SENATE BILL REPORT

                                    HB 1674

            AS REPORTED BY COMMITTEE ON WAYS & MEANS, APRIL 8, 1991

Brief Description:  Freezing tuition and fees at 1990 rates for Persian Gulf veterans.

SPONSORS:Representatives Orr, Spanel, Locke, Jacobsen, Heavey, Wineberry, Dorn, Hargrove, Morris, Riley, Basich, Rayburn, Grant, Anderson, Leonard, Sheldon, Cantwell, Jones, Nelson, Rasmussen, Dellwo, R. King, Roland, Zellinsky, R. Fisher, Winsley, Holland, O'Brien, Prentice, Pruitt, Ogden, Miller, Paris, Ebersole, Mitchell, Kremen, Scott, H. Myers and Inslee.

HOUSE COMMITTEE ON HIGHER EDUCATION

HOUSE COMMITTEE ON APPROPRIATIONS

SENATE COMMITTEE ON HIGHER EDUCATION

Majority Report:  Do pass.

      Signed by Senators Saling, Chairman; Patterson, Vice Chairman; Bauer, Bluechel, Cantu, Jesernig, Skratek, and von Reichbauer. 

Staff:  Scott Huntley (786‑7421)

Hearing Dates:March 28, 1991; April 1, 1991

SENATE COMMITTEE ON WAYS & MEANS

Majority Report:  Do pass.

      Signed by Senators McDonald, Chairman; Craswell, Vice Chairman; Bailey, Bauer, Bluechel, Cantu, Gaspard, Hayner, Johnson, L. Kreidler, Matson, Metcalf, Murray, Newhouse, Niemi, Owen, Saling, L. Smith, Talmadge, West, Williams, and Wojahn. 

Staff:  Linda Brownell (786-7715)

Hearing Dates:April 8, 1991

BACKGROUND:

Washington provides a number of tuition and fee waivers, reduced fees, and residency exemptions for veterans, active duty military personnel, and for some of the members of their families.  The first waiver program for military personnel was adopted in 1921.  During that year, the University of Washington was authorized to waive tuition for military veterans.

Active duty military personnel are exempt from the nonresident tuition differential charged to out-of-state students.  The waiver is also extended to their spouses and dependent children.  Tuition and fee waivers are granted to children of Washington residents who were prisoners of war or missing in action in southeast Asia during the Vietnam conflict.

Veterans who enrolled before October 1, 1977, who are state residents and who are no longer entitled to federal education benefits may receive a tuition and fee waiver.  Veterans who are not state residents but meet the other conditions may have one-half of the nonresident tuition differential waived at the research universities.

Veterans of the Vietnam conflict pay reduced tuition rates if they served in the southeast Asia theater of operations between August 5, 1964 and May 7, 1975.  Participants must be state residents when they enroll, and must have been enrolled in a state college or university by May 7, 1990.  This program expires in 1995.

For the 1990-91 academic year, the foregone revenue for these programs is estimated to be $6,269,000.

SUMMARY:

Certain eligible veterans of the Persian Gulf combat zone are exempt from the payment of tuition and fee increases that occur after the 1990-91 academic year.  On August 1, 1990, eligible veterans must have been Washington residents for at least one year.  When they are students, they must also have an adjusted gross family income that does not exceed the state's median family income, as established by the Census Bureau.

Veteran of the Persian Gulf combat zone is defined.  The veteran is a person who, during any portion of 1991, served in active federal service in a combat zone, as a member of the country's armed military or naval forces.  Through executive order, the President must designate an area as a combat zone.

The tuition and fee waivers terminate on June 30, 1994.

Appropriation:  none

Revenue:  none

Fiscal Note:  available

TESTIMONY FOR (Higher Education):

This is an excellent way to show our appreciation to the men and women of Washington who served their country in the Persian Gulf.  It is similar to what the state provided for veterans of the Vietnam conflict.

TESTIMONY AGAINST (Higher Education):  None

TESTIFIED (Higher Education):  Representative Orr, sponsor (pro); Keith Sherman, Veterans Legislative Coalition (pro);

TESTIMONY FOR (Ways & Means):

This would be very helpful in assisting veterans of the Persian Gulf war to complete their education.  It was suggested that the termination date be changed to June 30, 1995 so that service personnel who are serving four-year enlistments would be able to use this waiver.

TESTIMONY AGAINST (Ways & Means):  None

TESTIFIED (Ways & Means):  PRO:  Keith Sherman, Vet. Legis. Coalition; Richard Finnigan, Legion Post 3, Legislative Officer