H-0118

AN ACT Relating to a pilot project on resident tuition rates for students residing in certain border counties; amending RCW 28B.15.012 and 28B.12.030; adding new sections to chapter 28B.80 RCW; adding a new section to chapter 28B.15 RCW; and providing an expiration date.

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

NEW SECTION. Sec. 1. A new section is added to chapter 28B.80 RCW to read as follows:

(1) The legislature finds that certain tuition policies in Oregon state are more responsive to the needs of students living in economic regions that cross the state border than the Washington state policies. Under Oregon policy, students who are Washington residents may enroll at Portland State University for eight credits or less and pay the same tuition as Oregon residents. Further, the state of Oregon passed legislation in 1997 to begin providing to its community colleges the same level of state funding for students residing in bordering states as students residing in Oregon.

(2) The legislature intends to build on the recent Oregon initiatives regarding tuition policy for students in bordering states and to facilitate regional planning for higher education delivery, by creating a pilot project on resident tuition rates and financial aid portability in three Washington counties that border Oregon state.

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

The border county higher education opportunity pilot project is created. The purpose of the pilot project is to allow three Washington institutions of higher education that are located in three counties on the Oregon border to implement, on a trial basis, tuition policies that correspond to Oregon policies. Under the border county pilot project, Lower Columbia Community College, Grays Harbor Community College, and Clark Community College may enroll students who reside in the bordering Oregon counties of Columbia and Multnomah at resident tuition rates. The Vancouver branch of Washington State University may enroll students who reside in the bordering Oregon counties of Columbia and Multnomah for eight credits or less at resident tuition rates.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 3. A new section is added to chapter 28B.80 RCW to read as follows:

(1) The higher education coordinating board shall administer Washington's participation in the border county higher education opportunity pilot project.

(2) By November 30, 2001, the board shall report to the governor and appropriate committees of the legislature on the results of the pilot project. The report shall include a recommendation on the extent to which border county tuition policies should be revised or expanded.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 4. A new section is added to chapter 28B.15 RCW to read as follows:

For the purposes of determining resident tuition rates, "resident student" includes:

(1) A resident of Oregon, residing in Columbia or Multnomah county, who meets the following conditions:

(a) The student is eligible to pay resident tuition rates under Oregon laws and has been domiciled in Columbia or Multnomah county for at least ninety consecutive days immediately before enrollment at a community college located in Clark, Cowlitz, or Pacific county, Washington; or

(b) The student is enrolled in courses located at the Vancouver branch of Washington State University for eight credits or less.

Sec. 5. RCW 28B.15.012 and 1997 c 433 s 2 are each amended to read as follows:

Whenever used in chapter 28B.15 RCW:

(1) The term "institution" shall mean a public university, college, or community college within the state of Washington.

(2) The term "resident student" shall mean:

(a) A financially independent student who has had a domicile in the state of Washington for the period of one year immediately prior to the time of commencement of the first day of the semester or quarter for which the student has registered at any institution and has in fact established a bona fide domicile in this state primarily for purposes other than educational;

(b) A dependent student, if one or both of the student's parents or legal guardians have maintained a bona fide domicile in the state of Washington for at least one year immediately prior to commencement of the semester or quarter for which the student has registered at any institution;

(c) A student classified as a resident based upon domicile by an institution on or before May 31, 1982, who was enrolled at a state institution during any term of the 1982-1983 academic year, so long as such student's enrollment (excepting summer sessions) at an institution in this state is continuous;

(d) Any student who has spent at least seventy-five percent of both his or her junior and senior years in high schools in this state, whose parents or legal guardians have been domiciled in the state for a period of at least one year within the five-year period before the student graduates from high school, and who enrolls in a public institution of higher education within six months of leaving high school, for as long as the student remains continuously enrolled for three quarters or two semesters in any calendar year;

(e) A student who is the spouse or a dependent of a person who is on active military duty stationed in the state;

(f) A student of an out-of-state institution of higher education who is attending a Washington state institution of higher education pursuant to a home tuition agreement as described in RCW 28B.15.725; or

(g) A student who meets the requirements of RCW 28B.15.0131 or section 4 of this act: PROVIDED, That a nonresident student enrolled for more than six hours per semester or quarter shall be considered as attending for primarily educational purposes, and for tuition and fee paying purposes only such period of enrollment shall not be counted toward the establishment of a bona fide domicile of one year in this state unless such student proves that the student has in fact established a bona fide domicile in this state primarily for purposes other than educational.

(3) The term "nonresident student" shall mean any student who does not qualify as a "resident student" under the provisions of RCW 28B.15.012 and 28B.15.013. Except for students qualifying under subsection (2)(f) of this section, a nonresident student shall include:

(a) A student attending an institution with the aid of financial assistance provided by another state or governmental unit or agency thereof, such nonresidency continuing for one year after the completion of such semester or quarter. This condition shall not apply to students from Columbia or Multnomah county, Oregon participating in the border county pilot project under sections 2 through 4 of this act.

(b) A person who is not a citizen of the United States of America who does not have permanent or temporary resident status or does not hold "Refugee-Parolee" or "Conditional Entrant" status with the United States immigration and naturalization service or is not otherwise permanently residing in the United States under color of law and who does not also meet and comply with all the applicable requirements in RCW 28B.15.012 and 28B.15.013.

(4) The term "domicile" shall denote a person's true, fixed and permanent home and place of habitation. It is the place where the student intends to remain, and to which the student expects to return when the student leaves without intending to establish a new domicile elsewhere. The burden of proof that a student, parent or guardian has established a domicile in the state of Washington primarily for purposes other than educational lies with the student.

(5) The term "dependent" shall mean a person who is not financially independent. Factors to be considered in determining whether a person is financially independent shall be set forth in rules and regulations adopted by the higher education coordinating board and shall include, but not be limited to, the state and federal income tax returns of the person and/or the student's parents or legal guardian filed for the calendar year prior to the year in which application is made and such other evidence as the board may require.

Sec. 6. RCW 28B.12.030 and 1994 c 130 s 3 are each amended to read as follows:

As used in this chapter, the following words and terms shall have the following meanings, unless the context shall clearly indicate another or different meaning or intent:

(1) The term "needy student" shall mean a student enrolled or accepted for enrollment at a post-secondary institution who, according to a system of need analysis approved by the higher education coordinating board, demonstrates a financial inability, either parental, familial, or personal, to bear the total cost of education for any semester or quarter.

(2) The term "eligible institution" shall mean any post-secondary institution in this state accredited by the Northwest Association of Schools and Colleges or any public technical college in the state or until June 30, 2002, and for the sole purpose of sections 2 through 4 of this act, a community college located in Columbia or Multnomah county, Oregon, and Portland State University located in Portland, Oregon.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 7. This act expires June 30, 2002.