AN
ACT Relating to operating fee waivers; amending RCW 28B.15.066 and 28B.15.910;
and adding a new section to chapter 28B.15 RCW.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE
LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON:
NEW
SECTION. Sec. 1. A
new section is added to chapter 28B.15 RCW to read as follows:
In
addition to waivers granted under the authority of RCW 28B.15.910, the governing
boards of the state universities, the regional universities, The Evergreen
State College, and the community colleges, subject to state board policy, may
waive all or a portion of the operating fees for any student. There shall be
no state general fund support for waivers granted under this section.
By
January 31st of each odd-numbered year, the institutions of higher education
shall prepare a report of the costs and benefits of waivers granted under this
act and shall transmit copies of their report to the appropriate policy and
fiscal committees of the legislature.
Sec.
2. RCW
28B.15.066 and 1999 c 309 s 932 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 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)
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)
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. State general fund
appropriations shall not be provided for revenue foregone as a result of or for
waivers granted under ((section 601(3)(e), chapter 309, Laws of 1999)) section
1 of this act.
Sec.
3. RCW
28B.15.910 and 1999 c 344 s 3 are each amended to read as follows:
(1)
For the purpose of providing state general fund support to public
institutions of higher education, except for revenue waived under programs
listed in subsections (3) and (4) of this section, and unless otherwise
expressly provided in the omnibus state appropriations act, the total amount of
operating fees revenue waived, exempted, or reduced by a state university, a
regional university, The Evergreen State College, or the community colleges as
a whole, shall not exceed the percentage of total gross authorized operating
fees revenue in this subsection. As used in this section, "gross
authorized operating fees revenue" means the estimated gross operating
fees revenue as estimated under RCW 82.33.020 or as revised by the office of
financial management, before granting any waivers. This limitation applies to
all tuition waiver programs established before or after July 1, 1992.
(a)
University of Washington 21 percent
(b)
Washington State University 20 percent
(c)
Eastern Washington University 11 percent
(d)
Central Washington University 8 percent
(e)
Western Washington University 10 percent
(f)
The Evergreen State College 6 percent
(g)
Community colleges as a whole 35 percent
(2)
The limitations in subsection (1) of this section apply to waivers, exemptions,
or reductions in operating fees contained in the following:
(a)
RCW 28B.10.265;
(b)
RCW 28B.15.014;
(c)
RCW 28B.15.100;
(d)
RCW 28B.15.225;
(e)
RCW 28B.15.380;
(f)
RCW 28B.15.520;
(g)
RCW 28B.15.526;
(h)
RCW 28B.15.527;
(i)
RCW 28B.15.543;
(j)
RCW 28B.15.545;
(k)
RCW 28B.15.555;
(l)
RCW 28B.15.556;
(m)
RCW 28B.15.615;
(n)
RCW 28B.15.620;
(o)
RCW 28B.15.628;
(p)
RCW 28B.15.730;
(q)
RCW 28B.15.740;
(r)
RCW 28B.15.750;
(s)
RCW 28B.15.756;
(t)
RCW 28B.50.259;
(u)
RCW 28B.70.050;
(v)
RCW 28B.80.580; and
(w)
During the 1997-99 fiscal biennium, the western interstate commission for
higher education undergraduate exchange program for students attending Eastern
Washington University.
(3)
The limitations in subsection (1) of this section do not apply to waivers,
exemptions, or reductions in services and activities fees contained in the
following:
(a)
RCW 28B.15.522;
(b)
RCW 28B.15.540; and
(c)
RCW 28B.15.558.
(4)
The total amount of operating fees revenue waived, exempted, or reduced by
institutions of higher education participating in the western interstate
commission for higher education western undergraduate exchange program under
RCW 28B.15.544 shall not exceed the percentage of total gross authorized
operating fees revenue in this subsection.
(a)
Washington State University 1 percent
(b)
Eastern Washington University 3 percent
(c)
Central Washington University 3 percent
