AN ACT Relating to nonresident enrollment at institutions of higher education; adding a new section to chapter 28B.10 RCW; and creating a new section.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 1. The legislature finds that some public four-year institutions of higher education rely on the expansion of nonresident student enrollment to increase tuition revenue. Unlike students who grew up in Washington, these out-of-state students were raised in households that are not subject to the various taxes that fund capital infrastructure construction on public campuses. The legislature further finds that state four-year universities and colleges face a growing demand to address their minor works and preventative maintenance projects. Therefore, the legislature intends to ensure a portion of tuition funds is dedicated to address needed minor works efforts on public campuses with high ratios of nonresident students.

(1) Any state university, regional university, or state college with a percentage of nonresident undergraduate enrollment from the prior year that is 18 percent or greater must contribute $2,000,000 in nonbond revenue towards its capital minor works budget for the ensuing biennium. The state university, regional university, or state college must expend its own funds prior to accessing general obligation bonds for those projects on its capital minor works project list.

(2) For purposes of this section, "minor works" means projects between $25,000 and $2,000,000 that are included in a single line appropriation request for funding in the omnibus capital appropriations act.