CERTIFICATION OF ENROLLMENT
SUBSTITUTE HOUSE BILL 2543
Chapter 232, Laws of 2020
66TH LEGISLATURE
2020 REGULAR SESSION
VETERANS AND DEPENDENTS--HIGHER EDUCATION RESIDENCY--EXPANSION
EFFECTIVE DATE: June 11, 2020
Passed by the House March 9, 2020
  Yeas 94  Nays 2
LAURIE JINKINS

Speaker of the House of Representatives
Passed by the Senate March 6, 2020
  Yeas 49  Nays 0
CYRUS HABIB

President of the Senate
CERTIFICATE
I, Bernard Dean, Chief Clerk of the House of Representatives of the State of Washington, do hereby certify that the attached is SUBSTITUTE HOUSE BILL 2543 as passed by the House of Representatives and the Senate on the dates hereon set forth.
BERNARD DEAN

Chief Clerk
Chief Clerk
Approved March 31, 2020 10:54 AM
FILED
March 31, 2020
JAY INSLEE

Governor of the State of Washington
Secretary of State
State of Washington

SUBSTITUTE HOUSE BILL 2543

AS AMENDED BY THE SENATE
Passed Legislature - 2020 Regular Session
State of Washington
66th Legislature
2020 Regular Session
ByHouse College & Workforce Development (originally sponsored by Representatives Paul, Dufault, Kilduff, Leavitt, Peterson, Graham, Smith, Davis, Volz, and Ormsby)
READ FIRST TIME 02/03/20.
AN ACT Relating to ensuring eligible veterans and their dependents qualify for in-state residency; and amending RCW 28B.15.012.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON:
Sec. 1. RCW 28B.15.012 and 2019 c 126 s 1 are each amended to read as follows:
Whenever used in this chapter:
(1) The term "institution" shall mean a public university, college, or community or technical college within the state of Washington.
(2) The term "resident student" shall mean:
(a) A financially independent student who has had a domicile in the state of Washington for the period of one year immediately prior to the time of commencement of the first day of the semester or quarter for which the student has registered at any institution and has in fact established a bona fide domicile in this state primarily for purposes other than educational;
(b) A dependent student, if one or both of the student's parents or legal guardians have maintained a bona fide domicile in the state of Washington for at least one year immediately prior to commencement of the semester or quarter for which the student has registered at any institution;
(c) A student classified as a resident based upon domicile by an institution on or before May 31, 1982, who was enrolled at a state institution during any term of the 1982-1983 academic year, so long as such student's enrollment (excepting summer sessions) at an institution in this state is continuous;
(d) Any student who has spent at least seventy-five percent of both his or her junior and senior years in high schools in this state, whose parents or legal guardians have been domiciled in the state for a period of at least one year within the five-year period before the student graduates from high school, and who enrolls in a public institution of higher education within six months of leaving high school, for as long as the student remains continuously enrolled for three quarters or two semesters in any calendar year;
(e) Any person who has completed the full senior year of high school and obtained a high school diploma, both at a Washington public high school or private high school approved under chapter 28A.195 RCW, or a person who has received the equivalent of a diploma; who has lived in Washington for at least three years immediately prior to receiving the diploma or its equivalent; who has continuously lived in the state of Washington after receiving the diploma or its equivalent and until such time as the individual is admitted to an institution of higher education under subsection (1) of this section; and who provides to the institution an affidavit indicating that the individual will file an application to become a permanent resident at the earliest opportunity the individual is eligible to do so and a willingness to engage in any other activities necessary to acquire citizenship, including but not limited to citizenship or civics review courses;
(f) Any person who has lived in Washington, primarily for purposes other than educational, for at least one year immediately before the date on which the person has enrolled in an institution, and who holds lawful nonimmigrant status pursuant to 8 U.S.C. Sec. (a)(15) (E)(iii), (H)(i), or (L), or who holds lawful nonimmigrant status as the spouse or child of a person having nonimmigrant status under one of those subsections, or who, holding or having previously held such lawful nonimmigrant status as a principal or derivative, has filed an application for adjustment of status pursuant to 8 U.S.C. Sec. 1255(a);
(g) A student who is on active military duty stationed in the state or who is a member of the Washington national guard;
(h) A student who is on active military duty or a member of the Washington national guard who ((entered service as a Washington resident and who has maintained Washington as his or her domicile but is not stationed in the state))meets the following conditions:
(i) Entered service as a Washington resident;
(ii) Has maintained a Washington domicile; and
(iii) Is stationed out-of-state;
(i) A student who is the spouse or a dependent of a person ((who is on active military duty or a member of the national guard who entered service as a Washington resident and who has maintained Washington as his or her domicile but is not stationed in the state))defined in (g) of this subsection. If the person ((on active military duty))defined in (g) of this subsection is reassigned out-of-state, the student maintains the status as a resident student so long as the student is ((continuously enrolled in a degree program))either:
(i) Admitted to an institution before the reassignment and enrolls in that institution for the term the student was admitted; or
(ii) Enrolled in an institution and remains continuously enrolled at the institution;
(j) A student who is the spouse or a dependent of a person defined in (h) of this subsection;
(k) A student who is eligible or entitled to transferred federal post-9/11 veterans educational assistance act of 2008 (38 U.S.C. Sec. 3301 et seq.) 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;
(((k)))(l) A student who resides in the state of Washington and is the spouse or a dependent of a person who is a member of the Washington national guard;
(((l)))(m) A student who has separated from the uniformed services with any period of honorable service after at least ninety days of active duty service; is eligible for educational assistance benefits under Title 38 U.S.C.; and enters an institution of higher education in Washington within three years of the date of separation;
(((m)))(n) A student who is on terminal, transition, or separation leave pending separation, or release from active duty, from the uniformed services with any period of honorable service after at least ninety days of active duty service and is eligible for educational assistance benefits under Title 38 U.S.C.;
(o) A student who is entitled to veterans administration educational assistance benefits based on the student's relationship as a spouse, former spouse, or child to an individual who has separated from the uniformed services with any period of honorable service after at least ninety 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;
(((n)))(p) A student who is the spouse or child to an individual who has separated from the uniformed services with at least ten years of honorable service and at least ninety 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;
(q) A student who has separated from the uniformed services who was discharged due to the student's sexual orientation or gender identity or expression;
(r) A student who is entitled to veterans administration educational assistance benefits based on the student's relationship with a deceased member of the uniformed services who died in the line of duty;
(((o)))(s) A student who is entitled to federal vocational rehabilitation and employment services for veterans with service-connected disabilities under 38 U.S.C. Sec. 3102(a);
(((p)))(t) A student who is defined as a covered individual in 38 U.S.C. Sec. 3679(c)(2) as it existed on July 28, 2019, or such subsequent date as the student achievement council may determine by rule;
(((q)))(u) A student of an out-of-state institution of higher education who is attending a Washington state institution of higher education pursuant to a home tuition agreement as described in RCW 28B.15.725;
(((r)))(v) A student who meets the requirements of RCW 28B.15.0131 or 28B.15.0139: PROVIDED, That a nonresident student enrolled for more than six hours per semester or quarter shall be considered as attending for primarily educational purposes, and for tuition and fee paying purposes only such period of enrollment shall not be counted toward the establishment of a bona fide domicile of one year in this state unless such student proves that the student has in fact established a bona fide domicile in this state primarily for purposes other than educational;
(((s)))(w) A student who resides in Washington and is on active military duty stationed in the Oregon counties of Columbia, Gilliam, Hood River, Multnomah, Clatsop, Clackamas, Morrow, Sherman, Umatilla, Union, Wallowa, Wasco, or Washington; or
(((t)))(x) A student who resides in Washington and is the spouse or a dependent of a person ((who resides in Washington and is on active military duty stationed in the Oregon counties of Columbia, Gilliam, Hood River, Multnomah, Clatsop, Clackamas, Morrow, Sherman, Umatilla, Union, Wallowa, Wasco, or Washington))defined in (w) of this subsection. If the person ((on active military duty))defined in (w) of this subsection moves from Washington or is reassigned out of the Oregon counties of Columbia, Gilliam, Hood River, Multnomah, Clatsop, Clackamas, Morrow, Sherman, Umatilla, Union, Wallowa, Wasco, or Washington, the student maintains the status as a resident student so long as the student resides in Washington and is either:
(i) Admitted to an institution before the reassignment and enrolls in that institution for the term the student was admitted; or
(ii) Enrolled in an institution and ((is))remains continuously enrolled ((in a degree program))at the institution.
(3)(a) A student who qualifies under subsection (2)(((j), (l), (m), (n), (o), or (p)))(k), (m), (n), (o), (p), (q), (r), (s), or (t) of this section and who remains continuously enrolled at an institution of higher education shall retain resident student status.
(b) Nothing in subsection (2)(((j), (l), (m), (n), (o), or (p)))(k), (m), (n), (o), (p), (q), (r), (s), or (t) of this section applies to students who have a dishonorable discharge from the uniformed services, or to students who are the spouse or child of an individual who has had a dishonorable discharge from the uniformed services, unless the student is receiving veterans administration educational assistance benefits.
(4) The term "nonresident student" shall mean any student who does not qualify as a "resident student" under the provisions of this section and RCW 28B.15.013. Except for students qualifying under subsection (2)(e) or (((q)))(u) of this section, a nonresident student shall include:
(a) A student attending an institution with the aid of financial assistance provided by another state or governmental unit or agency thereof, such nonresidency continuing for one year after the completion of such semester or quarter. This condition shall not apply to students from Columbia, Multnomah, Clatsop, Clackamas, or Washington county, Oregon participating in the border county pilot project under RCW 28B.76.685, 28B.76.690, and 28B.15.0139.
(b) A person who is not a citizen of the United States of America, unless the person meets and complies with all applicable requirements in this section and RCW 28B.15.013 and is one of the following:
(i) A lawful permanent resident;
(ii) A temporary resident;
(iii) A person who holds "refugee-parolee," "conditional entrant," or U or T nonimmigrant status with the United States citizenship and immigration services;
(iv) A person who has been issued an employment authorization document by the United States citizenship and immigration services that is valid as of the date the person's residency status is determined;
(v) A person who has been granted deferred action for childhood arrival status before, on, or after June 7, 2018, regardless of whether the person is no longer or will no longer be granted deferred action for childhood arrival status due to the termination, suspension, or modification of the deferred action for childhood arrival program; or
(vi) A person who is otherwise permanently residing in the United States under color of law, including deferred action status.
(5) The term "domicile" shall denote a person's true, fixed and permanent home and place of habitation. It is the place where the student intends to remain, and to which the student expects to return when the student leaves without intending to establish a new domicile elsewhere. The burden of proof that a student, parent or guardian has established a domicile in the state of Washington primarily for purposes other than educational lies with the student.
(6) The term "dependent" shall mean a person who is not financially independent. Factors to be considered in determining whether a person is financially independent shall be set forth in rules adopted by the student achievement council and shall include, but not be limited to, the state and federal income tax returns of the person and/or the student's parents or legal guardian filed for the calendar year prior to the year in which application is made and such other evidence as the council may require.
(7) The term "active military duty" means the person is serving on active duty in:
(a) The armed forces of the United States government; or
(b) The Washington national guard; or
(c) The coast guard, merchant mariners, or other nonmilitary organization when such service is recognized by the United States government as equivalent to service in the armed forces.
(8) The term "active duty service" means full-time duty, other than active duty for training, as a member of the uniformed services of the United States. Active duty service as a national guard member under Title 32 U.S.C. for the purpose of organizing, administering, recruiting, instructing, or training and active service under 32 U.S.C. Sec. 502(f) for the purpose of responding to a national emergency is recognized as active duty service.
(9) The term "uniformed services" is defined by Title 10 U.S.C.; subsequently structured and organized by Titles 14, 33, and 42 U.S.C.; consisting of the United States army, United States marine corps, United States navy, United States air force, United States coast guard, United States public health service commissioned corps, and the national oceanic and atmospheric administration commissioned officer corps.
Passed by the House March 9, 2020.
Passed by the Senate March 6, 2020.
Approved by the Governor March 31, 2020.
Filed in Office of Secretary of State March 31, 2020.
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