BILL REQ. #:  H-0031.3 

Read first time 01/28/2003.   Referred to Committee on Higher Education.

     AN ACT Relating to exempting the surviving spouse and children of certain law enforcement officers or fire fighters from paying tuition and fees; and amending RCW 28B.15.380.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON:

Sec. 1   RCW 28B.15.380 and 1993 sp.s. c 18 s 10 are each amended to read as follows:
     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)) shall exempt the following students from the payment of all or a portion of tuition fees and services and activities fees:
     (1) All veterans as defined in RCW 41.04.005: PROVIDED, That such persons are no longer entitled to federal vocational or educational benefits conferred by virtue of their military service: AND PROVIDED FURTHER, That if any such veterans have not resided in this state for one year prior to registration, the board may exempt the student from paying up to fifty percent of the nonresident tuition fees differential. Such exemptions may be provided only to those persons otherwise covered who were enrolled in universities on or before October 1, 1977.
     (2) The surviving spouse and children of any law enforcement officer or fire fighter who lost his or her life or became totally disabled in the line of duty while employed by any public law enforcement agency or full time or volunteer fire department in this state: PROVIDED, That ((such persons)) children may receive the exemption only if they begin their course of study at a state-supported college or university within ten years of their graduation from high school.