Washington State House of Representatives Office of Program Research	BILL ANALYSIS
Higher Education Committee

HB 2749

Brief Description:  Providing tuition waivers for certain certificated instructional staff.

Sponsors:  Representatives Morell, Cox, Kenney, Anderson, Talcott, Kirby, Skinner, Veloria, Jarrett, Casada, Nixon, Roach, Schindler, McDermott, Ahern, Ericksen, Chase, Mulliken and Darneille.

Brief Summary of Bill

$State universities, regional universities, and the Evergreen State College are allowed to waive up to half of all tuition and fees for certified instructional staff who are either teaching or employed as educational staff associates in the state's public schools and are  enrolled in a program leading to a master's degree.

Hearing Date:  2/8/02

Staff:  Antonio Sanchez (786‑7383).

Background:

Washington institutions of higher education are authorized by statute to waive all or a portion of a student's tuition.  Waivers take two forms: 1) they can waive tuition and fees for resident students or 2) they waive the difference between non‑resident and resident tuition for non‑resident students.  The Legislature has granted institutions discretion in determining which tuition waiver programs they will participate in each academic year.

The institutions also have the authority to decide how much of the tuition and fees to waive up to a certain limit.  In 2000 new legislation (SB 6010, "the West Bill") allowed institutions to offer additional waivers for any group of students.  The limit on waivers does not apply to the 2000 legislation and there is no state general fund support for lost revenues.

Waiver limits are established for each institution in statute and expressed as a percentage of total operating fees as follows:

  All Community Colleges    35 percent

$University of Washington    21 percent

  Washington State University    20 percent

  Eastern Washington University     11 percent

  Western Washington University     10 percent

  Central Washington University     8   percent

  The Evergreen State College    6   percent

There are number of waiver programs available for participation. The following are examples of some of the waivers:

  Children of Deceased or Disabled Law Enforcement Officers or

  Firefighters

  Needy

  Vietnam Veterans

  Persian Gulf Veterans

  Refugees

  Senior Citizens

  State Employees and National Guard Members

  Children of POWs or MIAs

  Higher Education Employees

Summary of Bill:

State universities, regional universities, and the Evergreen State College are allowed to waive up to half of all tuition and fees for certified instructional staff employed in the K‑12, public school system.

To qualify for the waiver, the certified instructional staff must be either teaching or employed as educational staff associates in the state's public schools and must be enrolled in a program leading to a master's degree.

All tuition waivers awards for certified instructional staff are required to take priority over other existing tuition waivers.

Appropriation:  None.

Fiscal Note:  Not Requested.

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