BILL REQ. #:  H-2048.1 

Read first time 02/25/2005.   Referred to Committee on Higher Education.

     AN ACT Relating to prioritizing tuition waivers for war veterans; amending RCW 28B.15.910; and creating a new section.

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

NEW SECTION.  Sec. 1   The legislature finds that active military and naval veterans, reserve military and naval veterans, and national guard members called to active duty have served their country and have risked their lives to defend the lives of all Americans and the freedoms that define and distinguish our nation. The legislature intends to honor active military and naval veterans, reserve military and naval veterans, and national guard members who have served on active military or naval duty for the public service they have provided to this country by designating to veterans a percentage of 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.

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.
     (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
     (5) Of 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, a total of at least ten percent shall be granted, by each institution and the community colleges as a whole, to veterans who qualify under:
     (a) RCW 28B.10.265;
     (b) RCW 28B.15.620;
     (c) RCW 28B.15.628; or
     (d) RCW 28B.15.629.