HOUSE BILL REPORT

HB 1864

BYRepresentatives Nelson, Jacobsen and Crane

Requiring the higher education coordinating board to review supplemental budget requests from institutions of higher education.

House Committe on Higher Education

Majority Report:  Do pass.  (11)

      Signed by Representatives Jacobsen, Chair; Heavey, 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:

The Higher Education Coordinating Board (HEC Board) is directed by statute to review, evaluate, and make recommendations on operating and capital budget requests from the state four-year institutions of higher education and the community college system.  In carrying out this duty, the Board must base its work on institutional roles and missions, the state's goals for higher education, the Board's master plan, and on guidelines outlining the Board's fiscal priorities.

By law, the Board's budget guidelines must be distributed to the institutions and the State Board for Community College Education by December of each odd- numbered year.  By August 1st of each even-numbered year, the institutions and the community college board must submit an outline of their proposed budgets to the HEC Board.  The HEC Board must submit recommendations on the proposed budgets and on the Board's budget priorities to the Office of Financial Management before October 15th of each even-numbered year, and to the Legislature by January 1st of each odd-numbered year.

Staff from the HEC Board have indicated that the statutory timelines governing the Board's budget review prevent the Board from making recommendations on institutional supplemental budget requests.

SUMMARY:

The Higher Education Coordinating Board is directed to review, evaluate, and make recommendations on supplemental budget requests from the four- year institutions of higher education and the community college system.  The four-year institutions and the community college system are directed to submit their supplemental budget requests to the Board at the same time those requests are submitted to the Office of Financial Management.

Fiscal Note:      Requested February 1, 1988.

House Committee ‑ Testified For:    Dan Keller, Higher Education Coordinating Board.

House Committee - Testified Against:      None Presented.

House Committee - Testimony For:    This bill is needed to clearly establish the HEC Board's responsibility to review and recommend supplemental budget requests.  The requests will be reviewed in light of the priorities and guidelines established for the operating budget. The Board will use existing staff resources for the review.

House Committee - Testimony Against:      None Presented.