California bills · 2025-2026 Regular Session
California AB 2203
Public postsecondary education: priority registration: veterans and dependents of veterans: federal GI Bill.
- Introduced
- In committee
- Passed House
- Passed Senate
- To Governor
- Became law
Sponsors
- Tangipa (Republican)
Summary
Official abstract published by the California legislature· summary
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 of age, if certain requirements are satisfied.
This bill would require the California State University and each community college district, and would request the University of California, with respect to each campus in their respective jurisdictions that administers a priority enrollment system, commencing with the 2028–29 academic year, to grant priority for registration for enrollment to (1) a student who receives a fee waiver pursuant to the above-described provisions, and (2) a student who is using any federal GI Bill benefits. By requiring students to receive priority registration at community college districts, the bill would impose a state-mandated local program.
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.
Text versions
- 09/28/26 - Chaptered· Sep 28, 2026
- 08/24/26 - Enrolled· Aug 24, 2026
- 02/19/26 - Introduced· Feb 19, 2026
- AB2203
Roll-call votes
State vote data last updated Oct 14, 2026, 12:15 PM.
Actions
- Sep 28, 2026 · Legislature
Chaptered by Secretary of State - Chapter 730, Statutes of 2026. - Sep 28, 2026 · Legislature
Approved by the Governor. - Aug 27, 2026 · Legislature
Enrolled and presented to the Governor at 4 p.m. - Aug 20, 2026 · House
In Assembly. Ordered to Engrossing and Enrolling. - Aug 20, 2026 · Senate
Read third time. Passed. Ordered to the Assembly. (Ayes 39. Noes 0.). - Aug 18, 2026 · Senate
Ordered to special consent calendar. - Aug 13, 2026 · Senate
Read second time. Ordered to third reading. - Aug 13, 2026 · Senate
From committee: Do pass. (Ayes 7. Noes 0.) (August 13). - Aug 3, 2026 · Senate
In committee: Referred to APPR. suspense file. - Jun 23, 2026 · Senate
From committee: Do pass and re-refer to Com. on APPR. with recommendation: To Consent Calendar. (Ayes 4. Noes 0.) (June 22). Re-referred to Com. on APPR. - Jun 10, 2026 · Senate
From committee: Do pass and re-refer to Com. on M. & V.A. with recommendation: To Consent Calendar. (Ayes 7. Noes 0.) (June 10). Re-referred to Com. on M. & V.A. - May 27, 2026 · Senate
Referred to Coms. on ED. and M. & V.A. - May 14, 2026 · Senate
In Senate. Read first time. To Com. on RLS. for assignment. - May 14, 2026 · House
Read third time. Passed. Ordered to the Senate. (Ayes 77. Noes 0. Page 5055.) - May 7, 2026 · House
Read second time. Ordered to Consent Calendar. - May 6, 2026 · House
From committee: Do pass. To Consent Calendar. (Ayes 14. Noes 0.) (May 6). - Apr 15, 2026 · House
From committee: Do pass and re-refer to Com. on APPR. with recommendation: To Consent Calendar. (Ayes 8. Noes 0.) (April 14). Re-referred to Com. on APPR. - Apr 8, 2026 · House
From committee: Do pass and re-refer to Com. on M. & V.A. with recommendation: To Consent Calendar. (Ayes 10. Noes 0.) (April 7). Re-referred to Com. on M. & V.A. - Mar 9, 2026 · House
Referred to Coms. on HIGHER ED. and M. & V.A. - Feb 20, 2026 · House
From printer. May be heard in committee March 22. - Feb 19, 2026 · House
Read first time. To print.