How You Can Support the LACYD-Endorsed California Dream Act (SB 160)

The California Dream Act will be heard in the Senate Education Committee on Wednesday, March 18.

Please take a moment to call the members of the committee to let them know that as a member of LACYD, Senator Gil Cedillo's SB 160 has your support and deserves theirs. Phone numbers and a brief script (courtesy of the Power and Unity Coalition) follow:

Senate Education Committee Members:
Sen. Romero (Chair): (916) 651-4024
Sen. Huff (Vice-Chair): (916) 651-4029
Sen. Alquist: (916) 651-4013
Sen. Hancock: (916) 651-4009
Sen. Liu: (916) 651-4021
Sen. Maldonado: (916) 651-4015
Sen. Padilla: (916) 651-4020
Sen. Simitian: (916) 651-4011
Sen. Wyland: (916) 651-4038

Call Script:
Hello, my name is ______________ and I am calling on behalf of the Los Angeles County Young Democrats to urge Senator (Senator's name) to vote "yay" on Senate Bill 160. SB 160 will allow California students to apply and compete for institutional financial aid; funds that AB 540 students contribute to through their tuition.

Thank you for your time, and please urge the Senator to vote YES on SB 160.

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Though the fact sheet isn't online yet, the following was forwarded to me along with the request for calls to the Senate Education Committee:

SB 160 (Cedillo) California Dream Act of 2009

Fact Sheet

What is the problem?

Under Assembly Bill 540 (Firebaugh, Chapter 814 Statutes of 2001) California’s undocumented high school students applying to public colleges and universities can receive in-state tuition. However, AB 540 students are not eligible for federal or state financial aid due to their immigration status. Combined with an inability to legally work and the skyrocketing costs of education, the lack of eligibility for financial aid makes higher education virtually unattainable for too many of these talented young Californians.

What does SB 160 do?

The California Dream Act-SB 160 would establish greater access to higher education for undocumented students who have completed high school in California by allowing them to utilize the postsecondary systems’ institutional financial aid program.

• SB 160 extends eligibility of undocumented AB 540 California students and U.S. citizens to apply and compete for institutional financial aid administered at California public colleges and universities (i.e. State Universtity Grant, UC Grant, scholarships, work study, and loan programs).
• Students would apply without the use of the Federal Application for Student Aid (FAFSA).
• SB 160, unlike previous years, does not authorize the Board of Governors Fee Waiver at California Community Colleges.
  

The measure will help alleviate significant financial challenges many of these talented students face in pursuing a higher education in California. SB 160 would help ensure that many hardworking AB 540 students would be able to realize their dream of attending college. These students have built their lives in California and equipped with a high quality education, will be critical to maintaining the state’s competitive edge in the increasingly global economy.

As U.S. Senator Orrin Hatch, author of earlier versions of the federal DREAM Act, has said, "Many of these youngsters find themselves caught in a catch-22 situation. As [undocumented] immigrants, they cannot work legally. They are also effectivey barred from developing academically beyond high school because of the high cost of pursuin higher education. In short, although these children have built their lives here, they have no possibility of achieving and living the American dream. What a tremendous loss for them, and what a tremendous loss to our society."