AN ACT Relating to branch campuses of universities; and creating a new chapter in Title 28B RCW.

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

NEW SECTION. Sec. 1. The legislature finds that higher education institutions create a quality of life that attracts and facilitates economic development within the communities in which they are located. Research universities play a special and vitally important role in economic development. The scientific research, discoveries, and technological developments create new products and new industries. These new developments, along with a broadly educated work force, are attractive to business. Therefore, businesses benefit from access to educational facilities and their research.

The legislature finds that community members as well as students are direct beneficiaries of higher education. The exhibits, theater, musical performances, lectures, and community discussions offered by colleges and universities culturally enrich members of the larger community in which these institutions are located. Therefore, local communities benefit from access to higher education by making both individual workers and their community more culturally diverse and economically resilient.

The legislature finds that the absence of a research university in some urban communities in the state denies access to these benefits. The state's economic circumstances, however, require fiscal constraints that make it difficult to provide higher education benefits to all communities. Therefore, local communities are authorized to assist the state in providing public higher education resources in their community by sharing in the cost of the development of a branch campus of a state research university.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 2. It is declared that the financing of a branch campus of a research university is a joint state and local government responsibility. The state may accept contributions from local governments for this purpose.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 3. Unless the context clearly requires otherwise, the definitions in this section apply throughout this chapter.

(1) "Local government" means cities, towns, or counties.

(2) "Board" means the higher education coordinating board created in chapter 28B.80 RCW.

(3) "Interlocal government agreement" means interlocal agreements authorized in chapter 39.34 RCW.

(4) "Research university" means the University of Washington or Washington State University.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 4. A local government or a group of two or more local governments may make application to the higher education coordinating board for the development of a branch campus of a research university in their area. The application shall include a copy of the official action taken by the local government that approved the decision to apply for the branch campus. If two or more local governments are applying for a branch campus, they shall enter into an interlocal cooperation agreement under chapter 39.34 RCW for that purpose. The local government or group of local governments shall agree to provide at least twenty-five percent of the cost of the planning, land acquisition, and construction of the branch campus. The final approval for the development and construction of a branch campus is contingent on the state appropriating funds for such purpose.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 5. The higher education coordinating board shall:

(1) Adopt rules under chapter 34.05 RCW as necessary to carry out the purposes of this chapter;

(2) Establish procedures for reviewing and approving local government requests for branch campuses;

(3) Conduct studies on the demographic and economic characteristics of a local community that is making application for a branch campus to assess the need for higher education services in the community;

(4) Set a minimum limit on the population size of the community in which the branch campus is to be developed;

(5) Approve the location and the size of facilities and land required for each branch campus application;

(6) Approve the educational program offerings for each branch campus application;

(7) Approve the sources of money local governments are using as matching contribution for the branch campus. Local governments may use money from any legally available revenues with the exception that no state-appropriated grants may be used as a local contribution;

(8) Develop a priority process for approving branch campus applications. The priority process shall maximize the number of citizens served by the branch campus, reduce the amount of unnecessary program duplication, and maximize the value of the local government and private contributions toward the branch campus. The board shall attempt to assure a geographical balance in assigning priorities;

(9) Identify the costs that will apply toward the local government contribution. The local government contribution shall apply only to the initial land acquisition, site development, and building construction of the branch campus. The operating costs of the branch campus and future capital construction costs after the branch campus is operational for two years are not subject to the twenty-five percent matching requirement. The board is given the authority to instruct the state treasurer to withhold distribution of state-collected local tax receipts in the amount equal to the local governments' branch campus contribution if the local government fails to remit its share of the branch campus costs;

(10) Do all acts necessary or proper to carry out the powers expressly granted or implied under this chapter.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 6. The board shall not sign contracts or otherwise financially obligate funds for branch campuses before the legislature has appropriated funds for a specific branch campus. Once a branch campus is authorized under this chapter it will be the property of the state.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 7. Sections 1 through 6 of this act shall constitute a new chapter in Title 28B RCW.