BILL REQ. #:  H-1402.2 

Read first time 02/15/2005.   Referred to Committee on Higher Education.

     AN ACT Relating to tuition waivers for dependents of national guard members ordered to active duty to serve overseas in a war or conflict; 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) The legislature finds that when members of the Washington national guard are called into overseas active duty, their absence poses a hardship on their families in many ways. Frequently their compensation is reduced from its normal levels, making financial obligations more difficult to meet. Therefore, the legislature intends to support national guard members by waiving their children's tuition charges while they are on overseas active duty.
     (2) Subject to the limitations of RCW 28B.15.910, the governing boards of the state universities, the regional universities, The Evergreen State College, and the community colleges may waive all or a portion of tuition and fees for students who:
     (a) Are dependent children of members of the Washington national guard who have been ordered into federal active military service for a period exceeding thirty days to serve in a war or conflict fought on foreign soil; and
     (b) Qualify as a resident student under RCW 28B.15.012, except RCW 28B.15.012(2)(g).
     (3) If a governing board exercises the authority under this section, the board shall also adopt policies that provide a full or partial refund of tuition already paid for a quarter or semester during which a student becomes eligible for the waiver under this section.

Sec. 2   RCW 28B.15.910 and 2004 c 275 s 51 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
     (c) Eastern Washington University       11 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;
     (c) RCW 28B.15.100;
     (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; and
     (v) ((During the 1997-99 fiscal biennium, the western interstate commission for higher education undergraduate exchange program for students attending Eastern Washington University)) Section 1 of this act.
     (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
     (c) RCW 28B.15.558.
     (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
     (c) Central Washington University       3 percent