Finds that RCW 28B.50.901 assigns responsibility for the north Snohomish, Island, and Skagit counties higher education consortium to Everett Community College. Everett Community College submitted a report titled "Higher Education Opportunity in the NSIS Region" on December 1, 2005, to the appropriate committees of the legislature. The legislature accepts this report as representative of the needs for higher education in the North Snohomish, Island, and Skagit counties (NSIS) region. It is the intent of the legislature to support enrollment growth in the NSIS county regions of the state as represented in the report.

Finds that recent research by the state board for community and technical colleges indicates that the immediate needs of at least five hundred students are not being met in the NSIS region at the upper-division level.

Finds that long-term unmet need in the Snohomish, Island, and Skagit county region is projected to reach four thousand one hundred forty-one upper-division full-time equivalents by the year 2025.

Declares an intent to provide funding for a minimum of two hundred fifty full-time equivalents at the upper-division and graduate levels for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2007. This funding shall be used to meet the higher education needs of the NSIS region.

Requires Everett Community College, with the assistance of Edmonds Community College, Skagit Valley College, and the universities participating in offering the enrollment subject to this act to submit a report to the appropriate committees of the legislature by July 1, 2007. The report shall describe the number of enrollments and degrees produced as a result of the funding provided in this act, as well as the effect of those enrollments and degrees on local communities.

Appropriates the sum of one million five hundred seventy-five thousand dollars, or as much thereof as may be necessary, for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2007, from the general fund to the state board for community and technical colleges for the purposes of this act.