SB 416: Student financial aid: Cal Grants: qualifying institutions: financial aid offer letter template.

Official summary

Legislative Counsel’s Digest (official, as of the latest version). Written by nonpartisan legislative staff; reproduced verbatim.

Existing law establishes the University of California, under the administration of the Regents of the University of California, the California State University, under the administration of the Trustees of the California State University, the California Community Colleges, under the administration of the Board of Governors of the California Community Colleges, independent institutions of higher education, and private postsecondary educational institutions as the segments of postsecondary education in this state.

Existing law establishes the Student Aid Commission as the primary state agency for the administration of state-authorized student financial aid programs available to students attending all segments of postsecondary education. Existing law, the Cal Grant Program, establishes the Cal Grant A Entitlement Awards, the Cal Grant B Entitlement Awards, the California Community College Expanded Entitlement Awards, the California Community College Transfer Entitlement Awards, the Competitive Cal Grant A and B Awards, the Cal Grant C Awards, and the Cal Grant T Awards under the administration of the commission. Existing law establishes eligibility requirements for awards under the Cal Grant Program for participating students attending qualifying postsecondary educational institutions, and prescribes requirements that postsecondary educational institutions must comply with in order to be a qualifying postsecondary educational institution for purposes of the Cal Grant Program, including, among others, certain disclosure requirements.

This bill would require, on or before April 1, 2026, the commission to convene a workgroup. The bill would require the workgroup to include, but not be limited to, the commission, all segments of postsecondary education, student organizations, and experts. The bill would require the workgroup to identify the common terms, definitions, and structure of financial aid offer letters sent by postsecondary educational institutions, and would require, on or before July 1, 2027, the workgroup to create a financial aid offer letter template. The bill would also require, on or before July 1, 2027, the workgroup to submit a report to the Legislature that includes the financial aid offer letter template. The bill would require, as part of the criteria to be a qualifying institution under the Cal Grant Program, an institution, by the start of the 2028–29 academic year, to use the financial aid offer letter template for all conditional offers of attendance, as specified.

Sponsors

Sponsors by party (alphabetical): Democratic 1

“Support” is shown only as formal sponsorship recorded by the legislature. Roll-call votes are available on the official bill page.

Recent official actions

1. February 2, 2026Returned to Secretary of Senate pursuant to Joint Rule 56.
2. May 23, 2025May 23 hearing: Held in committee and under submission.
3. May 16, 2025Set for hearing May 23.
4. May 5, 2025May 5 hearing: Placed on APPR. suspense file.
5. April 25, 2025Set for hearing May 5.
6. April 23, 2025From committee: Do pass and re-refer to Com. on APPR. with recommendation: To consent calendar. (Ayes 7. Noes 0. Page 865.) (April 23). Re-referred to Com. on APPR.
7. April 4, 2025Set for hearing April 23.
8. April 2, 2025Re-referred to Com. on ED.
9. March 26, 2025From committee with author's amendments. Read second time and amended. Re-referred to Com. on RLS.
10. February 26, 2025Referred to Com. on RLS.
11. February 18, 2025From printer. May be acted upon on or after March 17.
12. February 14, 2025Introduced. Read first time. To Com. on RLS. for assignment. To print.