The California legislature won’t wait for Congress to create new legislation for DACA recipients.

Governor Jerry Brown recently signed a bill on Oct. 5 to protect undocumented students from federal immigration policy. The Assembly Bill 21 was authored by Democrat representative of the 27th Assembly District Ash Kalra and signed.

In section one, article 11 of the bill states, “it is imperative that California put necessary protections in place, and show it will take the necessary steps to ensure that the state’s students, faculty, staff, and the public have every opportunity to continue their education without fear or undue risk.”

According to California Faculty Association, AB 21 “will enact protections for undocumented students, faculty, and staff in the CSU system, as well as the state’s community colleges, including access to financial aid, legal representation and their constitutional right to due process.”

California public and private universities will keep a list of legal immigration representation and will provide it free of charge to any student that requests it. Schools will also work with any student that has been detained, deported or otherwise unable to attend classes due to federal immigration to ensure they can return to their academics once the issue is resolved.

In such situation, schools should make an effort for students to have a seamless re-enrollment. Schools shall make the effort for students to be exempted from nonresident tuition fees, have financial aid eligibility, fellowship stipends or housing stipends.

On Assemblymember Kalra’s website, he released a statement on DACA, “We must unite to support legislation that fights back against the current administration’s efforts to undo decades of humane immigration policies such as … AB 21”

Associate Vice President of Communications Margaret Chantung said “AB 21 was supported by The California State University system. The legislation will require each segment of higher education in California to provide protections and services to undocumented students, faculty, and staff within the boundaries of federal law.”

Governor Brown also signed multiple bills regarding immigration, to see the bills Brown signed on Oct. 5, visit https://www.gov.ca.gov/news.php?id=19986.

To read the AB 21 bill, visit https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/billNavClient.xhtml?bill_id=201720180AB21.