HOUSE BILL REPORT

HB 1728

BYRepresentatives Rector, Inslee, Jacobsen, H. Myers and Doty

Exempting certain dependents from residency requirements.

House Committe on Higher Education

Majority Report:  Do pass with amendment.  (12)

      Signed by Representatives Jacobsen, Chair; Spanel, Vice Chair; Van Luven, Ranking Republican Member; Basich, Doty, Fraser, Inslee, Miller, H. Myers, Prince, Rector and Wood.

House Staff:Susan Hosch (786-7120)

AS REPORTED BY COMMITTEE ON HIGHER EDUCATION MARCH 1, 1989

BACKGROUND:

Current law establishes the criteria for determining residency status for purposes of paying college tuition.  A distinction is made between students who are dependent on parents for financial support, and those who are financially independent.  With some exceptions, a dependent student's status is based on the residency status of the student's parents or legal guardian.

Before a person is entitled to residency status, he or she must have established a permanent home or "domicile" in the state for at least a year before starting college. This permanent home must have been established for purposes other than receiving resident tuition.  In addition, the person must be able to show that he or she is a resident of the state.  Rules of the Higher Education Coordinating Board may require a person to show a Washington driver's license, voter registration card, rent receipts, car license, employment information, the location of a checking account, and the like in order to indicate whether a person is a state resident.

One of the residency problems encountered most often by institutional admissions personnel involves people who move to the state for employment.  Families who move to Washington for employment must live in the state for a year before their children are entitled to pay resident tuition rates. In some cases, when they move to Washington, their children lose the right to pay resident tuition rates in the state that they just left.  In other cases, the family must split up for a year because their children can pay resident tuition rates in the state that the parents just left, but cannot do so in Washington.

SUMMARY:

BILL AS AMENDED:  A dependent of a person who enters the state for full-time employment may pay resident tuition rates if the person is a United States citizen who resides in the state, and if the person satisfies other residency requirements.  This exemption from the payment of nonresident tuition will be in effect for up to one academic year.  Any dependent of a member of the United States Congress representing the state of Washington is also exempt from the payment of nonresident tuition.

AMENDED BILL COMPARED TO ORIGINAL:  Dependents of members of Congress representing the state are exempt from the payment of nonresident tuition rates.

Fiscal Note:      Available.

House Committee ‑ Testified For:    None Presented.

House Committee - Testified Against:      None Presented.

House Committee - Testimony For:    None Presented.

House Committee - Testimony Against:      None Presented.