Becker Bill Allowing the San Mateo County Community College District to Aid More Students in Need Heads to the Governor

Legislature Also Passes Affording Housing and Social Justice Bills by SD13 Senator

SACRAMENTO – A stroke of the Governor’s pen would enable the San Mateo County Community College District to offer fee waivers to more students in need by using existing local revenue and without incurring further costs to the state.

SB 893 by Senator Josh Becker allows the college district to operate a pilot program that expands aid to underrepresented and marginalized community members using unrestricted local funds. The district now helps 2,000 students experiencing financial hardship attend its community colleges. SB 893 would enable the district to defray college expenses for an estimated 6,000 students from San Mateo County. The Senate sent the bill to the Governor’s desk today with a unanimous bipartisan vote.

Two other bills by Senator Becker also were sent to the Governor on Wednesday [August 24]. Those bills address:

Affordable Housing

SB 948 cuts costs for affordable housing projects in California by shifting the responsibility to hold a “transition reserve” from the project level to a pooled reserve operated by the state's Housing and Community Development Department. The switch would free significant affordable housing resources that are now locked away in project-specific reserves. The change would allow the money to be used to produce additional units of affordable housing or deepen the affordability of units.

Social Justice

SB 1117 gives new authority to the Office of the State Public Defender (OSPD). The bill would permit the OSPD to issue grant awards, if allocated, to the most innovative public defender offices and programs in the state. The change enables the agency most familiar with the offices and programs to oversee the grant awards.

“Each of these bills address equity issues for Californians,” said Senator Becker, D-Peninsula. “They aim to provide greater access to higher education, support construction of affordable housing and support the public defenders who represent indigent individuals in our state justice system. My thanks to the bill partners, community advocates and my Legislative colleagues for helping me bring these measures to the Governor.”

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Media Contact: Leslie Guevarra, leslie.guevarra@sen.ca.gov, 415-298-3404

Updated 8/25/2022