BILL REQ. #:  H-1516.2 

Read first time 02/14/2005.   Referred to Committee on Higher Education.

     AN ACT Relating to reviewing and prioritizing tuition waivers; and creating new sections.

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

NEW SECTION.  Sec. 1   The legislature finds that over time, numerous tuition waiver statutes have been enacted that allow the state's institutions of higher education to waive all or a portion of tuition for certain eligible students. The legislature finds further that the compilation of waiver statutes may create the unintended consequences of confusion or competition in their application. The legislature also finds that insofar as tuition waivers have a fiscal impact to the state general fund and to the institutions of higher education, it is in the best interests of the state to undertake a periodic review of tuition waiver statutes in order to examine whether the various waivers are still consistent with the state's priorities in serving its citizens.

NEW SECTION.  Sec. 2   The higher education coordinating board shall review the current waivers at the state's institutions of higher education and develop recommendations for prioritization of waiver authority. The board shall report to the appropriate committees of the legislature by December 1, 2005, on recommendations for prioritization, including repeal, consolidation, standardization, or other changes to current statutes.