SENATE BILL REPORT
SB 5477
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. |
As Reported by Senate Committee On:
Higher Education & Workforce Development, January 31, 2019
Title: An act relating to requiring institutions of higher education to waive application fees for low-income students.
Brief Description: Requiring institutions of higher education to waive application fees for low-income students.
Sponsors: Senators Dhingra, Hasegawa, Kuderer, Keiser, Hunt, Saldaña, Darneille and Nguyen.
Brief History:
Committee Activity: Higher Education & Workforce Development: 1/29/19, 1/31/19 [DPS-WM].
Brief Summary of First Substitute Bill |
|
SENATE COMMITTEE ON HIGHER EDUCATION & WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT |
Majority Report: That Substitute Senate Bill No. 5477 be substituted therefor, and the substitute bill do pass and be referred to Committee on Ways & Means.
Signed by Senators Palumbo, Chair; Randall, Vice Chair; Holy, Ranking Member; Brown, Liias and Wellman.
Staff: Alicia Kinne-Clawson (786-7407)
Background: College application fees for prospective students range from $50 to $80 at public colleges and universities in Washington State. All institutions make application fee waivers available to students, with variability in income level required to obtain the waiver, and different processes for applying for the waiver.
Summary of Bill: The bill as referred to committee not considered.
Summary of Bill (First Substitute): Higher education institutions must develop a process to waive application fees for students if the student:
is a Washington resident;
is in grade 12 or between the ages of eighteen and twenty-one and has not yet graduated from high school;
applies for acceptance as an undergraduate student pursuing their first bachelor's degree; and
qualifies for free or reduced-price lunches.
Higher education institutions may not consider receipt of the application fee waiver in the admissions process. The application fee waiver policy must be posted on the admissions website effective Fall 2019.
Appropriation: None.
Fiscal Note: Requested on January 25, 2019.
Creates Committee/Commission/Task Force that includes Legislative members: No.
Effective Date: Ninety days after adjournment of session in which bill is passed.
Staff Summary of Public Testimony on First Substitute: PRO: This idea was brought to me by twelfth graders in my district. The bill makes it easier for individuals to access higher education and simply says that if you are free or reduced-price lunch your application filing fee for college can be waived, It requires institutions to post this information on their website so our children know this is an option. The state of Colorado voluntarily decided to waive application fees for all students for a single day and found applications for students of color and low-income students increased by 12 percent in a single year. We believe marginalized students would benefit immensely from this legislation. Many of our peers are applying to college but have to chose which colleges to apply to because fees cost so much. This would give low-income students more options when applying to college. One student works a minimum wage job to cover application fees while she's applying to college because her parents can't help her. Fee waivers for low-income students give them more choices to apply to schools that are a good fit for them.
Persons Testifying: PRO: Senator Manka Dhingra, Prime Sponsor; Becca Kenna-Schenk, Western Washington University; Noor Abdulhameed, Lake Washington High School; Dion Babst, Lake Washington High School; Gurneen Gill, Lake Washington High School.
Persons Signed In To Testify But Not Testifying: No one.