BILL REQ. #: S-5269.1
| State of Washington | 60th Legislature | 2008 Regular Session |
READ FIRST TIME 02/08/08.
AN ACT Relating to creating the Washington investment in student excellence scholarship program; creating new sections; and making an appropriation.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON:
NEW SECTION. Sec. 1 The legislature finds that providing access
to higher education in the state is a priority, and that it is in the
state's best interest to create and support both need and merit-based
scholarships. The legislature also finds that state-funded
scholarships require stable funding in order to be effective, and that
creative and alternative sources of funding must be explored. The
legislature further finds that providing access to higher education in
the state is an economic development issue, and as such would benefit
from an economic development perspective. The legislature intends that
the economic development commission study stable funding sources for
state need and merit-based scholarships.
NEW SECTION. Sec. 2 The economic development commission is
directed, in consultation with the higher education coordinating board
and the workforce training and education coordinating board, to study
and identify stable funding sources for opportunity grants,
apprenticeship programs, and scholarships based on both need and merit.
(1) The study must address:
(a) The feasibility of creating a new lottery game, the proceeds of
which go exclusively to opportunity grants, apprenticeship programs,
and scholarships based on both need and merit;
(b) The feasibility of implementing any mechanisms used by other
states to generate income through the administration of unemployment
insurance systems, including federal cost-sharing requirements, to be
used as a potential funding source for opportunity grants,
apprenticeship programs, and scholarships based on both need and merit;
(c) The feasibility of acquiring private contributions to enhance
or match public funding sources to be used in funding the opportunity
grants, apprenticeship programs, and scholarships based on both need
and merit;
(d) The potential for locating additional funding sources to
supplement or replace any current expenditures supplanted by funding
the opportunity grants, apprenticeship programs, and scholarships based
on both need and merit;
(e) The total system-wide expenditures associated with opportunity
grants, apprenticeship programs, and scholarships based on both need
and merit, and identify mechanisms to simplify the structure, maximize
efficiency, and eliminate overlap; and
(f) Any ideas reasonably calculated to provide sufficient funding
for opportunity grants, apprenticeship programs, and scholarships based
on both need and merit.
(2) The economic development commission must produce a report by
December 1, 2008, for review by the appropriate standing committees of
the legislature.
NEW SECTION. Sec. 3 The sum of thirty 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 economic development
commission for the purposes of this act.