FINAL BILL REPORT

SSB 6142

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.

FULL VETO

Synopsis as Enacted

Brief Description: Creating the Washington common application.

Sponsors: Senate Committee on Higher Education & Workforce Development (originally sponsored by Senators Liias, Randall, Dhingra, Hasegawa, Mullet, Nguyen, Stanford, Carlyle and Wilson, C.; by request of Lieutenant Governor).

Senate Committee on Higher Education & Workforce Development

Senate Committee on Ways & Means

House Committee on College & Workforce Development

House Committee on Appropriations

Background: Higher education institutions in Washington have authority to determine individual admissions policies and procedures. Some state systems, such as the University of California, have adopted a single systemwide undergraduate application for admission. Alternatively, some colleges and universities have opted-in to nationally recognized and standardized college application tools such as the Common App or the Coalition Application.

College application fees for prospective students range from $50 to $80 at public colleges and universities in Washington State. Most 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: Subject to amounts appropriated specifically for this purpose, the public, four-year higher education institutions are required to enroll in the same preexisting online application. The application must:

The public, four-year higher education institutions are permitted to also adopt a second preexisting online common application as long as it has at least 100 institutional participants and includes a fee waiver process for low-income students.

Votes on Final Passage:

Senate

48

0

House

97

0