Public postsecondary education: priority registration: members and former members of the Armed Forces of the United States and State Guard

Eligible students will no longer lose this enrollment benefit after four academic years or 15 years after leaving active duty.

What the law does ​

• Requires California State University and community college campuses with priority enrollment systems to provide priority registration without a post-service time limit.
• Requests the University of California to provide the same unlimited priority registration.
• Keeps eligibility for California residents who are current or former U.S. Armed Forces members with honorable, general, or other-than-honorable discharges, and for current or former State Guard members.
• Excludes former service members discharged dishonorably or for bad conduct.
• Applies priority registration to all degree and certificate programs after the institution verifies military or veteran status.
• Provides state reimbursement if the Commission on State Mandates finds the community-college requirements create reimbursable state-mandated costs.

Who it affects ​

• Eligible California-resident current and former members of the U.S. Armed Forces, including students returning from active-duty academic leave.
• Current and former members of the California State Guard.
• California State University campuses, community college districts, and the University of California.

Context ​

The prior law limited the benefit to four academic years that had to be used within 15 years after leaving state or federal active duty.