S-1560.1 _______________________________________________
SENATE BILL 5833
_______________________________________________
State of Washington 55th Legislature 1997 Regular Session
By Senators Kohl, Wood, Spanel, Winsley, Bauer, Prince, McAuliffe, Patterson, Goings and Oke
Read first time 02/14/97. Referred to Committee on Higher Education.
AN ACT Relating to tuition stability; amending RCW 28B.15.066; adding a new section to chapter 28B.15 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 by promising students and families that tuition will not continue to increase while a student earns an undergraduate degree, Washington's undergraduate students and their families will have affordable, predictable, and stable tuition. The legislature further finds that this tuition promise will improve access to state institutions of higher education by providing a strong economic incentive for students to complete a degree within one hundred eighty credits.
NEW SECTION. Sec. 2. A new section is added to chapter 28B.15 RCW to read as follows:
(1) The tuition fees under RCW 28B.15.067 shall not increase for undergraduate resident students until the student has earned one hundred eighty credits or has exceeded four consecutive years as a full-time student or eight consecutive years as a part-time student. Eligibility periods for part-time study shall be reduced by any periods of full-time study. The tuition rate under RCW 28B.15.067 for nonresident undergraduate students shall not exceed the rate in effect on the first day of the academic year in which the student enrolled in a state institution of higher education as a resident undergraduate student.
(2) If a student transfers to another state institution of higher education before the student has met the time or credit requirements under subsection (1) of this section, the student shall not be charged the tuition fees that exceed the tuition fees in effect for that institution on the first day of the academic year when the student enrolled as a resident undergraduate student in Washington.
Sec. 3. RCW 28B.15.066 and 1995 1st sp.s. c 9 s 3 are each amended to read as follows:
It is the intent of the legislature that:
In making appropriations from the state's general fund to institutions of higher education, each appropriation shall conform to the following:
(1) The appropriation shall be increased by any resident undergraduate tuition increases authorized by the legislature but not paid by students under section 2 of this act;
(2) The appropriation shall not be reduced by the amount of operating fees revenue estimated to be collected from students enrolled at the state-funded enrollment level specified in the omnibus biennial operating appropriations act;
(((2)))
(3) The appropriation shall not be reduced by the amount of operating
fees revenue collected from students enrolled above the state-funded level, but
within the over-enrollment limitations, specified in the omnibus biennial
operating appropriations act; and
(((3))) (4) The general fund state appropriation
shall not be reduced by the amount of operating fees revenue collected as a
result of waiving less operating fees revenue than the amounts authorized under
RCW 28B.15.910.
--- END ---