Legislative Update: Governor Vetoes Higher Ed Bill

Once again, a bill intended to simplify the financial aid process for college kids in California failed to become law.

Gov. Jerry Brown on Monday returned unsigned to the California State Assembly. Authored by Assemblyman Anthony Portantino (D-La Cañada), the legislative measure would reduce the number of forms students have to fill out to access finanial aid. Currently, students apply for a Board of Governors waiver or the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA), or both.

Portantino’s bill called for a three-year pilot program at 10 community college campuses where FAFSA would be used as the primary financial aid application.

In Gov. Jerry Brown's veto message he wrote, "This bill orders the Chancellor of the Community Colleges to set up a pilot program at local campuses to figure out how to motivate their students to apply for financial aid.

"This is a matter that each community college can handle on its own.'' The veto message can be found on the governor's website or viewed to the right.

This was Portantino's second attempt at AB 91 - former Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger vetoed the bill last year. But Portantino plans to bring it back again next year. 

"There's [millions] left on the table,'' Portantino said, shaking his head, as he delivered his State of the State address to . Check back on LCF Patch a little later for a full report on Portantino's statements and the rest of council's actions.

Portantino spokeswoman Wendy Gordon explained if kids miss out on, or don't bother to fill out the longer, more involved FAFSA form, they're missing out on access to Pell Grants, Cal Grants, federal student loans, work study and scholarships. If they merely do the BOG, they only get the fee waiver. So there's millions of dollars that could have been theirs, she said.

"A lot of these kids are struggling, and could use the money to buy books,'' Gordon said.

According to the the Oakland-based Institute for College Access and Success, only one-third of community college students complete the forms that would make them eligible for that federal aid.