HOUSE BILL REPORT
ESSB 5040
This analysis was prepared by non-partisan legislative staff for the use of legislative members in
their deliberations. This analysis is not a part of the legislation nor does it constitute a
statement of legislative intent.
As Reported by House Committee On:
Higher Education
Title: An act relating to the creation of a survivors' endowed scholarship program.
Brief Description: Creating a survivors' endowed scholarship program.
Sponsors: Senate Committee on Higher Education (originally sponsored by Senators Eide, Franklin, Fairley, Shin, Rockefeller, Weinstein, Marr, Oemig, Hobbs, Haugen, Kilmer, Murray, Keiser, Rasmussen, Jacobsen, Kauffman and Kohl-Welles).
Brief History:
Higher Education: 3/21/07, 3/29/07 [DPA].
Brief Summary of Engrossed Substitute Bill (As Amended by House Committee) |
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HOUSE COMMITTEE ON HIGHER EDUCATION
Majority Report: Do pass as amended. Signed by 9 members: Representatives Wallace, Chair; Sells, Vice Chair; Anderson, Ranking Minority Member; Buri, Assistant Ranking Minority Member; Hasegawa, Jarrett, McIntire, Roberts and Sommers.
Staff: Andrew Colvin (786-7304).
Background:
Washington's institutions of higher education may waive all or a portion of tuition and fees
for qualifying surviving spouses and children of military veterans and National Guard
members who died, became totally disabled, were captured, or were declared missing in
action while in active military or naval service. Generally, the veteran or National Guard
member must have served in a war or conflict on foreign soil or in international waters, or in
support of those serving on foreign soil or in international waters.
At the federal level, the Survivors' and Dependents' Educational Assistance Program provides
funds for education and training to eligible dependents of certain veterans, including veterans
who, in the line-of-duty, died, were permanently and totally disabled, were missing in action,
or captured.
Washington law currently provides for a number of higher education scholarship programs.
Some of these programs, such as the American Indian Endowed Scholarship and the Foster
Care Endowed Scholarship, use endowed funds. With an endowed fund, only the income
from the fund, and not the principle, is used to provide scholarships. There are currently no
Washington scholarship programs for surviving dependents of fallen soldiers.
Summary of Amended Bill:
The Survivor's Endowed Scholarship is created to provide post-secondary educational
scholarships to eligible children and spouses of veterans or National Guard members who
lost their lives due to military service in a combat zone. To be eligible for a scholarship, the
surviving children and spouse must meet the following criteria:
In addition, children must be between the ages of 16 and 26, and spouses must apply for the
scholarship within 10 years of the veteran's date of death.
Scholarships may be awarded for a degree or certificate program at a public or private college
or university in Washington, or at a private vocational school licensed by the Workforce
Training and Education Coordinating Board. Scholarships may also be awarded for
apprenticeships approved by the Washington State Apprenticeship and Training Council.
The amount of a scholarship may cover a student's demonstrated financial need, including
tuition, fees, books, supplies, transportation, room, board, personal expenses, and child care.
However, the amount of a scholarship is capped at the amount received by a student at a state
research university (currently the University of Washington or Washington State University).
Scholarships under this program may be provided for up to four years, and do not affect a
student's eligibility for other state financial aid programs.
Administration of the Scholarship Program
The scholarship program is administered by the Higher Education Coordinating Board
(HECB). The HECB shall create an advisory committee to assist with the development of
the program, including screening and selection criteria. A screening committee shall be
developed to assist in selecting scholarship recipients. Membership for both committees
shall include representatives from specified groups.
Funding for the Scholarship Program
To fund the program, two accounts are created. One is a trust fund, into which state
appropriations for the scholarship will be deposited. The other is an endowment fund for the
scholarship program. The endowment fund may receive money from any source. When
private donations to the endowment fund exceed $25,000, the HECB shall deposit state
matching funds from the trust fund on a one-to-one basis. After the initial match of $25,000,
state matching funds shall be deposited in the endowment fund semiannually as long as funds
are available in the trust fund.
In addition to the endowment fund, the HECB may award scholarships from funds
appropriated to the HECB for this purpose, from private donations, or from any other funds
given to the HECB for the program. However, the initial $25,000 in the endowment fund
may not be disbursed.
Amended Bill Compared to Engrossed Substitute Bill:
Responsibility for soliciting donations for the program is transferred from the HECB to the
advisory committee.
Appropriation: None.
Fiscal Note: Available.
Effective Date of Amended Bill: The bill takes effect 90 days after adjournment of session in which bill is passed.
Staff Summary of Public Testimony:
(In support) Veterans don't get a fair shake, and this bill will help veterans' families. The
vision for the next biennium is to move away from reliance on tuition waivers and provide
this kind of help to veterans' families in the form of scholarships. This will also free up more
money for colleges to provide tuition waivers under the many other waiver programs. We
need to do this for the surviving families. The military doesn't choose a war, but goes when
called to protect our freedom. The scholarship program created under this bill will help to
educate the leaders of tomorrow.
(Opposed) None.
Persons Testifying: Skip Dreps, Northwest Chapter of the Paralyzed Veterans of America; Chris Thompson, Higher Education Coordinating Board; and Dick Marcelynas and Frosty Hulsey, Veterans Legislative Coalition.