| Washington State House of Representatives Office of Program Research |
BILL ANALYSIS |
| Higher Education Committee | |
HB 1497
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.
Brief Description: Increasing the operating fee waiver authority for Central Washington University.
Sponsors: Representatives Wallace, Anderson, Sells, Hinkle, Roberts, Warnick, Buri, B. Sullivan, Priest, Hasegawa and Dunn.
Brief Summary of Bill |
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Hearing Date: 2/5/07
Staff: Andrew Colvin (786-7304).
Background:
The Legislature grants higher education institutions permission to waive all or a portion of tuition
for certain types of students and purposes. The various waivers fall into three broad types: state
supported, discretionary, and space available. For state supported waivers it is assumed that state
moneys in the institutions' budgets will offset the tuition not collected from students to whom
waivers are granted. For discretionary and space available waivers, this offset is not assumed.
State supported waivers are capped at a certain percentage of the total operating fee revenue the
institution collects. Within its respective percentage caps, each institution decides how to
apportion its waiver authority among the various categories of state-supported waivers.
The caps for each of the institutions is as follows:
1. University of Washington 21%
2. Washington State University 20%
3. Eastern Washington University 11%
4. Central Washington University 8%
5. Western Washington University 10%
6. The Evergreen State College 6%
7. Community Colleges as a whole 35%
The waiver caps were established in 1992 as a result of changes to the way tuition revenue is
treated. Prior to 1992, higher education institutions collected tuition and transferred that revenue
to the state general fund. In 1992, legislation was enacted to allow institutions to retain tuition
revenues. At the same time, caps were established that set the maximum percentage of total
tuition that each institution may waive for the purposes of state supported waivers. The amounts
of the caps were based on the percentage of tuition revenue waived at each institution in 1992.
When transferring state general fund tuition dollars, the state provided funds to offset the tuition
revenue forgone through waiver authority. This amount has been part of carry-forward dollars
for each institution since 1992.
Summary of Bill:
Increases the tuition waiver authority for Central Washington University from 8% to 10%.
Appropriation: None.
Fiscal Note: Requested on February 2, 2007.
Effective Date: The bill takes effect 90 days after adjournment of session in which bill is passed.