S-1052.1  _______________________________________________

                         SENATE BILL 5605

          _______________________________________________

State of Washington      54th Legislature     1995 Regular Session

By Senators Owen, Bauer, Sheldon, Wood, McAuliffe, Prince, Heavey, Drew, Winsley, Palmer, Deccio, Oke, Prentice and Schow

Read first time 01/30/95.  Referred to Committee on Higher Education.

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 a new section; 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) Alcohol and drug use in state-owned, college or university housing is prohibited.  This includes the prohibition of alcohol consumption in student housing by residents who are twenty-one years of age.

    (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.

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