SENATE BILL REPORT

                   SB 5206

               As Passed Senate, March 11, 1997

Title:  An act relating to tuition differential exemptions for medical students.

Brief Description:  Exempting Wyoming students admitted to the University of Washington's medical school from the tuition differential.

Sponsors:  Senators Wood, Kohl, Bauer, Winsley, Sheldon, Prince, Patterson, Hale and Jacobsen.

Brief History:

Committee Activity:  Higher Education:  1/30/97, 2/20/97 [DP].

Passed Senate, 3/11/97, 45-1.

SENATE COMMITTEE ON HIGHER EDUCATION

Majority Report:  Do pass.

  Signed by Senators Wood, Chair; Winsley, Vice Chair; Bauer, Hale, Kohl, Patterson, Prince and Sheldon.

Staff:  Jennifer Hanlon (786-7784)

Background:  WAMI is a regional medical education program between universities in Washington, Alaska, Montana, and Idaho.  In 1971, private groups and the federal government funded WAMI to help fill the need for more general physicians in small communities in the four participating states and to increase the number of students at the University of Washington Medical School.  The federal and private sources of funding were eventually phased out, but the participating states wanted to continue the program.

In 1975, the Legislature statutorily created the WAMI program.  Students at the University of Washington Medical School may be exempt from paying all or a portion of the difference between the cost of resident and nonresident tuition if they are from a WAMI state.  In 1981, the Legislature included students at the School of Dentistry.

The participating states reimburse the University of Washington for the proportional cost of the program.

Summary of Bill:  Wyoming is added to the WAMI program.

Appropriation:  None.

Fiscal Note:  Available.

Effective Date:  Ninety days after adjournment of session in which bill is passed.

Testimony For:  The WAMI program is 25 years old and trains primary care and rural physicians.  Alaska, Montana, Idaho and Wyoming do not have medical schools.  Wyoming would like to add ten students to the program.  Wyoming will pay the full cost for those students.

Testimony Against:  None.

Testified:  Paul Norris, UW; Joe Chu, UW.