FINAL BILL REPORT

HB 1961

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.

C 55 L 15

Synopsis as Enacted

Brief Description: Decodifying, expiring, and making nonsubstantive changes to community and technical college provisions.

Sponsors: Representatives Zeiger, Reykdal and Sells; by request of State Board for Community and Technical Colleges.

House Committee on Higher Education

Senate Committee on Higher Education

Background:

The Displaced Homemaker Program.

The Displaced Homemaker Act of 1979 expanded services to displaced homemakers provided through the federal government program and established guidelines for the State Board for Community and Technical Colleges related to training, counseling, and providing services to displaced homemakers. The program has not been funded since 2011.

The Project Even Start Program.

Project Even Start facilitates the expansion of services provided through the federal Even Start Family Literacy Program that was first authorized in 1988 to provide literacy and basic skills training to parents though community and technical colleges. A central purpose of Project Even Start was to enable parents to assist their own children to gain literacy skills. Project Even Start does not receive funding from the state.

The Educational Assistance Grant Program.

The Educational Assistance Grant Program was created in 2003 for students with dependents, subject to the availability of receipts of gifts, grants, or endowments from private sources. Since 2003 no gifts, grants, or endowments have been provided for this purpose.

Technical College Districts and Boards.

The Community and Technical College Act of 1991 transferred vocational-technical institutes, now known as technical colleges, from the common school system to the higher education system. Direction was provided for the use of shared facilities between vocational-technical institutes and common schools until such a time as one of the programs could be removed from the facility. Certain vested interests were assigned to either school district boards or technical college boards.

State statutes specify names, districts, and membership for boards of trustees for each vocational-technical institute (technical college). Districts and membership for boards of trustees are also provided in statutes pertaining to both community colleges and technical colleges.

The High School Completion Pilot Program.

In 2007 a pilot program was created for two community or technical colleges to make courses or a program of study available on the college campus designed to enable students under the age of 21, who have completed all state and local high school graduation requirements, except the certificate of academic achievement or certificate of individual achievement, to complete their high school education and obtain a high school diploma.

The Washington Scholars Program.

The Washington Scholars Program recognizes the accomplishments of four high school seniors from each of the state's 49 legislative districts. Eligible students must be nominated by their school principal and rank in the top 1 percent of their graduating senior class to receive state scholarships for up to four years. The scholarships can be used at any of Washington's public or private colleges or universities. Funding for the program was suspended in the 2011-13 biennium, though scholars selected in earlier years continue to receive their awards. In the 2011-13 biennium, recipients received honorary recognition-only certificates.

General Obligation Bonds.

Washington periodically issues general obligation bonds to finance projects authorized in the capital budget, including higher education facilities. General obligation bonds pledge the full faith, credit, and taxing power of the state towards payment of debt service. Legislation authorizing the issuance of bonds requires a 60 percent majority vote in both the House of Representatives and the Senate. Bond authorization legislation generally specifies the account or accounts into which bond sale proceeds are deposited, as well as the source of debt service payments. When debt service payments are due, the State Treasurer (Treasurer) withdraws the amounts necessary to make the payments from the State General Fund and deposits them into bond retirement funds. The State Finance Committee, composed of the Governor, the Lieutenant Governor, and the Treasurer, is responsible for supervising and controlling the issuance of all state bonds. General obligation bonds are typically issued with 25-year maturities.

Summary:

Certain statutes pertaining to general obligation bonds that were issued for higher education capital projects that have matured are decodified.

An expiration date of August 1, 2015, is provided for the following provisions:

Authorization of tuition waivers for recipients of the Washington Scholars Program scholarship pertaining to the period prior to 1994 are removed.

Votes on Final Passage:

House

97

0

Senate

47

0

Effective:

July 24, 2015