AB 2768: Student financial aid: waiver or deferment of fees and costs: foster youth.
This bill aims to provide financial aid to foster youth and former foster youth by deferring enrollment fees and costs until they receive their initial financial aid award. The bill requires the state university, community colleges, and private postsecondary institutions that receive state financial assistance to defer the unpaid portion of enrollment fees and costs for foster youth or former foster youth upon initial enrollment. The bill also requests the University of California to defer fees and costs for foster youth or former foster youth. The bill would impose a state-mandated local program on community college districts and would require reimbursement for costs mandated by the state if determined by the Commission on State Mandates.
| Sep. 03, 2026 | Enrolled and presented to the Governor at 4 p.m. |
| Aug. 26, 2026 | Senate amendments concurred in. To Engrossing and Enrolling. (Ayes 79. Noes 0. Page 6606.). |
| Aug. 26, 2026 | In Assembly. Concurrence in Senate amendments pending. |
| Aug. 25, 2026 | Read third time. Passed. Ordered to the Assembly. (Ayes 39. Noes 0.). |
| Aug. 17, 2026 | Read second time. Ordered to third reading. |
| Enrolled August 30, 2026 |
| Passed IN Senate August 25, 2026 |
| Passed IN Assembly August 26, 2026 |
| Amended IN Senate August 13, 2026 |
| Amended IN Senate June 15, 2026 |
| Introduced by Assembly Member Ahrens (Coauthor: Assembly Member Bennett) (Coauthor: Senator Wahab) |
February 20, 2026 |
LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST
The people of the State of California do enact as follows:
SECTION 1.
Section 69509.7 is added to the Education Code, immediately following Section 69509.6, to read:69509.7.
(a) (1) Commencing with the 2027–28 academic year, the California State University, each community college district, and private postsecondary educational institutions and independent institutions of higher education that receive state financial assistance shall, and the University of California is requested to, for a student who has submitted a Free Application for Federal Student Aid or California Dream Act Application, if applicable, and is a foster youth or former foster youth, as defined pursuant to paragraph (1) of subdivision (b) of Section 66025.9, and as verified by a financial aid administrator for the postsecondary educational institution, upon the student’s initial enrollment at the postsecondary educational institution, do either of the following:SEC. 2.
If the Commission on State Mandates determines that this act contains costs mandated by the state, reimbursement to local agencies and school districts for those costs shall be made pursuant to Part 7 (commencing with Section 17500) of Division 4 of Title 2 of the Government Code.