Washington State

House of Representatives

Office of Program Research

BILL

ANALYSIS

College & Workforce Development Committee

HB 2543

This analysis was prepared by non-partisan legislative staff for the use of legislative members in their deliberations. This analysis is not a part of the legislation nor does it constitute a statement of legislative intent.

Brief Summary of Bill

Provides in-state residency to students on terminal leave pending separation or release from active duty from the uniformed services who have veteran education benefits.
Provides in-state residency to students who are the spouse or child of an individual who has separated from the uniformed services with at least 10 years of honorable service, if the student enrolls in a higher education institution in Washington within three years of the service member's date of separation.
Expands in-state residency to students who are eligible for transferred Post-9/11 GI Bill benefits.

Background:

Public higher education institutions use state residency to determine whether a student will be required to pay in-state or out-of-state tuition. Residency typically requires that a financially independent student establish a Washington domicile for one-year before the first day of registration for a purpose other than educational. However, residency is also granted to other categories of students, including active duty military or National Guard members and their spouses and dependents who meet certain requirements. For example, this includes students:

who have separated from the uniformed services with any period of honorable service after at least 90 days of active duty service, are eligible for veteran education benefits, and enters a higher education institution in Washington within three years of their date of separation from the uniformed services;
who are entitled to veteran education benefits based on their relationship as a spouse, former spouse, or dependent to an individual who has separated from the uniformed services with any period of honorable service after at least 90 days of active duty service, and the student enters a higher education institution in Washington within three years of the service member's date of separation from the uniformed services; and

who are entitled to transferred Post-9/11 GI Bill benefits based on their relationship as a spouse, former spouse, or child to an individual who is on active duty in the uniformed services.

Summary of Bill:

Eligibility for in-state residency is expanded to the following categories of individuals:

students on terminal leave pending separation, or release from active duty, from the uniformed services with any period of honorable service after at least 90 days of active duty service and are eligible for veteran education benefits;
students who are the spouse or child of an individual who has separated from the uniformed services with at least 10 years of honorable service and at least 90 days of active duty service, and who enters an institution of higher education in Washington within three years of the service member's date of separation; and
students who are eligible for, not just entitled to, transferred Post-9/11 GI Bill benefits based on the student's relationship as a spouse, former spouse, or child to an individual who is on active duty in the uniformed services.