BILL REQ. #:  S-0225.3 

Read first time 01/20/2003.   Referred to Committee on Higher Education.

     AN ACT Relating to state funding for the enrollments of the state's institutions of higher education; amending RCW 28B.10.776, 28B.10.778, 28B.10.784, and 28B.10.786; creating a new section; and repealing RCW 28B.10.780 and 28B.10.782.

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

NEW SECTION.  Sec. 1   The legislature finds that major technological, economic, and demographic changes have increased the demand for training and education to maintain a high quality, competitive work force, and a well-educated populace to meet the challenges of the twenty-first century. Therefore, the legislature finds that there is increasing demand for postsecondary educational opportunities for citizens of the state of Washington.
     The legislature declares that the policy of the state of Washington is to improve the access to, and the quality of, this state's postsecondary educational system. The budgetary policy of the state is to provide a level of fiscal commitment to the state's postsecondary educational system commensurate with the responsibility of the state to the educational and professional improvement of its citizens and work force.

Sec. 2   RCW 28B.10.776 and 1993 sp.s. c 15 s 2 are each amended to read as follows:
     It is the policy of the state of Washington that the ((essential requirements level)) state budget ((calculation)) for institutions of higher education include enrollment levels necessary to ((maintain, by educational sector, the participation rate funded in the 1993 fiscal year. The participation rate shall be based on the state's estimated population ages seventeen and above by appropriate age groups)) meet the demand for higher education in the state.

Sec. 3   RCW 28B.10.778 and 1993 sp.s. c 15 s 3 are each amended to read as follows:
     It is the policy of the state of Washington that((, for new enrollments provided under RCW 28B.10.776, the essential requirements level budget calculation for those enrollments)) the state omnibus appropriations act shall, each biennium, at a minimum, include:
     (1) Increased state funding, up to the fiscal growth factor established under RCW 43.135.025, for the actual number of enrollments reported by the office of the forecast council for degree-seeking students enrolled in degree courses for the most recently available school year; and
     (2) A funding level per full-time equivalent student that is equal to the undergraduate rate by educational sector assumed in the omnibus appropriations act for the last fiscal year of the previous biennium ((for the instructional, primary support, and library programs,)) plus an inflation factor. The inflation factor should be equivalent to the per pupil inflation factor used to calculate basic education in the common school system budget ((request submitted by the governor)).

Sec. 4   RCW 28B.10.784 and 1993 sp.s. c 15 s 6 are each amended to read as follows:
     The ((participation rate)) enrollment levels used to calculate ((enrollment)) state funding levels under RCW 28B.10.776 and ((28B.10.782)) 28B.10.778 shall be ((based on)) the fall enrollment reported in the higher education enrollment report as maintained by the office of ((financial management, fall enrollment as reported in the management information system of the state board for community and technical colleges, and the corresponding fall population forecast by the office of financial management. Formal estimates of the state participation rates and enrollment levels necessary to fulfill the requirements of RCW 28B.10.776 and 28B.10.782 shall be determined by the office of financial management)) the forecast council as part of its responsibility to develop and maintain student enrollment forecasts for colleges and universities under RCW 43.62.050. ((Formal estimates of)) The state ((participation rates and)) enrollment levels required by this section shall be based on procedures and standards established by a technical work group consisting of staff from the higher education coordinating board, the public four-year institutions of higher education, the state board for community and technical colleges, the fiscal and higher education committees of the house of representatives and the senate, and the office of ((financial management. Formal estimates of the state participation rates and)) the forecast council. The enrollment levels required by this section shall be submitted to the fiscal committees of the house of representatives and senate on or before November 15th of each ((even-numbered)) year. ((The higher education coordinating board shall periodically review the enrollment goals set forth in RCW 28B.10.776 and 28B.10.782 and submit recommendations concerning modification of these goals to the governor and to the higher education committees of the house of representatives and the senate.))

Sec. 5   RCW 28B.10.786 and 1993 sp.s. c 15 s 7 are each amended to read as follows:
     It is the policy of the state of Washington that financial need not be a barrier to participation in higher education. It is also the policy of the state of Washington that the ((essential requirements level)) state budget ((calculation)) include funding for state student financial aid programs. The ((calculation)) budget should, at a minimum, include a funding level equal to the amount provided in the second year of the previous biennium in the omnibus appropriations act, adjusted for the percentage of needy resident students, by educational sector, likely to be included in any enrollment increases ((necessary to maintain, by educational sector, the participation rate funded in the 1993 fiscal year)). The calculation should also be adjusted to reflect, by educational sector, any increases in cost of attendance. The cost of attendance figures should be calculated by the higher education coordinating board and provided to the office of ((financial management)) the forecast council and appropriate legislative committees by June 30th of each even-numbered year.

NEW SECTION.  Sec. 6   The following acts or parts of acts are each repealed:
     (1) RCW 28B.10.780 (Budget calculation -- Funding level) and 1993 sp.s. c 15 s 4; and
     (2) RCW 28B.10.782 (Budget calculation -- Increased enrollment target level -- Availability of information) and 1993 sp.s. c 15 s 5.