S-1709.3          _______________________________________________

                            SUBSTITUTE SENATE BILL 5605

                  _______________________________________________

State of Washington              54th Legislature             1995 Regular Session

By Senate Committee on Higher Education (originally sponsored by Senators Owen, Bauer, Sheldon, Wood, McAuliffe, Prince, Heavey, Drew, Winsley, Palmer, Deccio, Oke, Prentice and Schow)

Read first time 03/01/95.

Prohibiting drug and alcohol use in state-owned college and university residences.

     AN ACT Relating to prohibiting alcohol and drug use in state-owned college or university residences; adding a new section to chapter 28B.10 RCW; creating new sections; and prescribing penalties.

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

NEW SECTION. Sec. 1.  The state makes a substantial investment of finances and resources in students who are attending state institutions of higher education.  In exchange, students are expected to actively pursue their education and contribute to an academic environment that is conducive to learning.  Students who abuse alcohol and drugs, however, are unable to make full use of this educational opportunity.  More important, students who abuse alcohol and drugs create an environment that interferes with the ability of other students to pursue their education.  This is especially true in university-owned housing where alcohol and drug abuse contribute to noise, vandalism, theft, and violence.  While the universities and colleges may not be able to stop all alcohol and drug abuse among student populations, the very least they can do is ensure that the vast majority of students without drug or alcohol problems are provided with a living environment that is safe and conducive to the pursuit of higher education.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 2.  A new section is added to chapter 28B.10 RCW to read as follows:

     (1) Use of liquor as defined in RCW 66.04.010 or unlawful use of controlled substances under chapter 69.50 RCW or legend drugs under chapter 69.41 RCW in state-owned, college or university housing where a predominant number of residents are minors is prohibited.

     (2) The prohibition in subsection (1) of this section shall be a part of the rental agreement signed by students or their parents or guardians.

     (3) In addition to other penalties provided by law, the following penalties apply to violations of this section:

     (a) For the first violation, a student cited by a law officer or college or university housing official shall be warned and referred to the student council;

     (b) For a second violation, the student shall be expelled from college or university housing at the end of the academic semester or quarter in which the second violation was cited.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 3.  By December 1, 1996, each institution of higher education that has state-owned, college or university housing shall report to the appropriate committees of the legislature on implementation of section 2 of this act.

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