FINAL BILL REPORT

                  HB 1601

                          C 6 L 96

                     Synopsis as Enacted

Brief Description:  Providing tuition and fee waivers for members of the Washington national guard.

Sponsors:  Representatives D. Schmidt, Carlson, Mulliken, Jacobsen, Koster, Sheldon, Costa, Radcliff, Lambert, Robertson, Carrell, Backlund, Ballasiotes, Skinner, Huff, Johnson, Thompson, Elliot, Wolfe, Talcott, Conway, Kremen, Campbell, Benton, Mason, Cooke and Kessler.

House Committee on Higher Education

Senate Committee on Higher Education

Background:  In 1994, the Legislature created, but did not fund, the Washington State National Guard Conditional Scholarship program.  Through the program, members of the National Guard below the rank of major may receive conditional scholarships to attend institutions of higher education in Washington.  Participants must repay the scholarships, with interest, unless they serve in the National Guard for one additional year for each year of scholarship received.  Funding for the scholarships may come from state or federal funds, private donations, or repayments from participants who do not meet their service obligations.

Some members of the National Guard are eligible to participate in the Montgomery GI Bill Program.  Eligibility criteria and educational benefits vary depending on the type and date of enlistment, and on the nature of the educational program.

A state-supported institution of higher education may waive a student's tuition and fees under about 35 different waiver programs.  Four of the programs permit students to attend a class if space is available.  The space-available waivers are limited to institutional employees, senior citizens, classified state employees, and, at community colleges only, unemployed and underemployed persons.  The institutions do not receive any state funds for students who are enrolled in these space-available waiver programs.

Summary:   Public baccalaureate institutions and community colleges may waive tuition and service and activities fees for members of the Washington National Guard enrolled on a space-available basis.  These students will not be included in official enrollment reports, and the institutions will not receive any state funding for them.

A member of the National Guard or an institutional employee who enrolls on a space- available basis will be charged a fee that will fully cover any administrative costs of enrolling the student. 

Votes on Final Passage:

House     80 11

Senate    48 0

Effective:  June 6, 1996