BILL REQ. #:  H-0949.2 

Read first time 02/17/2005.   Referred to Committee on Higher Education.

     AN ACT Relating to a statewide student association; and adding a new section to chapter 28B.76 RCW.

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

NEW SECTION.  Sec. 1   A new section is added to chapter 28B.76 RCW to read as follows:
     The board shall recognize one statewide student association for the state's public four-year institutions. Each recognized campus student government association shall be affiliated with the statewide student association. All students enrolled on those campuses shall be members of the statewide student association, unless they voluntarily choose not to be.
     (2)(a) A mandatory statewide student association fee may be assessed upon all students of the state's four-year institutions, subject to the approval of the board.
     (b) Students who voluntarily choose not to be members of the statewide student association may not be assessed the mandatory fee.
     (c) The mandatory fee may not exceed one-quarter of one percent of resident undergraduate tuition.
     (d) The board shall approve any increases to the mandatory fee, and may do so for several years at one time.
     (e) The mandatory fee shall be collected by the four-year institutions and transferred at least semiannually to the statewide student association. A percentage of fees collected may be retained by the institutions to cover administrative costs, not to exceed five percent.
     (3) The statewide student association shall operate at the direction of a board of directors. Officers of the board shall represent the diversity of the four-year institutions, including underrepresented groups and shall be elected from the membership of the association.
     (4) The statewide student association shall carry out educational, issue advocacy, and awareness activities in the interest of its members.
     (5) The statewide student association shall not be prevented from lobbying government institutions in the interest of its members, including but not limited to: The legislature, the governor and the governor's staff, and other executive branch agencies, boards, and commissions.