BILL REQ. #:  S-0033.2 

Read first time 01/17/2003.   Referred to Committee on Higher Education.

     AN ACT Relating to tuition and fees charged at institutions of higher education to military and naval veterans of the Korean conflict; amending RCW 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:
     (1) The legislature finds that military and naval veterans who have served their country in wars on foreign soil have risked their own lives to defend both the lives of all Americans and the freedom that define and distinguish our nation. It is the intent of the legislature to honor veterans of the Korean conflict for the public service they have provided to their country. It is the further intent of the legislature that, for eligible Korean conflict veterans, institutions of higher education waive tuition and fee increases that have occurred after the 1954-55 academic year.
     (2) Subject to the limitations of RCW 28B.15.910, the governing boards of the state universities, the regional universities, The Evergreen State College, and the community colleges may exempt veterans of the Korean conflict from all or a portion of increases in tuition and fees that occurred after the 1954-55 academic year, if the veteran could have qualified as a Washington resident student under RCW 28B.15.012(2), had he or she been enrolled as a student during the Korean conflict.
     (3) The definitions in this subsection apply throughout this section.
     (a) "Armed forces" means the United States army, navy, marine corps, air force, and coast guard, including the reserve components thereof.
     (b) "Veteran of the Korean conflict" means a person who served on active duty in the armed forces of the United States during any portion of the period beginning June 27, 1950, and ending January 31, 1955.

Sec. 2   RCW 28B.15.910 and 2000 c 152 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; and
     (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)) Section 1 of this act.
     (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