HOUSE BILL REPORT

SHB 2259

As Passed Legislature

Title: An act relating to higher education reporting requirements.

Brief Description: Eliminating certain duplicative higher education reporting requirements.

Sponsors: House Committee on Higher Education (originally sponsored by Representatives Zeiger, Seaquist, Haler and Roberts).

Brief History:

Committee Activity:

Higher Education: 1/25/12, 1/26/12 [DPS].

Floor Activity:

Passed House: 2/8/12, 98-0.

Passed Senate: 2/29/12, 46-0.

Passed Legislature.

Majority Report: The substitute bill be substituted therefor and the substitute bill do pass. Signed by 17 members: Representatives Seaquist, Chair; Carlyle, Vice Chair; Haler, Ranking Minority Member; Parker, Assistant Ranking Minority Member; Asay, Buys, Crouse, Fagan, Hasegawa, Pollet, Probst, Reykdal, Sells, Springer, Warnick, Wylie and Zeiger.

Staff: Jill Reinmuth (786-7134).

Background:

Institutions of higher education are required to report on a variety of information related to crime statistics and campus safety under state law. These requirements include: submitting a monthly report, as well as publishing an annual report, on crime statistics; developing a campus safety plan and updating it annually; entering into a memoranda of understanding that outlines the responsibilities of affected local governments in the event of a campus emergency; and establishing a task force to examine campus security and safety issues at least annually.

These institutions are also required to report information related to campus security under the federal Higher Education Opportunity Act of 2008. This federal law updated and expanded campus security reporting provisions for higher education institutions contained in the federal Clery Act. The 2008 law added, among other provisions: new categories to the list of hate crimes all institutions must disclose; a new disclosure regarding the relationship of campus security personnel with state and local law enforcement agencies; implementation and disclosure of emergency notification and evacuation procedures; and implementation and disclosure of missing student notification procedures for institutions with on-campus student housing.

Summary of Substitute Bill:

The requirements in state law for institutions of higher education related to crime statistics reporting and campus safety plan development are repealed.

Appropriation: None.

Fiscal Note: Available. New fiscal note requested on January 27, 2012.

Effective Date: The bill takes effect 90 days after adjournment of the session in which the bill is passed.

Staff Summary of Public Testimony:

(In support) This bill deals with the problem of duplicative reporting requirements, and in particular, such requirements related to campus safety. It points to a larger problem: an abundance of reporting requirements that are costly and may not achieve the Legislature's original intent. This change provides efficiency but also provides accountability.

There are federal reporting requirements that address campus safety. Institutions take campus safety very seriously to make sure students, staff, faculty, and visitors are safe. It is important that students be able to access crime statistics to maintain safety. In addition, institutions that fail to comply with federal requirements may face revocation of their rights to participate in student financial aid programs.

There has also been work with the Department of Ecology to address duplicative greenhouse gas emissions reporting requirements at the administrative level.

(Opposed) None.

Persons Testifying: Representative Zeiger, prime sponsor; Margaret Shepherd, University of Washington; Deb Merle, State Board for Community and Technical Colleges; Paul Francis, Council of Presidents; David Buri, Eastern Washington University; Sherry Burkey, Western Washington University; Jane Wall, The Evergreen State College; and Mike Bogatay, Washington Student Association.

Persons Signed In To Testify But Not Testifying: None.