(a)
The Legislature finds and declares as follows:
(1)
Many community college students desire to attend, and do attend, community colleges outside their district of residence.
(2)
Prior to the passage of Proposition 13, interdistrict attendance restrictions were necessary to provide for payments from the district of residence to a district of attendance whenever significant numbers of students were involved.
(3)
The fact that community colleges are now substantially reliant upon the state for financial resources rather than upon local residents compels a reexamination of the concern over subsidization of the attendance of nondistrict residents.
(4)
Community college district boundaries are often irregular in configuration and require many students to attend community colleges in less convenient locations when interdistrict attendance restrictions are imposed.
(5)
Transportation is the most significant cost facing community college students with regard to college attendance.
(6)
It is not in the best interests of the people of the State of California that attendance at a community college be restricted to a person’s district of residence.
(b)
It is the intent of the Legislature in enacting this article to provide for the unrestricted enrollment and attendance of students at community colleges, thereby providing each resident of the state an equal opportunity to attend the community college of his or her choice.