BP BHEAD INT S

AN ACT Relating to higher education tuition fees; amending RCW 28B.15.067; and adding a new section to chapter 28B.15 RCW.

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

NEW SECTION. Sec. 1. A new section is added to chapter 28B.15 RCW to read as follows:

The legislature finds that, as a partner in financing public higher education with students and parents who pay tuition and fees, it is important to provide predictability in state support and tuition rates as well as affordability for both taxpayers and students. To accomplish predictability and affordability in tuition rates, the legislature intends that annual changes in tuition rates be based on the average per capita income in the state, as predicted by the office of economic and revenue forecast. It is the policy of the state that general tax support for public postsecondary instruction also change in accordance with the forecast of the state's average per capita income.

Sec. 2. RCW 28B.15.067 and 1995 1st sp.s. c 9 s 4 are each amended to read as follows:

(1) Tuition fees shall be established and adjusted annually under the provisions of this chapter beginning with the 1997-98 academic year. Such fees shall be identical, subject to other provisions of this chapter, for students enrolled at either state university, for students enrolled at the regional universities and The Evergreen State College, and for students enrolled at any community college.

(2) Academic year tuition for full-time students at the state's institutions of higher education for the 1995-96 academic year, other than the summer term, shall be as provided in this subsection.

(a) At the University of Washington and Washington State University:

(i) For resident undergraduate students and other resident students not in graduate study programs or enrolled in programs leading to the degrees of doctor of medicine, doctor of dental surgery, and doctor of veterinary medicine, two thousand seven hundred sixty-four dollars;

(ii) For nonresident undergraduate students and other nonresident students not in graduate study programs or enrolled in programs leading to the degrees of doctor of medicine, doctor of dental surgery, and doctor of veterinary medicine, eight thousand two hundred sixty-eight dollars;

(iii) For resident graduate and law students not enrolled in programs leading to the degrees of doctor of medicine, doctor of dental surgery, and doctor of veterinary medicine, four thousand four hundred ninety dollars;

(iv) For nonresident graduate and law students not enrolled in programs leading to the degrees of doctor of medicine, doctor of dental surgery, and doctor of veterinary medicine, eleven thousand six hundred thirty-four dollars;

(v) For resident students enrolled in programs leading to the degrees of doctor of medicine, doctor of dental surgery, and doctor of veterinary medicine, seven thousand four hundred ninety-seven dollars; and

(vi) For nonresident students enrolled in programs leading to the degrees of doctor of medicine, doctor of dental surgery, and doctor of veterinary medicine, nineteen thousand four hundred thirty-one dollars.

(b) At the regional universities and The Evergreen State College:

(i) For resident undergraduate and all other resident students not in graduate study programs, two thousand forty-five dollars;

(ii) For nonresident undergraduate and all other nonresident students not in graduate study programs, seven thousand nine hundred ninety-two dollars;

(iii) For resident graduate students, three thousand four hundred forty-three dollars; and

(iv) For nonresident graduate students, eleven thousand seventy-one dollars.

(i) For resident students, one thousand two hundred twelve dollars; and

(ii) For nonresident students, five thousand one hundred sixty-two dollars and fifty cents.

(3) Academic year tuition for full-time students at the state's institutions of higher education beginning with the 1996-97 academic year, other than the summer term, shall be as provided in this subsection.

(a) At the University of Washington and Washington State University:

(v) For resident students enrolled in programs leading to the degrees of doctor of medicine, doctor of dental surgery, and doctor of veterinary medicine, seven thousand seven hundred ninety-seven dollars; and

(vi) For nonresident students enrolled in programs leading to the degrees of doctor of medicine, doctor of dental surgery, and doctor of veterinary medicine, twenty thousand two hundred nine dollars.

(b) At the regional universities and The Evergreen State College:

(i) For resident undergraduate and all other resident students not in graduate study programs, two thousand one hundred twenty-seven dollars;

(ii) For nonresident undergraduate and all other nonresident students not in graduate study programs, eight thousand three hundred twelve dollars;

(iii) For resident graduate students, three thousand five hundred eighty-one dollars; and

(iv) For nonresident graduate students, eleven thousand five hundred fourteen dollars.

(i) For resident students, one thousand two hundred sixty-one dollars; and

(ii) For nonresident students, five thousand three hundred sixty-nine dollars and fifty cents.

(4) For the 1997-98 academic year and thereafter, the tuition fee rates specified in subsection (3) of this section shall be adjusted to reflect the forecasted annual change in state personal per capita income. Annually by December 15th, the higher education coordinating board shall calculate tuition fee rates for the following academic year and forecast the tuition fee rates for the next succeeding academic year, based on the forecasted annual percentage change in state personal per capita income during the fiscal year in which the academic year begins, as determined by the economic and revenue forecast council under chapter 82.33 RCW.

(5) The tuition fees established under this chapter shall not apply to high school students enrolling in community colleges under RCW 28A.600.300 through 28A.600.395.