Bill Commons

CA AB 556

dead

Public postsecondary education: waiver of campus-based fees: veterans.

California · 2025-2026 Regular Session · lower

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Quick answers

Did CA AB 556 pass?

No. CA AB 556 did not pass — it was defeated or died in the legislative process. Latest recorded action (2026-02-02): From committee: Filed with the Chief Clerk pursuant to Joint Rule 56.

What is CA AB 556 about?

Existing law establishes the University of California, administered by the Regents of the University of California, the California State University, administered by the Trustees of the California State University, and the California Community Colleges, administered by the Board of Governors of the California Community Colleges, as the 3 segments of public postsecondary education in the state. The Donahoe Higher Education Act prohibits the campuses of those segments from charging mandatory systemwide tuition or fees to specified students who apply for a waiver, including a child of any veteran of the United States military who has a service-connected disability, has been killed in service, or has died of a service-connected disability, an undergraduate student who is a recipient of a Medal of Honor, or an undergraduate student who is a child of a recipient of a Medal of Honor and who is no more than 27 years old, if certain requirements are satisfied. This bill would additionally prohibit the campuses of the 3 segments of public postsecondary education from charging those students any mandatory campus-based fees, as provided. To the extent the bill would add additional duties on community college districts, the bill would impose a state-mandated local program. The bill would apply to the campuses of the University of California only to the extent that the regents, by appropriate resolution, make it apply. The California Constitution requires the state to reimburse local agencies and school districts for certain costs mandated by the state. Statutory provisions establish procedures for making that reimbursement. This bill would provide that, if the Commission on State Mandates determines that the bill contains costs mandated by the state, reimbursement for those costs shall be made pursuant to the statutory provisions noted above.

Who sponsors CA AB 556?

Patterson is the primary sponsor of CA AB 556, joined by 6 cosponsors.

Description

Existing law establishes the University of California, administered by the Regents of the University of California, the California State University, administered by the Trustees of the California State University, and the California Community Colleges, administered by the Board of Governors of the California Community Colleges, as the 3 segments of public postsecondary education in the state. The Donahoe Higher Education Act prohibits the campuses of those segments from charging mandatory systemwide tuition or fees to specified students who apply for a waiver, including a child of any veteran of the United States military who has a service-connected disability, has been killed in service, or has died of a service-connected disability, an undergraduate student who is a recipient of a Medal of Honor, or an undergraduate student who is a child of a recipient of a Medal of Honor and who is no more than 27 years old, if certain requirements are satisfied. This bill would additionally prohibit the campuses of the 3 segments of public postsecondary education from charging those students any mandatory campus-based fees, as provided. To the extent the bill would add additional duties on community college districts, the bill would impose a state-mandated local program. The bill would apply to the campuses of the University of California only to the extent that the regents, by appropriate resolution, make it apply. The California Constitution requires the state to reimburse local agencies and school districts for certain costs mandated by the state. Statutory provisions establish procedures for making that reimbursement. This bill would provide that, if the Commission on State Mandates determines that the bill contains costs mandated by the state, reimbursement for those costs shall be made pursuant to the statutory provisions noted above.

Introduced
—
Latest action
2026-02-02 — From committee: Filed with the Chief Clerk pursuant to Joint Rule 56.
Bill type
bill
Last updated
—

Subjects

Sponsors

  • Pattersonauthor
  • Alaniscoauthor
  • Daviescoauthor
  • Macedocoauthor
  • Sharp-Collinscoauthor
  • Schiavocoauthor
  • Tangipacoauthor

Committees

Not provided by source.

Action timeline

Newest first

  1. 2026-02-02

    From committee: Filed with the Chief Clerk pursuant to Joint Rule 56.

    committee-passage,failure

  2. 2026-01-31

    Died pursuant to Art. IV, Sec. 10(c) of the Constitution.

    failure

  3. 2025-05-23

    In committee: Held under submission.

  4. 2025-04-23

    In committee: Set, first hearing. Referred to suspense file.

    referral-committee

  5. 2025-04-09

    Coauthors revised.

  6. 2025-04-09

    From committee: Do pass and re-refer to Com. on APPR. (Ayes 6. Noes 0.) (April 8). Re-referred to Com. on APPR.

    committee-passage,committee-passage-favorable,referral-committee

  7. 2025-03-19

    Coauthors revised.

  8. 2025-03-19

    From committee: Do pass and re-refer to Com. on M. & V.A. (Ayes 8. Noes 0.) (March 18). Re-referred to Com. on M. & V.A.

    committee-passage,committee-passage-favorable,referral-committee

  9. 2025-02-24

    Referred to Coms. on HIGHER ED. and M. & V.A.

    referral-committee

  10. 2025-02-13

    From printer. May be heard in committee March 15.

  11. 2025-02-12

    Read first time. To print.

    reading-1

Versions

Documents

Votes

  • Do pass and be re-referred to the Committee on [Military and Veterans Affairs]

    2025-03-18 · pass · 8-0

    Member-level votes (10)
    • Boerner: yes
    • Muratsuchi: yes
    • Essayli: yes
    • Patel: yes
    • Jackson: yes
    • Celeste Rodriguez: yes
    • Fong: yes
    • Sharp-Collins: yes
    • DeMaio: other
    • Jeff Gonzalez: other

  • Do pass and be re-referred to the Committee on [Appropriations]

    2025-04-08 · pass · 6-0

    Member-level votes (8)
    • Valencia: yes
    • Sharp-Collins: yes
    • Schiavo: yes
    • Michelle Rodriguez: yes
    • Davies: yes
    • Ávila Farías: yes
    • Carrillo: other
    • Jeff Gonzalez: other

Related bills

No related bills recorded for this bill.

Official source

http://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/billNavClient.xhtml?bill_id=202520260AB556

Attribution

Data from openstates_bulk_csv, retrieved 2026-07-24T01:34:27.960412Z

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