HOUSE BILL REPORT

                  HB 1813

             As Reported By House Committee On:

                      Higher Education

Title:  An act relating to financial disclosures by private degree‑granting institutions.

Brief Description:  Exempting financial disclosures by degree‑granting private vocational schools from public disclosure laws.

Sponsors:  Representatives Mulliken, Mason, Sheahan, Blanton, Carlson, Goldsmith, Jacobsen and Delvin.

Brief History:

  Committee Activity:

Higher Education:  2/21/95, 2/23/95 [DPS].

HOUSE COMMITTEE ON HIGHER EDUCATION

Majority Report:  The substitute bill be substituted therefor and the substitute bill do pass.  Signed by 10 members:  Representatives Carlson, Chairman; Mulliken, Vice Chairman; Jacobsen, Ranking Minority Member; Mason, Assistant Ranking Minority Member; Basich; Blanton; Delvin; Goldsmith; Mastin and Sheahan.

Staff:  Marilee Scarbrough (786-7196).

Background:  The Higher Education Coordinating Board is responsible for oversight of private degree granting vocational schools in Washington.  As part of the oversight responsibility, vocational schools are required to provide the Higher Education Coordinating Board with all information that the board may require, including disclosure of financial conditions.

Summary of Substitute Bill:   Financial disclosures by degree granting private vocational schools are not subject to public disclosure.

Substitute Bill Compared to Original Bill:  The original bill applied to all degree granting private schools. The substitute applies only to degree granting private vocational schools.

Appropriation:  None.

Fiscal Note:  Not requested.

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

Testimony For:  We want to maintain consistency in statutes for vocational schools. Information will be disclosed to the appropriate agency, but it should not be available to the general public. 

Testimony Against:  We oppose any additional limit on public disclosure.  Institutions on the edge should be exposed to the public. 

Testified:  Representative Mulliken, prime sponsor; Linda Broderick, Washington Federation of Private Vocation Schools (pro); Susan Patrick, Higher Education Coordinating Board (pro); and Rowland Thompson, Allied Daily Newspapers (con).