Title: An act relating to tuition and fees charged at institutions of higher education to military and naval veterans of the Korean conflict.

Brief Description: Waiving tuition and fees for veterans of the Korean conflict.

Sponsors: Senate Committee on Higher Education (originally sponsored by Senators Benton, Swecker, Kohl-Welles, Shin, Stevens, Oke, Roach and Winsley).

Brief Summary of Substitute Bill

• Creates a permissive space-available tuition waiver for veterans of the Korean conflict.

Majority Report: Do pass. Signed by 15 members: Representatives Kenney, Chair; Fromhold, Vice Chair; Cox, Ranking Minority Member; Priest, Assistant Ranking Minority Member; Berkey, Boldt, Buck, Chase, Clements, Condotta, Gombosky, Jarrett, Lantz, McCoy and Morrell.

Institutions have authority to waive all or a portion of the tuition operating fee for any student for any reason, and to waive all or a portion of tuition and fees on a space available basis for certain students (state employees, members of the Washington National Guard, persons age 60 and over, and long-term unemployed or underemployed persons). For these discretionary and space-available waivers, the institutions receive no state funding to offset foregone tuition revenue.

In addition to discretionary and space-available waivers, institutions may waive all or a portion of tuition and fees for eligible students, and may receive general fund support to offset the tuition not collected from students as a result of granting the waivers. State-supported waiver authority is capped for each institution at a certain percentage of the total tuition revenue the institution collects, and each institution decides how to apportion its waiver authority among the various eligible categories.

In addition four-year institutions may waive all or a portion of tuition for a veteran enrolled on or prior to October 1977 if he/she no longer is eligible for federal educational or vocational benefits. For purposes of the waiver, a "veteran" includes individuals honorably discharged who served during the Korean conflict. The Higher Education Coordinating Board reports no veterans currently are receiving a waiver under this category, probably because no one qualifies.

Certain legislative findings are made regarding military and naval veterans and a legislative intent is stated to honor veterans of the Korean conflict. Space-available waiver authority is granted to the state and regional universities, The Evergreen State College, and the community and technical colleges to waive all or a portion of tuition and fees for veterans of the Korean conflict. No new courses may be created and students are not included in official enrollment figures affecting budgetary determinations. A registration fee of not less than five dollars must be charged. For purposes of the waiver, a "veteran of the Korean conflict" means anyone who served on active duty in the armed forces during any portion of the period June 27, 1950 through January 31, 1955.

Effective Date: The bill takes effect 90 days after adjournment of session in which bill is passed.

Testimony For: This bill would honor the veterans who served their country during the Korean conflict. Particularly now as we face troubled times, we should remember these individuals with respect.