SENATE BILL REPORT

                           SSB 5397

               AS PASSED SENATE, MARCH 15, 1993

Brief Description:  Granting resident status at institutions of higher education for active duty personnel stationed in Washington and their spouses and dependents.

SPONSORS: Senate Committee on Higher Education (originally sponsored by Senators Sheldon, Prince, Winsley, Bauer, Drew and Oke)

SENATE COMMITTEE ON HIGHER EDUCATION

Majority Report:  That Substitute Senate Bill No. 5397 be substituted therefor, and the substitute bill do pass and be referred to Committee on Ways & Means. 

     Signed by Senators Bauer, Chairman; Drew, Vice Chairman; Cantu, Jesernig, Prince, Quigley, Sheldon, von Reichbauer, and West.

Staff:  Jean Six (786‑7423)

Hearing Dates: February 10, 1993; February 15, 1993

SENATE COMMITTEE ON WAYS & MEANS

Majority Report:  That Substitute Senate Bill No. 5397 as recommended by Committee on Higher Education be substituted therefor, and the substitute bill do pass. 

     Signed by Senators Rinehart, Chairman; Bauer, Bluechel, Cantu, Gaspard, Hargrove, Jesernig, McDonald, Owen, Pelz, Quigley, Roach, L. Smith, Snyder, Sutherland, West, and Williams.

Staff:  Linda Brownell (786-7715)

Hearings Dates: March 3, 1993; March 5, 1993

BACKGROUND:

The level of tuition required of active duty military personnel, their spouses, and their dependents has been debated in the Legislature a number of times.  In 1971, the statutes defining resident and nonresident students were consolidated; the nonresident differential was waived for active duty military and other groups.  In the early 1980's the waiver programs were reviewed to determine whether or not to continue those which were not based on financial need.  In 1982, the waiver of the nonresident fee differential was repealed for the military as a means of generating additional state General Fund revenue.  Projected revenue did not materialize, and in 1984, the waiver was reenacted.

Upon the recommendation of the Higher Education Coordinating Board, the 1992 Legislature made all tuition waiver programs permissive and variable and required that the institutions reduce foregone revenue from waivers by 6.6 percent.  Institutions may choose to reduce the number of waivers granted or they may choose to continue granting the same number of waivers and reduce the dollar amount of each waiver granted.  The community college system chose to grant partial waivers to all students in all waiver categories.  Each of the four-year institutions has developed its own methodology for meeting the waiver reduction requirement.

SUMMARY:

Active duty military personnel, their spouses, or their dependents are added to the definition of "resident student" and will pay tuition and fees at the resident student level.

The active duty military, their spouses and dependents who are now defined as resident students for tuition paying purposes are not eligible for any state financial aid.

Appropriation:  none

Revenue:  none

Fiscal Note:  available

TESTIMONY FOR (Higher Education):

Active duty military personnel, their spouses and dependents are in the state of Washington not by choice.  They are active members of the community who volunteer in the schools, who coach Little League teams, and who are homeowners and taxpayers.  Forty-four other states as well as Washington D.C. offer resident tuition rates to the military.  It is a question of fairness and reciprocity.

TESTIMONY AGAINST (Higher Education):

The State Board for Community and Technical Colleges is opposed for purely budgetary reasons.

TESTIFIED (Higher Education):  PRO:  Senator Betti Sheldon, prime sponsor; Carl B. Hupman; Anita Unrath, Fairchild AFB and EWU student; Doug Brown, Fairchild AFB; Michael Isbell, Fairchild AFB; Maureen Flak, Tacoma Pierce County Chamber of Commerce; Bob Sauter, VFW; Commander Mike Stephenson, Naval Base Seattle; Maria Luttrell, PSNS; Dr. Martha Brownlee, PSNS; David Allen Roberts, PSNS; Oria Berndt, Veterans' Coalition and NCO Association; Mayor Tom Anderson, McChord AFB; E4 Leaver, McChord AFB; Jan Vance, Education Services Officer, Fort Lewis; Ed Isakson, Education Services Officer, Fairchild AFB; CON:  Scott Morgan, SBCTC

TESTIMONY FOR (Ways & Means):

Active duty military personnel are committed members of our local communities, Boy Scout and Girl Scout leaders, our neighbors and our friends.  They support our community and should be treated as citizens of the state of Washington.  Higher education is very important for military advancement, and continuing education credits are necessary to stay up to date in their fields.  With the possibility of the military down-sizing, it's important to have educational benefits so that training for civilian jobs can be obtained.

TESTIMONY AGAINST (Ways & Means):  None

TESTIFIED (Ways & Means):  PRO:  Senator Sheldon, prime sponsor; Senator Prince, sponsor; Robert Sauter, VFW; Commander Michael Stephenson, Naval Base, Seattle; Scott Morgan, SBCTC; Keith Sherman, Vets Legislative Coalition; Maureen Flak, Tacoma/Pierce County Chamber of Commerce; Maria Luttrell, Naval Dental Center, Bremerton; Leah Ritchie, Cynthia Brewer, Navy Campus, PSNS; Terry Ogilvie, Tom Anderson, Lewis Wells, Rhonda Hainey, McChord AFB; Colonel Virgil W. Stone, Janice K. Vance, M. Kathleen Connolly, Fort Lewis; Edward Isakson, Fairchild AFB, Spokane; Michael J.Ball, Association of Military Educators in Washington State