H-4181              _______________________________________________

                                                   HOUSE BILL NO. 1721

                        _______________________________________________

State of Washington                              50th Legislature                              1988 Regular Session

By Representative Jacobsen

Read first time 1/22/88 and referred to Committee on Higher Education.

AN ACT Relating to library services provided by the state institutions of higher education; adding a new section to chapter 28B.85 RCW; and creating a new section.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON:

NEW SECTION. Sec. 1.     The legislature finds that accessible and comprehensive library resources are essential to quality postsecondary education programs.  The legislature further finds that not all private degree granting institutions of higher education have sufficient library space and resources for their students and, therefore, the students rely on public university libraries for research and study materials.  The legislature further finds that students from these private degree granting institutions place a financial burden on the libraries of public universities and are obligated to reimburse the public university library for its services.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 2.  A new section is added to chapter 28B.85 RCW to read as follows:

          (1) Each degree granting institution registered under this chapter shall collect from each student enrolled a ten dollar annual library fee.  The fee shall be collected once a year and remitted to the higher education coordinating board for deposit into the library resources account.

          (2) The library resources account is hereby created to be administered by the higher education coordinating board.  The board shall distribute the proceeds in the library resources account to public institutions of higher education under RCW 28B.10.016, according to guidelines established by the board, to compensate the institutional libraries for the impact of the use of the facilities by students from private degree granting institutions.  No appropriation is necessary for the expenditure of funds from the library resources account.  The account is subject to the allotment procedure provided under chapter 43.88 RCW.

          (3) The higher education coordinating board shall establish rules including but not limited to:  The timing for remittance of the library fee, guidelines for application and disbursement of the funds from the account, and eligibility for funds from the account.

          (4) The board may revoke the authorization of any degree granting institution that fails to comply with this section.