Member Advisory
October 10, 2011

HACU Applauds Governor Brown for Signing California Dream Act

The Hispanic Association of Colleges and Universities (HACU) strongly applauds Governor Jerry Brown’s signing of Assembly Bill (AB) 131, the California Dream Act.  This action brings college completion one step closer for deserving, hard-working students who have overcome extreme adversity to becoming college students. AB 131 allows AB 540 students to apply for state financial aid, insofar as federal law permits.  AB 131 was carefully drafted so that these students would only be able to compete for the Competitive Cal Grant if and when each U.S. citizen and permanent resident eligible for such an award had received a competitive grant and monies were left over.  

“The California Dream Act has been a long time coming and we thank Assembly Member Gil Cedillo for his persistence on behalf of college students,” said HACU President and CEO Antonio R. Flores. “AB 131 will assure students that if they study hard, meet entrance requirements, and have financial need, the state will help them achieve their goal of a higher education.”

Since opening its Western Regional Office in California in 2005, HACU has strongly supported the passage of the California Dream Act, as well as a Federal DREAM Act to ensure that all students have the opportunity to pursue their higher education goals.

“Nationwide we have seen some increasingly draconian anti-immigrant legislation,” Flores said, “We are grateful for this recognition of the positive contributions of immigrants to the social and economic fabric of this country.  We hope the signing of the California Dream Act will encourage other states to follow suit and the Federal Government to take decisive action to finally pass a Federal DREAM Act.”