[atlas:bill]

AN ACT Relating to tuition waivers for certificated instructional staff; amending RCW 28B.15.910; 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:

(1) Subject to the limitations of RCW 28B.15.910, the governing boards of the state universities, the regional universities, and The Evergreen State College may waive up to half of all tuition and fees established under this chapter for certificated instructional staff who are either teaching or employed as educational staff associates in the state's public schools and who are enrolled in a program leading to a master's degree.

(2) When awarding any tuition and fee waiver authorized under this chapter, the state universities, regional universities, and The Evergreen State College shall give priority to certificated instructional staff who qualify for a waiver under subsection (1) of this section.

Sec. 2. RCW 28B.15.910 and 2000 c 152 s 3 are each amended to read as follows:

(1) For the purpose of providing state general fund support to public institutions of higher education, except for revenue waived under programs listed in subsections (3) and (4) of this section, and unless otherwise expressly provided in the omnibus state appropriations act, the total amount of operating fees revenue waived, exempted, or reduced by a state university, a regional university, The Evergreen State College, or the community colleges as a whole, shall not exceed the percentage of total gross authorized operating fees revenue in this subsection. As used in this section, "gross authorized operating fees revenue" means the estimated gross operating fees revenue as estimated under RCW 82.33.020 or as revised by the office of financial management, before granting any waivers. This limitation applies to all tuition waiver programs established before or after July 1, 1992.

(a) University of Washington 21 percent

(b) Washington State University 20 percent

(d) Central Washington University 8 percent

(e) Western Washington University 10 percent

(f) The Evergreen State College 6 percent

(g) Community colleges as a whole 35 percent

(2) The limitations in subsection (1) of this section apply to waivers, exemptions, or reductions in operating fees contained in the following:

(a) RCW 28B.10.265;

(b) RCW 28B.15.014;

(d) RCW 28B.15.225;

(e) RCW 28B.15.380;

(f) RCW 28B.15.520;

(g) RCW 28B.15.526;

(h) RCW 28B.15.527;

(i) RCW 28B.15.543;

(j) RCW 28B.15.545;

(k) RCW 28B.15.555;

(l) RCW 28B.15.556;

(m) RCW 28B.15.615;

(n) RCW 28B.15.620;

(o) RCW 28B.15.628;

(p) RCW 28B.15.730;

(q) RCW 28B.15.740;

(r) RCW 28B.15.750;

(s) RCW 28B.15.756;

(t) RCW 28B.50.259;

(u) RCW 28B.70.050;

(v) Section 1 of this act;

(w) RCW 28B.80.580; and

((~~(w)~~)) (x) During the 1997-99 fiscal biennium, the western interstate commission for higher education undergraduate exchange program for students attending Eastern Washington University.

(3) The limitations in subsection (1) of this section do not apply to waivers, exemptions, or reductions in services and activities fees contained in the following:

(a) RCW 28B.15.522;

(b) RCW 28B.15.540; and

(4) The total amount of operating fees revenue waived, exempted, or reduced by institutions of higher education participating in the western interstate commission for higher education western undergraduate exchange program under RCW 28B.15.544 shall not exceed the percentage of total gross authorized operating fees revenue in this subsection.

(a) Washington State University 1 percent

(b) Eastern Washington University 3 percent