H-740                _______________________________________________

                                                   HOUSE BILL NO. 1315

                        _______________________________________________

State of Washington                               51st Legislature                              1989 Regular Session

By Representatives Jacobsen, Prince, Rayburn, Anderson, Sayan, Basich, R. King and Ebersole

Read first time 1/20/89 and referred to Committees on Higher Education/Appropriations.

AN ACT Relating to the Washington national science fellows program; adding a new section to chapter 28B.80 RCW; and creating a new section.

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

NEW SECTION. Sec. 1.     The legislature recognizes that quality in the state's four-year institutions of higher education would be strengthened by attracting additional outstanding graduate students, including national science fellows, to the state four-year institutions of higher education.  The legislature intends to encourage the recruitment of national science fellows by the creation of the national science fellows program.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 2.  A new section is added to chapter 28B.80 RCW to read as follows:

          The Washington national science fellows program is established.  The program shall be administered by the higher education coordinating board as funds are available through legislative appropriation.  The board shall provide annual grants to national science fellows, as designated by the national science foundation, if they are enrolled in Washington institutions of higher education as defined in RCW 28B.10.016.  Each recipient may receive the annual grant for up to three years.  Annual grants shall not exceed two thousand dollars per recipient unless an additional sum is approved under a legislative appropriation.  The board shall work cooperatively with institutions of higher education to identify eligible recipients and to establish any rules or guidelines needed to administer the program.