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                                                   SENATE BILL NO. 5741

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State of Washington                               51st Legislature                              1989 Regular Session

By Senators Newhouse, Smitherman, Bauer, von Reichbauer, Matson, Stratton, Amondson, Wojahn, Johnson, Owen and Sutherland; by request of Higher Education Coordinating Board

Read first time 2/3/89 and referred to Committee on  Higher Education.

AN ACT Relating to the educational opportunity grant program; and adding new sections to chapter 28B.10 RCW.

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

NEW SECTION. Sec. 1.     The legislature finds that there is a need to increase the participation rate of students in upper division baccalaureate programs, particularly in the Puget Sound and Yakima regions.  Further, urban populations contain large numbers of individuals who are place bound, or unable to relocate to attend college because of family or employment commitments, health concerns, or other factors, contributing to low participation rates.  Therefore, the legislature intends to establish the educational opportunity grant program for place-bound students who have completed the associate of arts degree or its equivalent, in an effort to increase participation rates in upper division baccalaureate programs.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 2.     The educational opportunities grant program is created as a demonstration project to serve financially needy students in the Puget Sound and Yakima regions, including Snohomish, King, Pierce, Kitsap, and Yakima counties.  The higher education coordinating board shall develop and administer the program.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 3.     The higher education coordinating board shall adopt necessary rules and guidelines and develop criteria and procedures to select students to participate in the demonstration project.  Eligible students must be residents of the state of Washington who are needy as defined in RCW 28B.10.802(3) and have completed the associate of arts degree or its equivalent.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 4.     The maximum grant for each student shall be two thousand five hundred dollars per academic year and shall not exceed the student's calculated financial need.  During the 1990-91 academic year, subject to appropriation, one hundred fifty grants are to be available to students who are residents of Snohomish, King, Pierce, or Kitsap counties, and fifty grants are to be available to students who are residents of Yakima county.  Grants may be used at any eligible accredited baccalaureate institution of higher education, as defined in RCW 28B.10.802(1) and as determined by the higher education coordinating board.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 5.     Sections 1 through 4 of this act are each added to chapter 28B.10 RCW.