1814-S

AN ACT Relating to the Washington award for vocational excellence; amending RCW 28C.04.520, 28C.04.525, 28C.04.530, 28C.04.535, 28C.04.540, 28C.04.545, and 28B.15.545; and adding a new section to chapter 28B.80 RCW.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON:

Sec. 1. RCW 28C.04.520 and 1984 c 267 s 1 are each amended to read as follows:

Every year community colleges, ((~~vocational-technical institutes~~)) technical colleges, and high schools graduate students who have distinguished themselves by their outstanding performance in their occupational training programs. The legislature intends to recognize and honor these students by establishing a Washington award for vocational excellence.

Sec. 2. RCW 28C.04.525 and 1987 c 231 s 3 are each amended to read as follows:

The Washington award for vocational excellence program is established. The purposes of this annual program are to:

(1) Maximize public awareness of the achievements, leadership ability, and community contributions of the ((~~state's public vocational-technical~~)) students enrolled in occupational training programs in high schools, community colleges, and technical colleges;

(2) Emphasize the dignity of work in our society;

(3) Instill respect for those who become skilled in crafts and technology;

(4) Recognize the value of vocational education and its contribution to the economy of this state;

(5) Foster business, labor, and community involvement in vocational-technical training programs and in this award program; and

(6) Recognize the outstanding achievements of up to three vocational or technical students, at least two of whom should be graduating high school students, in each legislative district. Students who have completed at least one year of a vocational-technical program in a community college or public ((~~vocational-technical institute~~)) technical college may also be recognized.

Sec. 3. RCW 28C.04.530 and 1987 c 231 s 2 are each amended to read as follows:

(1) The ((~~commission for vocational education or a successor agency~~)) work force training and education coordinating board shall have the responsibility for the development and administration of the Washington award for vocational excellence program. The ((~~commission or successor agency~~)) work force training and education coordinating board shall develop the program in consultation with other state agencies and private organizations having interest and responsibility in vocational education, including but not limited to: The state board for community and technical colleges ((~~education~~)), the office of the superintendent of public instruction, a voluntary professional association of vocational educators, and representatives from business, labor, and industry.

(2) The ((~~commission or successor agency~~)) work force training and education coordinating board shall establish a planning committee to develop the criteria for screening and selecting the students who will receive the award. This criteria shall include but not be limited to the following characteristics: Proficiency in their chosen fields, attendance, attitude, character, leadership, and civic contributions.

Sec. 4. RCW 28C.04.535 and 1984 c 267 s 4 are each amended to read as follows:

The Washington award for vocational excellence shall be granted annually. The ((~~commission~~)) work force training and education coordinating board shall notify the students receiving the award, their vocational instructors, local chambers of commerce, the legislators of their respective districts, and the governor, after final selections have been made. The ((~~commission~~)) work force training and education coordinating board, in conjunction with the governor's office, shall prepare appropriate certificates to be presented to the selected students. Awards shall be presented in public ceremonies at times and places determined by the ((~~commission~~)) work force training and education coordinating board in cooperation with the office of the governor.

Sec. 5. RCW 28C.04.540 and 1984 c 267 s 5 are each amended to read as follows:

The ((~~commission~~)) work force training and education coordinating board may accept any and all donations, grants, bequests, and devices, conditional or otherwise, or money, property, service, or other things of value which may be received from any federal, state, or local agency, any institution, person, firm, or corporation, public and private, to be held, used, or applied for the purposes of the Washington award for vocational excellence program. The ((~~commission~~)) work force training and education coordinating board shall encourage maximum participation from business, labor, and community groups. The ((~~commission~~)) work force training and education coordinating board shall also coordinate, where feasible, the contribution activities of the various participants.

The ((~~commission~~)) work force training and education coordinating board shall not make expenditures from funds collected under this section until February 15, 1985.

Sec. 6. RCW 28C.04.545 and 1987 c 231 s 4 are each amended to read as follows:

(1) The respective governing boards of the public ((~~vocational-technical institutes~~)) technical colleges shall provide fee waivers for a maximum of two years for those recipients of the Washington award for vocational excellence established under RCW 28C.04.520 through 28C.04.540 who received the award before June 30, 1994. To qualify for the waiver, recipients shall enter the public ((~~vocational-technical institute~~)) technical college within three years of receiving the award. An above average rating at the vocational-technical institute in the first year shall be required to qualify for the second-year waiver.

(2) Students named by the work force training and education coordinating board after June 30, 1994, as recipients of the Washington award for vocational excellence under RCW 28C.04.520 through 28C.04.550 shall be eligible to receive a grant for undergraduate course work as authorized under section 8 of this act.

Sec. 7. RCW 28B.15.545 and 1993 sp.s. c 18 s 20 are each amended to read as follows:

(1) Subject to the limitations of RCW 28B.15.910, the governing boards of the state universities, the regional universities, The Evergreen State College, and the community colleges shall waive tuition and services and activities fees for a maximum of two years for those recipients of the Washington award for vocational excellence established under RCW 28C.04.520 through 28C.04.540 who received their awards before June 30, 1994. ((The governing boards may waive all or a portion of tuition and services and activities fees for those recipients of the Washington award for vocational excellence who received their awards after June 30, 1994.)) Each recipient shall not receive a waiver for more than six quarters or four semesters. To qualify for the waiver, recipients shall enter the college or university within three years of receiving the award. A minimum grade point average at the college or university equivalent to 3.00, or an above-average rating at a technical college, shall be required in the first year to qualify for the second-year waiver. The tuition waiver shall be granted for undergraduate studies only.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 8. A new section is added to chapter 28B.80 RCW to read as follows:

(1) Recipients of the Washington award for vocational excellence under RCW 28C.04.520 through 28C.04.550, who receive the award after June 30, 1994, may receive a grant, if funds are available. The grant shall be used to attend a postsecondary institution located in the state of Washington. Recipients may attend an institution of higher education as defined in RCW 28B.10.016, or an independent college or university, or a licensed private vocational school. The higher education coordinating board shall distribute grants to eligible students under this section from moneys appropriated for this purpose. The individual grants shall not exceed, on a yearly basis, the yearly, full-time, resident, undergraduate tuition and service and activities fees in effect at the state-funded research universities. In consultation with the work force training and education coordinating board, the higher education coordinating board shall establish procedures, by rule, to disburse the awards as direct grants to the students.

(2) To qualify for the grant, recipients shall enter the postsecondary institution within three years of high school graduation and maintain a minimum grade point average at the institution equivalent to 3.00, or, at a technical college, an above average rating. Students shall be eligible to receive a maximum of two years of grants for undergraduate study and may transfer among in-state eligible postsecondary institutions during that period and continue to receive the grant.

(3) No grant may be awarded to any student who is pursuing a degree in theology.

(4) As used in this section, "independent college or university" means a private, nonprofit educational institution, the main campus of which is permanently situated in the state, open to residents of the state, providing programs of education beyond the high school level leading at least to the baccalaureate degree, and accredited by the Northwest association of schools and colleges as of June 9, 1988, and other institutions as may be developed that are approved by the higher education coordinating board as meeting equivalent standards as those institutions accredited under this section.

(5) As used in this section, "licensed private vocational school" means a private postsecondary institution, located in the state, licensed by the work force training and education coordinating board under chapter 28C.10 RCW, and offering postsecondary education in order to prepare persons for a vocation or profession, as defined in RCW 28C.10.020(7).

NEW SECTION. Sec. 9. If any provision of this act or its application to any person or circumstance is held invalid, the remainder of the act or the application of the provision to other persons or circumstances is not affected.