Bill That Would Allow Homeless Students To Sleep In Cars Overnight At California Community Colleges Passes Committee
SACRAMENTO (CBS13) – California community colleges are one-step closer to possibly needing to start providing special parking for homeless students who live in their cars.
Assemblymember Marc Berman's (D-Palo Alto) AB 302 passed out of the Senate Appropriations Committee on Friday. The bill, according to its original wording, would require campus administrators to "grant overnight access to those facilities (parking facilities) to any homeless student who is enrolled in coursework, has paid enrollment fees, and is in good standing with the community college."
The bill will now be moving onto the Senate floor.
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Berman said in a statement that he was excited his bill moved on, but he's wary of the amendments that were added.
"I look forward to reviewing the amendments when they are available and will have a longer statement at that time," Berman said.
Current law already requires California community colleges to provide showers for homeless students in good standing.
Back in 2016, then-Governor Jerry Brown signed AB 801 – known as the Success for Homeless Youth in Higher Education Act – into law. It gives priority enrollment for homeless and foster youth, and requires all California Community College and California State University campuses to have a Homeless and Foster Student Liaison in the financial aid office to assist homeless and foster students as they enroll and take classes. The bill also waives the California Community College enrollment fee for all homeless and foster youth.