BILL REQ. #:  S-0563.4 

Read first time 01/15/2007.   Referred to Committee on Higher Education.

     AN ACT Relating to military scholarships; adding a new section to chapter 28B.15 RCW; creating a new section; and making appropriations.

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

NEW SECTION.  Sec. 1   Educational opportunity is a primary concern of military families. Availability of educational opportunity is a significant factor in readiness and retention of service personnel. It is known that service personnel most appreciate public efforts to assist their families during their service, especially service overseas. Military spouses may suddenly find themselves primarily responsible for family income. The citizens of Washington state owe a debt of gratitude to those who serve in the Washington state national guard and extend this gratitude to our citizens who serve in the reserves and on active duty in the United States military. It is intended that the dollars for military scholars program created in section 2 of this act will be administered by a nonprofit corporation such as ThanksUSA.

NEW SECTION.  Sec. 2   A new section is added to chapter 28B.15 RCW to read as follows:
     (1) A postsecondary education grant program, known as the dollars for military scholars program, is created.
     (2) To be eligible for a postsecondary education grant under this section, an applicant must:
     (a) Be a:
     (i) Veteran who is a citizen of Washington who is on active military or national guard duty, or the spouse or dependent of the veteran; or
     (ii) Veteran who is on active military or national guard duty stationed in the state, or the spouse or dependent of the veteran;
     (b) Be applying for a two or four-year institution of higher education or a vocational or technical school degree or certification program;
     (c) Demonstrate a financial need as the grants are need-based; and
     (d) Recognize that extra evaluative points will be awarded for those working toward math, science, engineering, or non-English language studies.
     (3)(a) The grant program shall be administered by a nonprofit organization organized under section 501(c)(3) of the internal revenue code that provides college, technical, and vocational scholarships to spouses and dependents of veterans and active members of the United States armed forces.
     (b) Need-based, postsecondary scholarship grants in amounts of between one thousand and five thousand dollars each shall be made available to persons who meet the eligibility requirements of this section.
     (4) State moneys used to provide grants shall be matched by private funds.
     (5) The program administrator shall:
     (a) Guarantee that all appropriated funds, excluding ten percent of the funds allowable each year for operational expenses, shall go to citizens of Washington state or those active duty military personnel stationed at a Washington state military base;
     (b) Partner with scholarship America for scholarship application processing and support;
     (c) Make every reasonable effort to advertise the availability of this scholarship widely to ensure all allowable applicants are aware of the availability of this scholarship program; and
     (d) Provide annual, audited financial statements to the fiscal committees of the legislature.
     (6) This section may be known and cited as the Washington state dollars for military scholars act.

NEW SECTION.  Sec. 3   (1)(a) The sum of two hundred fifty thousand dollars, or as much thereof as may be necessary, is appropriated for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2008, from the general fund to the program administrator of the scholarship grant program in section 1 of this act for the purposes of this act.
     (b) The sum of two hundred fifty thousand dollars, or as much thereof as may be necessary, is appropriated for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2009, from the general fund to the program administrator of the scholarship grant program in section 1 of this act for the purposes of this act.
     (c) The sum of two hundred fifty thousand dollars, or as much thereof as may be necessary, is appropriated for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2010, from the general fund to the program administrator of the scholarship grant program in section 1 of this act for the purposes of this act.
     (2) Of the amounts appropriated in this section, ten percent may be used each fiscal year by the program administrator for operational expenses.