Governor Jerry Brown signed a bill in October that will make the first year of community college free for new students and residents who enroll fulltime in California as stated by CNN Money.

Named the “College Promise” bill, this program could start for the 2018-2019 school year. But it depends whether lawmakers include funding for it in next year’s budget, which must be approved by June of 2018.

About half of the nearly 2.1 million students attending California Community Colleges already receive fee waivers enabling them to attend free of charge, according to ABC7. This bill would further allow around 19,000 students to be eligible.  It would cost the state $31 million annually.

“While many people only talk about this bill as College Promise or  a free tuition program, it really is about creating the environment and alignment that will help students finish college,” California Community Colleges Chancellor Eloy Ortiz Oakley said, according to Mercury News.

Long Beach Unified School District automatically gives graduates of their district entry to Cal State Long Beach or the option of one year free at Long Beach City college. Cities including Compton, Los Angeles, and Cerritos College give opportunities similar for students and their surrounding colleges, according to Mercury News.

San Francisco approved a more generous tuition-free program. The city made community college courses free for all residents no matter if they are new students or full time. It also helps with poor students, giving money to help pay for other expenses, according to CNN Money.

Assemblyman Miguel Santiago, an author of the new bill stated, “We’re trying to increase student success. If you enroll full-time, the success rate is much higher than if you’re part-time.”