S-3752.1 _______________________________________________
SENATE BILL 6237
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State of Washington 55th Legislature 1998 Regular Session
By Senators Jacobsen, Patterson, Brown, Kohl and McAuliffe
Read first time 01/14/98. Referred to Committee on Higher Education.
AN ACT Relating to scholarships for foster care children; adding new sections to chapter 28B.95 RCW; and making an appropriation.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON:
NEW SECTION. Sec. 1. A new section is added to chapter 28B.95 RCW to read as follows:
The legislature finds that children in foster care after the age of six face many challenges as they strive towards success as adults. The legislature also finds that fewer foster care children are adopted when they are six years of age or older. The chance for the future program is created to help foster children in the state of Washington who have been adopted when they are six years of age or older. The purpose of this program is to help give children in foster care who are adopted after the age of six hope for the future and an opportunity for success.
NEW SECTION. Sec. 2. A new section is added to chapter 28B.95 RCW to read as follows:
(1) When a child six years of age or older who has been placed in foster care in the state of Washington is adopted, the higher education coordinating board shall, to the extent funds are appropriated or donated, purchase tuition units for the child for use as a scholarship under RCW 28B.95.040. If funds are available, the scholarship shall be purchased for the tuition units for four full years of full-time tuition and fee charges in an amount sufficient for the recipient to attend any state institution of higher education.
(2) The higher education coordinating board shall make the scholarship available to the recipient when the recipient enrolls in an institution of higher education. If the recipient has not enrolled in an institution of higher education before the recipient's twenty-first birthday, the tuition units shall be used to provide scholarship benefits for other recipients eligible under this section. Any unused tuition units shall be used to provide scholarship benefits for other recipients eligible under this section.
(3) The higher education coordinating board shall work with the department of social and health services to notify recipients and their adoptive parents about the scholarship benefits under this section.
(4) The higher education coordinating board may receive gifts, grants, or endowments from public or private sources that are made from time to time, in trust or otherwise for the use and benefit of the scholarship program under this section and may spend gifts, grants, or endowments or income from the public or private sources according to their terms.
NEW SECTION. Sec. 3. The sum of three million one hundred eleven thousand dollars, or as much thereof as may be necessary, is appropriated from the general fund to the higher education coordinating board for the fiscal year ending June 30, 1999, to carry out the purposes of this act.
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