FINAL BILL REPORT

                 SHB 1016

                         C 320 L 99

                     Synopsis as Enacted

Brief Description:  Creating the border county higher education opportunity pilot project.

Sponsors:  By House Committee on  Higher Education (Originally sponsored by Representatives Carlson, Ogden, Kenney, Boldt, Pennington, Dunn, Hatfield, Doumit, Mielke, Talcott and Lantz).

House Committee on Higher Education

House Committee on Appropriations

Senate Committee on Higher Education

Background:

With some exceptions, students who move to Washington or commute from a border state to attend a public college or university are charged a much higher tuition rate than Washington residents.

The definitions for resident and nonresident students are determined by law.  Resident students who are dependents must be able to prove that their parents or guardians have been domiciled in the state for at least one year before the students enroll in college.  Independent students must meet the same test themselves. 

Oregon has recently made tuition policy changes that affect students living in the border counties of Washington.  Nonresident students enrolling at Portland State University for eight or fewer credits pay the same tuition as Oregon residents.  Community colleges in Oregon set their own tuition rates.  There are three community colleges in the bordering Oregon counties of Multnomah, Clatsop and Columbia: Portland Community College in Portland, Mt. Hood Community College in Gresham, and Clatsop Community College in Astoria.  Portland Community College and Clatsop Community College charge both residents and nonresidents the same tuition.  Mt. Hood Community College charges an additional $10 per credit for nonresidents. 

The four Washington counties that border the three Oregon counties of Multnomah, Clatsop and Columbia are Clark, Cowlitz, Wahkiakum and Pacific counties.  There are three Washington community colleges that offer programs in these counties: Clark College in Vancouver, Lower Columbia College in Longview, and Grays Harbor College extension programs in Pacific County.  Washington State University Vancouver, located in Clark County, offers upper division baccalaureate and graduate degree programs.

Summary:

The border county higher education opportunity pilot project is created.  Under the pilot project, residents of Oregon who have resided in Columbia, Multnomah, Clatsop or Washington counties for at least 90 days are eligible to pay resident tuition rates if they enroll in community college programs located in the Washington counties of Clark, Cowlitz, Wahkiakum, or Pacific.  Residents of the four Oregon counties that enroll in courses at the Vancouver branch of Washington State University for eight or fewer credits may pay resident tuition rates.  Participating Washington institutions are required to give priority program enrollment to Washington residents.

The pilot project is administered by the Higher Education Coordinating Board (HECB).  By November 30, 2001, the HECB must report to the Governor and the Legislature on the results of the pilot project and make recommendations on the extent to which border county tuition policies should be revised or expanded.  For each participating institution, the HECB is required to analyze, by program, the impact of the pilot project on: enrollment levels, distribution of students by residency, and enrollment capacity.

Votes on Final Passage:

House940

Senate440

Effective:July 25, 1999