H-2095.3          _______________________________________________

                            SUBSTITUTE HOUSE BILL 1845

                  _______________________________________________

State of Washington              54th Legislature             1995 Regular Session

By House Committee on Higher Education (originally sponsored by Representatives D. Schmidt, Thompson, Fuhrman, L. Thomas, Blanton, Radcliff, Mason, Benton, Reams, Mitchell, McMorris, Backlund, Beeksma, McMahan, Smith, Sherstad and Lambert)

Read first time 03/01/95.

Making certain benefits provided by institutions of higher education to students optional.

     AN ACT Relating to making certain benefits provided by colleges to students optional; amending RCW 28B.10.660; and adding a new section to chapter 28B.15 RCW.

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

     Sec. 1.  RCW 28B.10.660 and 1993 sp.s. c 9 s 1 are each amended to read as follows:

     (1) The governing boards of any of the state's institutions of higher education may make available liability, life, health, health care, accident, disability and salary protection or insurance or any one of, or a combination of, the enumerated types of insurance, or any other type of insurance or protection, for the regents or trustees and students of the institution.  Except as provided in subsection (2) of this section, the premiums due on such protection or insurance shall be borne by the assenting regents, trustees, or students.  The regents or trustees of any of the state institutions of higher education may make liability insurance available for employees of the institutions.  The premiums due on such liability insurance shall be borne by the university or college.

     (2) A governing board of a public four-year institution of higher education may make available, and pay the costs of, health benefits for graduate students holding graduate service appointments, designated as such by the institution.  Such health benefits may provide coverage for spouses and dependents of such graduate student appointees.

(3) A benefit provided to a student under this section shall be optional to the student if the student must pay for the benefit.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 2.  A new section is added to chapter 28B.15 RCW to read as follows:

     For students who provide proof of current health care coverage that continues throughout their period of enrollment, the health fee imposed under RCW 28B.15.031 is optional.

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