BILL REQ. #:  S-1795.2 

Read first time 02/27/2007.   Referred to Committee on Higher Education.

     AN ACT Relating to tuition setting authority; amending RCW 28B.15.067; and creating a new section.

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

NEW SECTION.  Sec. 1   The legislature finds that it is imperative for Washington citizens to have access to an affordable higher education. The legislature further finds that ever-increasing tuition at state colleges and universities has made higher education increasingly unaffordable for many families and students. The legislature also finds that increasing tuition at state colleges and universities has made family and student financial planning for higher education difficult. It is the intent of the legislature to require that tuition levels at state colleges and universities be stabilized for families and students by freezing the tuition fee rates for full-time students at the level in effect on their first day of class.

Sec. 2   RCW 28B.15.067 and 2006 c 161 s 6 are each amended to read as follows:
     (1) Tuition fees shall be established under the provisions of this chapter.
     (2) Beginning with the 2003-04 academic year and ending with the 2008-09 academic year, reductions or increases in full-time tuition fees for resident undergraduates shall be as provided in the omnibus appropriations act.
     (3) Beginning with the 2003-04 academic year and ending with the 2008-09 academic year, the governing boards of the state universities, the regional universities, The Evergreen State College, and the state board for community and technical colleges may reduce or increase full-time tuition fees for all students other than resident undergraduates, including summer school students and students in other self-supporting degree programs. Percentage increases in full-time tuition fees may exceed the fiscal growth factor. Reductions or increases may be made for all or portions of an institution's programs, campuses, courses, or students.
     (4) Academic year tuition for full-time students at the state's institutions of higher education beginning with 2009-10, other than summer term, shall be as charged during the 2008-09 academic year unless different rates are adopted by the legislature.
     (5) The tuition fees established under this chapter shall not apply to high school students enrolling in participating institutions of higher education under RCW 28A.600.300 through 28A.600.400.
     (6) The tuition fees established under this chapter shall not apply to eligible students enrolling in a community or technical college under RCW 28C.04.610.
     (7) For the academic years 2003-04 through 2008-09, the University of Washington shall use an amount equivalent to ten percent of all revenues received as a result of law school tuition increases beginning in academic year 2000-01 through academic year 2008-09 to assist needy low and middle income resident law students.
     (8) For the academic years 2003-04 through 2008-09, institutions of higher education shall use an amount equivalent to ten percent of all revenues received as a result of graduate academic school tuition increases beginning in academic year 2003-04 through academic year 2008-09 to assist needy low and middle-income resident graduate academic students.
     (9)(a) Beginning with the 2007-08 academic year, for the duration of each full-time student's enrollment and full-time attendance at a college or university, tuition fees for each full-time student shall remain fixed at the rate in effect on the first day of the first academic term in which that student is enrolled. Colleges and universities may only make annual inflation adjustments to tuition fees charged to each full-time student.
     (b) For full-time students who have attended colleges or universities before the 2007-08 academic year, tuition fees for each full-time student shall remain fixed at the rate in effect on the first day of the first academic term of the 2007-08 academic year. Colleges and universities may only make annual inflation adjustments to tuition fees charged to each full-time student.
     (10) Subsection (9) of this section does not apply when a full-time student withdraws from a college or university, transfers to a different college or university, or relinquishes full-time status. When a former full-time student later reenrolls as a full-time student, tuition fees shall remain fixed at the rate in effect on the first day of the first academic term of reenrollment as a full-time student. When a full-time student transfers to a different college or university, tuition fees shall remain fixed at the rate in effect on the first day of the first academic term that the full-time student is enrolled at that college or university. However, this subsection does not apply if a full-time student withdraws from a college or university, or relinquishes full-time status because of serious medical illness or personal injury, or because of military service, including national guard duty or reserve activation. Upon later reenrollment as a full-time student, the student's tuition fees shall remain fixed at the rate in effect on the first day of the first academic term following the 2007-08 academic year that the full-time student was enrolled at that college or university, pursuant to subsection (9) of this section.
     (11) Subsection (9) of this section does not apply when a full-time student who has received an undergraduate degree at a college or university is immediately enrolled as a full-time student in a graduate degree program at the same college or university. When a full-time student who has received an undergraduate degree at a college or university is immediately enrolled as a full-time student in a graduate degree program at the same college or university, tuition fees shall remain fixed at the rate in effect on the first day of the first academic term that the full-time student is enrolled in any graduate program at that college or university. Colleges and universities may only make annual inflation adjustments to tuition fees charged to each full-time student.
     (12) As used in this section, "inflation" means the percentage change in the implicit price deflator for the United States for each fiscal year as published by the federal bureau of labor statistics.