Passed by the Senate February 11, 2012 YEAS 48 NAYS 0 BRAD OWEN ________________________________________ President of the Senate Passed by the House February 27, 2012 YEAS 96 NAYS 0 FRANK CHOPP ________________________________________ Speaker of the House of Representatives		CERTIFICATE I, Thomas Hoemann, Secretary of the Senate of the State of Washington, do hereby certify that the attached is SUBSTITUTE SENATE BILL 6121 as passed by the Senate and the House of Representatives on the dates hereon set forth. THOMAS HOEMANN ________________________________________ Secretary
Approved March 7, 2012, 2:39 p.m. CHRISTINE GREGOIRE ________________________________________ Governor of the State of Washington		FILED March 7, 2012 Secretary of State State of Washington

AN ACT Relating to financial aid counseling; and adding a new section to chapter 28B.76 RCW.

NEW SECTION.  Sec. 1   A new section is added to chapter 28B.76 RCW to read as follows:
     (1) The office must provide a financial aid counseling curriculum to institutions of higher education with state need grant recipients. The curriculum must be available via a web site. The curriculum must include, but not be limited to:
     (a) An explanation of the state need grant program rules, including maintaining satisfactory progress, repayment rules, and usage limits;
     (b) Information on campus and private scholarships and work-study opportunities, including the application processes;
     (c) An overview of student loan options with an emphasis on the repayment obligations a student borrower assumes regardless of program completion, including the likely consequences of default and sample monthly repayment amounts based on a range of student levels of indebtedness;
     (d) An overview of financial literacy, including basic money management skills such as living within a budget and handling credit and debt;
     (e) Average salaries for a wide range of jobs;
     (f) Perspectives from a diverse group of students who are or were recipients of financial aid, including student loans; and
     (g) Contact information for local financial aid resources and the federal student aid ombudsman's office.
     (2) By the 2013-14 academic year, the institution of higher education must take reasonable steps to ensure that each state need grant recipient receives information outlined in subsection (1)(a) through (g) of this section by directly referencing or linking to the web site on the conditions of award statement provided to each recipient.
     (3) By July 1, 2013, the office must disseminate the curriculum to all institutions of higher education participating in the state need grant program. The institutions of higher education may require nonstate need grant recipients to participate in all or portions of the financial aid counseling.