(a) The commission may enter into an agreement with a public agency of a state other than California, or a private entity related to an agency of another state, to assist the other agency or entity in implementing student financial aid programs, including providing assistance with processing grants, fellowships, and loans through the use of automated information systems. The commission may receive payment, reimbursement, or other resources as consideration for services provided pursuant to agreements entered into under this section.

(b) The commission shall establish fees for services it provides pursuant to this section in order to recover, at a minimum, the full costs of providing those services, including all direct and indirect costs.

(c) The Financial Aid Technical Assistance Fund is hereby created in the State Treasury, and moneys in the fund shall be available, upon appropriation by the Legislature to the commission, for the direct and indirect costs of providing assistance to agencies and entities of other states with implementation of Dream Act programs and to improve financial aid services for California. The commission shall deposit the proceeds of the fees established under this section into the fund. Only the moneys received for purposes of this section shall be deposited into the fund. The fund shall be credited with all of the investment income earned by the moneys deposited in the fund. Moneys in the fund are not part of the General Fund as defined in § 16300 of the Government Code.

(d) The commission shall use moneys deposited in the fund for all costs associated with providing technical assistance to agencies of states other than California, and related private entities, pursuant to this section, and moneys remaining in the fund after those costs are retired shall be used to improve student financial aid services for California. Prior to the expenditure of these residual funds, the commission shall submit a detailed expenditure plan for approval by the Department of Finance as part of the annual budget process.

(e) Beginning October 1, 2014, the commission shall submit an annual report to the Department of Finance and the Joint Legislative Budget Committee detailing the total revenues collected in the fund, by service provided and applicable fee collected, and the use of the moneys in the fund.

(Added by Stats. 2013, Ch. 50, Sec. 1. (AB 94) Effective July 1, 2013.)