SACRAMENTO – Assemblymember Alanis announced that both of his Higher Education bills have been passed out of the Assembly Committee on Higher Education with no opposition.
“I am thankful that my colleagues on the Higher Education Committee acknowledge the importance of developing a strong workforce of highly-educated peace officers,” said Assemblymember Alanis. “AB 1839 would help improve recruitment and retention rates among the law enforcement community while minimizing the barrier to becoming a peace officer.”
AB 1839 and AB 1927 are two bills that seek to provide financial assistance to students pursuing a path outside of the traditional four-year college education route. The first of these, AB 1839, would create a grant program for students earning their Modern Policing Degree with the intention of becoming a peace officer. If passed, this bill would streamline the process for prospective officers to meet their minimum education requirements and enter the workforce, addressing the statewide recruitment issues that the law enforcement community has been facing.
The second bill, AB 1927, would expand eligibility for the Golden State Teacher Grant Program, which currently offers grants to students earning their teaching credentials and commit to working in a high-need field for at least four years. AB 1927 would expand eligibility to students earning their teaching credential in career technical education (CTE).
“In recent years, our state has made strides in encouraging more Californians to pursue CTE,” said the Assemblyman. “However, we need to make sure our students have the proper resources to learn and pursue those paths.”
Both AB 1839 and AB 1927 passed through the Higher Education Committee and are now awaiting a hearing in the Appropriations Committee.
Assemblymember Juan Alanis represents the 22nd Assembly District, which includes the communities of Modesto, Turlock, Ceres, Denair, Patterson, Gustine, Newman, Hilmar, Ballico, Snelling, Keyes, Grayson, Crows Landing, Diablo Grande, Stevinson, & Empire.