Washington State House of Representatives Office of Program Research	BILL ANALYSIS
Higher Education Committee

SSB 5166

Brief Description:  Allowing state financial aid to be used at Washington branch campuses of accredited out‑of‑state institutions of higher education.

Sponsors:  Senate Committee on Higher Education (originally sponsored by Senators Kohl‑Welles, Carlson, Horn, Shin, Jacobsen and McAuliffe).

Brief Summary of Substitute Bill

$Allows state financial aid to be used at a qualified branch of an out-of-state institution.

Hearing Date:  2/13/02

Staff:  Antonio Sanchez (786‑7383).

Background:

Under current law, state student financial aid may be used at any public university, college, community college or vocational-technical institute operated by the state or any political subdivision.  The aid can also be used at any other university, college, school or institute in Washington offering post-secondary instruction so long as the school is a member of an accrediting association recognized by the Higher Education Coordinating Board (HECB).  In order for an institution, branch, extension or facility affiliated with an institution from outside of Washington to be eligible to accept state financial aid, it must be a separately accredited member of any accrediting association recognized by the HECB.

State Work Study may be used at any post-secondary institution in Washington accredited by the Northwest Association of School and Colleges as well as any public technical college in this state.

As the result of the current requirements, there are several branch campuses of out-of-state institutions ineligible for state financial aid.

Summary of Bill:

State financial aid can be used by students attending a branch of an institution that is a member of an accrediting association recognized by the HECB, is eligible for federal financial aid, and has operated as a nonprofit college or university delivering on-site classroom instruction in Washington for a minimum of 10 consecutive years.  This would include:  Antioch, Chapman, Embry-Riddle, Linfield Park, Southern Illinois University and Columbia College.

Appropriation:  None.

Fiscal Note:  Available on the substitute bill.

Effective Date:  Ninety days after adjournment of session in which bill is passed.