Senator Gil Cedillo (D-Los Angeles, Senate District 22) has been the main author of the “financial aid bill” for
AB540 students for the past three years. On September 30, 2008 Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger vetoed a record
35 % of the nearly 1, 200 bills the Legislature put on his desk that year. Among those bills returned by the
governor without his signature was Senator Cedillo’s California Dream Act (SB 1301).
Unlike past years, in 2008, two versions of essentially the same bill were introduced in the Senate (SB1301 ) and in the
Assembly (AB2083 ). Assembly Member Fabian Nuñez authored the AB2083.
These two bills would have provided undocumented AB 540 students institutional financial aid - aid that is
awarded based on academic achievement and financial need, and is administered by the attending university (UC
or CSU) in the forms of scholarships, loans and work-study programs. AB 540 students contribute to these
funds but do not have access to this type or any type of financial aid.
Studies have shown that less than 20% of AB540 students would benefit from the California Dream Act
(SB1301 0r AB2083). It’s important to note that the California Dream Act does not create new taxes, nor does it
require funding from taxpayers (documented and undocumented). AB540 undocumented students contribute
over $64 million dollars to the UC system in tuition fees alone.
For more facts and information on the California Dream Act, please visit the following website:
CA Dream Act: Economic Prosperity for the State of California. http://www.cadreamact.org/ |
