HOUSE BILL REPORT

HB 1595

BYRepresentatives Lewis, Jacobsen, Miller and Sanders

Clarifying the definition of resident for purposes of higher education tuition.

House Committe on Higher Education

Majority Report:  The substitute bill be substituted therefor and the substitute bill do pass.  (11)

      Signed by Representatives Jacobsen, Chair; Heavy, Vice Chair; Barnes, Basich, Jesernig, Miller, Nelson, Prince, Silver, Unsoeld and K. Wilson.

House Staff:Susan Hosch (786-7120)

AS REPORTED BY COMMITTEE ON HIGHER EDUCATION FEBRUARY 4, 1988

BACKGROUND:

Current law establishes the criteria for determining residency status for purposes of paying college tuition. A distinction is made between students who are dependent on parents for financial support, and those who are financially independent.  A financially independent student who has established a permanent home or "domicile" in the state for at least a year before starting college is a resident student, as long as the student established that home for purposes "other than educational". With some exceptions, a dependent student's status is based on the residency status of the student's parents or legal guardian.

SUMMARY:

SUBSTITUTE BILL:  For the purpose of paying tuition, the dependent children of an employee who has received a permanent job transfer to the state by his or her employer will be considered resident students.

SUBSTITUTE BILL COMPARED TO ORIGINAL:  A different section of the statutes is revised, and only the dependent children of persons transferred to the state will be able to attend college as resident students before the family has established a domicile in the state for one year.

Fiscal Note:      Available.

House Committee ‑ Testified For:    Rep. Jim Lewis; Gary Tollefson, Yakima Valley Community College.

House Committee - Testified Against:      Paul Telford.

House Committee - Testimony For:    This bill promotes economic development by permitting the dependent children of transferred employees to attend college without waiting a year. One person who was transferred to Yakima enrolled his children in Yakima Valley Community College when the family arrived in the state.  He was presented with a bill for $2000 per quarter for nonresident tuition, a bill the family could not afford.  The students were withdrawn from school. The barrier of nonresident tuition rates keeps transferred employees, such as the man in Yakima, from enrolling family members in a public college.

House Committee - Testimony Against:      This bill establishes a special privilege for a select group of people.  It discriminates against people who move into the state to take a job without being transferred.  The bill may have the effect of raising educational costs for all students.