Z-0812.1

SENATE BILL 6142

BySenators Liias, Randall, Dhingra, Hasegawa, Mullet, Nguyen, Stanford, Carlyle, and Wilson, C.; by request of Lieutenant Governor

AN ACT Relating to creating the Washington common application; adding a new section to chapter 28B.77 RCW; and adding a new section to chapter 28B.15 RCW.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON:

NEW SECTION.  Sec. 1. A new section is added to chapter 28B.77 RCW to read as follows:

(1) The Washington student achievement council shall develop a common application for admission to Washington's public colleges and universities. In creating the common application, the student achievement council shall:

(a) Consult with the public colleges and universities in determining the required elements of a common application;

(b) Develop an online application tool through which prospective postsecondary students can apply to the public colleges and universities;

(c) Establish a uniform college application fee which may be adjusted annually;

(d) Consult with the public colleges and universities to develop a common application fee waiver process through the common application for low-income students.

(2)(a) The Washington student achievement council must develop a common application fee waiver policy for eligible prospective students.

(b) For purposes of this section, eligible prospective students are those who:

(i) Are a resident student of the state of Washington in accordance with RCW 28B.15.012(2) (a) through (e);

(ii) Apply for acceptance as an undergraduate student at an institution of higher education through the common application and have not yet earned a bachelor's degree or its equivalent; and

(iii) Demonstrate financial need under RCW 28B.92.205.

NEW SECTION.  Sec. 2. A new section is added to chapter 28B.15 RCW to read as follows:

(1) Institutions of higher education must accept the common application for postsecondary admission as created under section 1 of this act. Institutions of higher education may require additional supplemental materials as part of the common application process.

(2) Institutions of higher education may not charge additional fees beyond the uniform college application fee created under section 1 of this act for review of the common application or consider the receipt of application fee waivers through the common application as part of the admissions process.

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