H-2662

AN ACT Relating to the students with disabilities endowed scholarship program; and adding a new chapter to Title 28B RCW.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON:

NEW SECTION. Sec. 1. The legislature recognizes the benefit to our state and nation of providing equal educational opportunities for everyone who seeks higher education. The legislature finds that students with disabilities are under represented in Washington's colleges, universities, and vocational-technical institutes. The legislature also finds that past barriers to accessibility and failure to meet the special needs of these students has resulted in this underrepresentation. Creating an endowed scholarship program to help students with disabilities obtain a higher education will help to rectify past inequities by providing a means and an incentive for students with disabilities to pursue a higher education. The state will benefit from contributions made by students with disabilities who participate in a program of higher education.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 2. Unless the context clearly requires otherwise, the definitions in this section apply throughout this chapter.

(1) "Institution of higher education" or "institution" means a college, university, or vocational-technical institute in the state of Washington which is accredited by an accrediting association recognized as such by rule of the higher education coordinating board.

(2) "Board" means the higher education coordinating board.

(3) "Eligible student" or "student" means a student with a disability as defined by the board in consultation with the advisory committee described in section 4 of this act, who is a financially needy student, as defined by the board, who is a resident student, as defined by RCW 28B.15.012(2), who is a full-time student at an institution of higher education, or who is making satisfactory progress toward a degree or certificate.

(4) "Full-time student" means a student who is making satisfactory progress toward a degree or certificate at the optimum rate allowed by the student's particular disability. This rate shall be determined, on an individual basis, by the advisory committee described in section 4 of this act.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 3. The students with disabilities endowed scholarship fund is created. The program shall be administered by the board. In administering the program, the board's powers and duties shall include but not be limited to:

(1) Selecting students to receive scholarships with the assistance of a screening committee composed of persons involved in helping students with disabilities obtain a higher education;

(2) Adopting necessary rules and guidelines;

(3) Publicizing the program;

(4) Accepting and depositing donations into the endowment fund created in section 7 of this act;

(5) Requesting and accepting from the state treasurer moneys earned from the trust fund and the endowment fund created in sections 6 and 7 of this act;

(6) Soliciting and accepting grants and donations from public and private sources for the program; and

(7) Naming scholarships in honor of disabled citizens who have been role models.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 4. The board shall establish an advisory committee to assist in program design and to develop criteria for the screening and selection of scholarship recipients. The committee shall be composed of persons involved in helping students with disabilities obtain a higher education. The criteria may include a priority for students who are majoring in program areas that could benefit other Americans with disabilities.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 5. The board may award scholarships to eligible students from moneys earned from the endowment fund created in section 7 of this act, or from funds appropriated to the board for this purpose, from any private donations, or from any other funds given to the board for this program. For an undergraduate student, the amount of the scholarship shall not exceed the student's demonstrated financial need. For a graduate student, the amount of the scholarship shall not exceed the student's demonstrated need or the stipend of a teaching assistant, including tuition, at the University of Washington, whichever is higher. In calculating a student's need, the board shall consider the student's costs for tuition, fees, books, supplies, transportation, room, board, personal expenses, child care, and unique costs associated with the student's particular disability. The student's scholarship awarded under this chapter shall not exceed the amount received by a student attending a state research university plus the expenses attributable to the student's disability. These funds shall not be used to relieve institutions of higher education or other agencies from the responsibility for providing necessary reasonable accommodations. A student is eligible to receive a scholarship for a maximum of five years, unless the board determines that accommodation of a particular disability includes more time to complete the degree program.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 6. The students with disabilities endowed scholarship trust fund is established. The trust fund shall be administered by the state treasurer. Funds appropriated by the legislature for the trust fund shall be deposited into the fund. All moneys deposited in the fund shall be invested by the state treasurer. Notwithstanding RCW 43.84.090, all earnings of investments of balances of the trust fund shall be credited to the fund. At the request of the board, and when conditions set forth in section 8 of this act are met, the treasurer shall transfer state matching moneys and any earned interest from the trust fund to the students with disabilities scholarship endowment fund. No appropriation is required for expenditures from the trust fund.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 7. The students with disabilities scholarship endowment fund is established. The endowment fund shall be administered by the state treasurer. Moneys received from the board, private donations, state matching moneys and any earned interest, and funds received from any other source may be deposited into the endowment fund. All moneys deposited in the endowment fund shall be invested by the state treasurer. Notwithstanding RCW 43.84.090, all earnings of investments of balances of the endowment fund shall be credited to the endowment fund. At the request of the board, the treasurer shall release earnings from the endowment fund to the board for scholarships. No appropriation is required for expenditures from the endowment fund.

The principal of the endowment fund shall not be invaded. The earnings on the fund shall be used solely for the purposes set forth in section 5 of this act.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 8. The board may request that the treasurer deposit fifty thousand dollars of state matching funds and any earned interest into the students with disabilities scholarship endowment fund when the board can match the state funds with an equal amount of private cash donations. Private cash donations means moneys from nonstate sources that include, but are not limited to, federal moneys, and assessments by commodity commissions authorized to conduct research activities, including but not limited to research studies authorized under RCW 15.66.030 and 15.65.040.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 9. Sections 1 through 8 of this act shall constitute a new chapter in Title 28B RCW.