usage, aligned with Section 76396.2 and related Government Code reporting requirements.

Bottom-line impact

  • AB 1920 clarifies and broadens access to the CCP fee waiver by ensuring that certain postsecondary certificates earned in pursuit of an associate degree do not disqualify students from receiving fee waivers.
  • It provides additional protections for CCP participants in the face of active military duty.
  • The change is largely supportive of extending opportunity and reducing barriers to degree completion for community college students.

Compiled from official sources — confirm details with the bill’s official record.

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