Community college students will receive two years of free tuition at Cal State Universities if new bill passes
By: Jonathan Giovanazzi
AB 1862 will apply to all first-time community college students who are transferring for a bachelor's degree.
A new bill announced earlier this month calls for all CSU campuses to become tuition free for certain students who have attended a California Community College and have received necessary units for transfer.
This bill would direct more tax dollars towards education and has potential to assist thousands of California students. Chaffey College freshman Kelly Howard describes the hassle of going to school and having to pay for it.
"I am here all day Tuesday through Friday. Balancing school and work is a stressful thing to do. I can see it through the acne that forms out of nowhere."
Kelly was intrigued when presented with news of the bill. He is currently ineligible for financial aid due to his parent's income status.
"I work 30+ hours a week and receive no financial aid. (The bill) sounds good to me," Kelly says. "I like to save money and school is absolutely getting in the way of that. I want to help my parents out financially in any way I can."
This is a huge reason why Assemblyman Miguel Santiago (D-Los Angeles) authored AB 1862; if made a law, the bill will provide two years of free education at any California State University. The free tuition was designed to assist California Community College students who are earning an AAT while participating in the California College Promise program.
Currently the California College Promise program, included in Governor Gavin Newsom's state budgets, provide all full-time community college students two years of free tuition. AB 1862 looks to assist California students and enhance their educational experience by covering all four years of their schooling rather than two.
Santiago celebrates the introduction of his new bill with various posts on his Twitter. He interviews with Telemundo and passionately discusses his wish for increase in access to a debt-free college education.
https://twitter.com/SantiagoAD53
"The cost of a bachelor's degree is just too damn high," Santiago states to The California Globe. "Our students deserve the chance to earn a degree without being burdened by overwhelming debt."
This isn't the first time a bill with these means has been suggested. A different version of AB 1862 was actually designed in 2018. This version was written with intent to provide all California Community College students with reimbursement of tuition fees upon completion of two years at their school. This bill went through the house, but was declined in the Senate.
The new AB 1862, now directed at California students and residents who have already completed half of their college education, is an idea unique to that of its predecessor.
The bill hasn't received any significant backlash; instead, has generated lots of support from congresspeople across the nation. Presidential candidates Bernie Sanders and Elizabeth Warren both strive for a future in which all Americans live with a college education. Bernie's demand for nationwide free tuition began as early back as the 2016 Democratic debates. Warren agrees with Sanders wholeheartedly. She has brought up word of a "wealth tax" to the Los Angeles Times. She plans to impose the tax upon those worth over fifty million dollars to help fund the push for free education across the nation.
Regardless of what people have planned, AB 1862 is happening now. Providing opportunities for free community college has already changed the lives of many, allowing California residents to support their families and children all whilst becoming a part of California's ever-growing group of working college graduates.
This time, however, the career-driven teens and young adults in our schools will be able to live differently. AB 1862 will allow the next generation's scholars to live debt-free.