CERTIFICATION OF ENROLLMENT

SUBSTITUTE HOUSE BILL 2233

Chapter 229, Laws of 2006

59th Legislature
2006 Regular Session



TUITION WAIVERS--VETERANS



EFFECTIVE DATE: 6/7/06

Passed by the House March 4, 2006
  Yeas 95   Nays 0

FRANK CHOPP
________________________________________    
Speaker of the House of Representatives


Passed by the Senate March 2, 2006
  Yeas 44   Nays 0


BRAD OWEN
________________________________________    
President of the Senate
 
CERTIFICATE

I, Richard Nafziger, Chief Clerk of the House of Representatives of the State of Washington, do hereby certify that the attached is SUBSTITUTE HOUSE BILL 2233 as passed by the House of Representatives and the Senate on the dates hereon set forth.


RICHARD NAFZIGER
________________________________________    
Chief Clerk
Approved March 27, 2006.








CHRISTINE GREGOIRE
________________________________________    
Governor of the State of Washington
 
FILED
March 27, 2006 - 2:18 p.m.







Secretary of State
State of Washington


_____________________________________________ 

SUBSTITUTE HOUSE BILL 2233
_____________________________________________

AS AMENDED BY THE SENATE

Passed Legislature - 2006 Regular Session
State of Washington59th Legislature2006 Regular Session

By House Committee on Higher Education & Workforce Education (originally sponsored by Representatives Kristiansen, B. Sullivan, Cox, Sells, Woods, Rodne, Bailey, Pearson, Strow, Campbell, Serben, O'Brien, Ahern, Kretz and Murray)

READ FIRST TIME 02/03/06.   



     AN ACT Relating to prioritizing tuition waivers for war veterans; amending RCW 28B.15.910; and creating a new section.

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

NEW SECTION.  Sec. 1   The legislature finds that active military and naval veterans, reserve military and naval veterans, and national guard members called to active duty have served their country and have risked their lives to defend the lives of all Americans and the freedoms that define and distinguish our nation. The legislature intends to honor active military and naval veterans, reserve military and naval veterans, and national guard members who have served on active military or naval duty for the public service they have provided to this country by making available to all eligible admitted veterans a waiver of operating fees by a state university, a regional university, The Evergreen State College, or the community colleges as a whole, to veterans who qualify under RCW 28B.15.621.

Sec. 2   RCW 28B.15.910 and 2005 c 249 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.15.014;
     (b) RCW 28B.15.100;
     (c) RCW 28B.15.225;
     (d) RCW 28B.15.380;
     (e) RCW 28B.15.520;
     (f) RCW 28B.15.526;
     (g) RCW 28B.15.527;
     (h) RCW 28B.15.543;
     (i) RCW 28B.15.545;
     (j) RCW 28B.15.555;
     (k) RCW 28B.15.556;
     (l) RCW 28B.15.615;
     (m) RCW 28B.15.621(2);
     (n)
RCW 28B.15.730;
     (((n))) (o) RCW 28B.15.740;
     (((o))) (p) RCW 28B.15.750;
     (((p))) (q) RCW 28B.15.756;
     (((q))) (r) RCW 28B.50.259; and
     (((r))) (s) RCW 28B.70.050((; and
     (s) RCW 28B.15.621(2)
)).
     (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
     (5) The institutions of higher education will participate in outreach activities to increase the number of veterans who receive tuition waivers. Colleges and universities shall revise the application for admissions so that all applicants shall have the opportunity to advise the institution that they are veterans who need assistance. If a person indicates on the application for admissions that the person is a veteran who is in need of assistance, then the institution of higher education shall ask the person whether they have any funds disbursed in accordance with the Montgomery GI Bill available to them. Each institution shall encourage veterans to utilize funds available to them in accordance with the Montgomery GI Bill prior to providing the veteran a tuition waiver.


         Passed by the House March 4, 2006.
         Passed by the Senate March 2, 2006.
         Approved by the Governor March 27, 2006.
         Filed in Office of Secretary of State March 27, 2006.