H-0335

AN ACT Relating to the American Indian endowed scholarship program; and amending RCW 28B.108.010, 28B.108.030, 28B.108.050, 28B.108.060, and 28B.108.070.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON:

Sec. 1. RCW 28B.108.010 and 1990 c 287 s 2 are each amended to read as follows:

Unless the context clearly requires otherwise, the definitions in this section apply throughout this chapter.

(1) "Institution of higher education" or "institution" means a college or university in the state of Washington which is accredited by an accrediting association recognized as such by rule of the higher education coordinating board.

(2) "Board" means the higher education coordinating board.

(3) "Eligible student" or "student" means an American Indian student as defined by the board in consultation with the advisory committee described in RCW 28B.108.030, who is a financially needy student, as defined ((~~in RCW 28B.10.802~~)) by the board, who is a resident student, as defined by RCW 28B.15.012(2), who is a full-time student at an institution of higher education, and who promises to use his or her education to benefit other American Indians.

Sec. 2. RCW 28B.108.030 and 1990 c 287 s 4 are each amended to read as follows:

The higher education coordinating board shall establish an advisory committee to assist in program design and to develop criteria for the screening and selection of scholarship recipients. The committee shall be composed of representatives of the same groups as the screening committee described in RCW 28B.108.020. These criteria shall include a priority for enrolled members of Washington tribes and for upper‑division or graduate students. The criteria may include a priority for students who are majoring in program areas in which expertise is needed by the state's American Indians.

Sec. 3. RCW 28B.108.050 and 1990 c 287 s 6 are each amended to read as follows:

The American Indian endowed scholarship trust fund is established. The trust fund shall be administered by the state treasurer. Funds appropriated by the legislature for the trust fund shall be deposited into the fund. All moneys deposited in the fund shall be invested by the state treasurer. Notwithstanding RCW 43.84.090, all earnings of investments of balances of the trust fund shall be credited to the fund. At the request of the higher education coordinating board, and when conditions set forth in RCW 28B.108.070 are met, the treasurer shall ((~~deposit~~)) transfer state matching moneys ((in)) and any earned interest from the trust fund ((~~into~~)) to the American Indian endowment fund. No appropriation is required for expenditures from the trust fund.

Sec. 4. RCW 28B.108.060 and 1990 c 287 s 7 are each amended to read as follows:

The American Indian scholarship endowment fund is established. The endowment fund shall be administered by the state treasurer. Moneys received from the higher education coordinating board, private donations, state matching moneys and any earned interest, and funds received from any other source may be deposited into the endowment fund. All moneys deposited in the endowment fund shall be invested by the state treasurer. Notwithstanding RCW 43.84.090, all earnings of investments of balances of the endowment fund shall be credited to the endowment fund. At the request of the higher education coordinating board, the treasurer shall release earnings from the endowment fund to the board for scholarships. No appropriation is required for expenditures from the endowment fund.

The principal of the endowment fund shall not be invaded. The earnings on the fund shall be used solely for the purposes set forth in RCW 28B.108.040.

Sec. 5. RCW 28B.108.070 and 1990 c 287 s 8 are each amended to read as follows:

The higher education coordinating board may request that the treasurer deposit ((~~five hundred~~)) fifty thousand dollars of state matching funds and any earned interest into the American Indian scholarship endowment fund when the board can match the state funds with an equal amount of private cash donations. Private cash donations means moneys from nonstate sources that include, but are not limited to, federal moneys, tribal moneys, and assessments by commodity commissions authorized to conduct research activities, including but not limited to research studies authorized under RCW 15.66.030 and 15.65.040.