A bill that would exempt California fight training organizations from onerous fees and reporting requirements imposed by a 2009 post-secondary education law took a major step toward final passage Aug. 25 with approval by the state Assembly.
Senate Bill 619 was then referred back to the Senate, which had passed the measure in May, for adoption of technical corrections. The corrections include an urgency clause that would make the bill effective immediately on its being signed by Gov. Jerry Brown, said AOPA Vice President of Airports and State Advocacy Greg Pecoraro.
“AOPA will continue to keep this bill moving forward,” he said.
The California Private Postsecondary Education Act of 2009, as originally passed, could have put some flight schools and independent flight instructors out of business because of the compliance burdens it imposed.
The measure to fix that problem, sponsored by state Sen. Jean Fuller, exempts schools that do not “require students to enter into written or oral contracts of indebtedness, do not require prepayment of tuition or fees, and do not accept prepayment of tuition or fees in excess of $2,500.”
Throughout the process AOPA has continued working in the state capital of Sacramento, is focused on keeping the measure in the forefront for action in the Senate, and is working with the governor’s staff, Pecoraro said.
He said that “everything is on track” for prompt completion of the process following the Assembly vote.
Editor’s Note: AOPA’s California Rep John Pfeifer has worked very hard to get this bill through. CalPilots has also assisted in getting this bill to move forward. Having attended a meeting in the Sacramento once to support a different bill years ago, I can advise you that it not an easy task.
