FINAL BILL REPORT

                  SSB 5162

                          C 349 L 95

                      Synopsis as Enacted

Brief Description:  Changing the Vietnam veterans' tuition exemption.

Sponsors:  Senate Committee on Higher Education (originally sponsored by Senators Bauer, Oke, Snyder, Hargrove, Haugen, Kohl, C. Anderson and Winsley).

Senate Committee on Higher Education

House Committee on Higher Education

Background:  The governing boards of the state's public higher education institutions may exempt veterans of the Vietnam conflict who served in Southeast Asia from any increase in student tuition and fees.  The veteran shall not be required to pay more than the total amount of tuition and fees paid by veterans of the Vietnam conflict on October 1, 1977.  To qualify for the exemption, the veteran must have served in Southeast Asia during the time period between August 5, 1964 and May 7, 1975.  Additionally, the veteran must be a resident of Washington and must have enrolled in a state institution on or before May 7, 1990.

The 1994 Legislature extended the sunset date for this exemption to June 30, 1997.  The 1994 Legislature also required that veterans receiving the exemption must:  (1) be enrolled for seven or more quarter credits per academic term or their equivalent; (2) have an adjusted gross family income not exceeding the Washington State's median family income; and (3) have exhausted all entitlement for federal vocational or educational benefits conferred by virtue of their military service.

Summary:  Legislative intent is described.  Public baccalaureate institutions and community colleges may exempt eligible Vietnam veterans from all or a portion of tuition and fee increases adopted after October 1, 1977.  In order to receive the waiver, veterans must meet these conditions:  (1) be a veteran who served on active duty in the military or naval forces of the United States anytime between August 5, 1964 to May 7, 1975; (2) have served in the Southeast Asia theater of operations; and (3) be a resident student at the time of enrollment.  The expiration date is extended to June 30, 1999.

Votes on Final Passage:

Senate    47 0

House     92 0 (House amended)

Senate        (Senate refused to concur)

House     94 0 (House amended)

Senate    47 0 (Senate concurred)

Effective:  July 23, 1995