HOUSE BILL REPORT

                 EHB 2123

                       As Passed House

                       April 17, 1993

Title:  An act relating to graduate service appointments.

Brief Description:  Allowing insurance benefits for graduate service appointments.

Sponsors:  Representatives Jacobsen, Quall and Brumsickle; by request of Office of Financial Management.

Brief History:

  Reported by House Committee on:

Appropriations, April 9, 1993, DPA;

  Passed House, April 17, 1993, 96-0.

HOUSE COMMITTEE ON APPROPRIATIONS

Majority Report:  Do pass as amended.  Signed by 22 members:  Representatives Locke, Chair; Carlson, Assistant Ranking Minority Member; Appelwick; Ballasiotes; Basich; Cooke; Dellwo; Dorn; Dunshee; G. Fisher; Jacobsen; Lemmon; Linville; Morton; Peery; Rust; Sehlin; Sheahan; Stevens; Talcott; Wang; and Wolfe.

Staff:  Marilee Scarbrough (786-7196).

Background: In order to assist the faculties of the state's research and regional universities, teaching and research assistants are recruited from most graduate programs.  Boards of regents and trustees of the state's research and regional universities may waive resident operating fees and the non-resident tuition differential for graduate assistants who provide service for 20 hours or more per week.  In addition to the waiver, the recipient of the graduate service appointment receives a stipend.  Currently, recipients of graduate service appointments do not receive health care benefits.

Summary of Bill: The governing boards of the state universities, the regional universities and the Evergreen State College may provide health care benefits for recipients of graduate service appointments.

Fiscal Note:  Requested April 8, 1993.

Effective Date:  Ninety days after adjournment of session in which bill is passed.

Testimony For:  Graduate students have worked on this issue for a number of years.  Teaching and research assistants provide a valuable service to the institutions.  Graduate assistants believe they are entitled to benefits under the current law.  This is a compromise agreed to by the institutions and the students.

Testimony Against: None.

Witnesses:  (Supports) Dan Steele, Washington State University Student Lobby; and Caroleen Dineen, Graduate and Professional Student Association, University of Washington.