Washington State

House of Representatives

Office of Program Research

BILL

ANALYSIS

Higher Education Committee

HB 2804

This analysis was prepared by non-partisan legislative staff for the use of legislative members in their deliberations. This analysis is not a part of the legislation nor does it constitute a statement of legislative intent.

Brief Description: Including highway workers employed on a transportation project by a contractor in the tuition and fee exemption for children and surviving spouses of highway workers.

Sponsors: Representatives Haler, Clibborn, Moscoso, Stambaugh, Sawyer, Kochmar, Hickel, Zeiger, Ortiz-Self, Sells, Fitzgibbon, Farrell, Reykdal, Springer, Orwall, Muri, Santos, Pettigrew, Ormsby, Goodman, Stokesbary, Kilduff, Orcutt, Fey, Tarleton, Hayes, McBride, Morris, Stanford, Pollet, Frame and Bergquist.

Brief Summary of Bill

  • Expands the definition of "highway worker" for the purposes of tuition waivers, to include highway workers working on a transportation project, and employed by a general contractor or subcontractor.

Hearing Date: 2/2/16

Staff: Ellie Page (786-7291) and Trudes Tango (786-7384).

Background:

State law authorizes institutions of higher education, which are state universities, regional universities, The Evergreen State College, and community and technical colleges to grant discretionary and mandatory tuition and fee waivers and exemptions. State and regional universities and The Evergreen State College are generally authorized to grant waivers distinct from community and technical colleges.

State universities, regional universities, and The Evergreen State College may award discretionary waivers under specified conditions to a variety of individuals, such as foreign students and residents sixty years of age or older. Mandatory waivers must be awarded in specific circumstances to wrongly convicted persons and their children, Washington Scholar students, and children and spouses of veterans or National Guard members. In addition, spouses and children of firefighters, state patrol officers, law enforcement officers, and highway workers, who lost their lives or became totally disabled in the line of duty, are exempt from payment of all tuition fees and services and activities fees. However, children and spouses of highway workers qualify for an exemption only if the highway worker was killed or became disabled while employed by a transportation agency, including agencies, departments, or divisions of state and municipal government, but excluding government contractors.

Summary of Bill:

"Highway worker" is defined more broadly to mean a construction trades worker employed by a general contractor, subcontractor, or transportation agency on a transportation project.

Appropriation: None.

Fiscal Note: Available.

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