HOUSE BILL REPORT
SHB 1166
As Passed Legislature
Title: An act relating to expanding access to the homeless and foster care college students pilot program.
Brief Description: Expanding access to the homeless and foster care college students pilot program.
Sponsors: House Committee on Appropriations (originally sponsored by Representatives Leavitt, Caldier, Sutherland, Chopp, Lekanoff, Davis, Shewmake, Pollet, Ramos, Callan, Rule, Gregerson, Bateman, Harris-Talley and Johnson, J.).
Brief History:
Committee Activity:
Appropriations: 1/19/21, 2/1/21 [DPS].
Floor Activity:
Passed House: 2/26/21, 73-22.
Passed Senate: 4/7/21, 41-8.
Passed Legislature.
Brief Summary of Substitute Bill
  • Extends and expands pilot programs at the community and technical colleges and the four-year higher education institutions to provide assistance to homeless students and students who were in foster care.
HOUSE COMMITTEE ON APPROPRIATIONS
Majority Report: The substitute bill be substituted therefor and the substitute bill do pass.Signed by 21 members:Representatives Ormsby, Chair; Bergquist, Vice Chair; Gregerson, Vice Chair; Macri, Vice Chair; Caldier, Chopp, Cody, Dolan, Fitzgibbon, Frame, Hansen, Harris, Johnson, J., Lekanoff, Pollet, Ryu, Senn, Springer, Stonier, Sullivan and Tharinger.
Minority Report: Do not pass.Signed by 7 members:Representatives Stokesbary, Ranking Minority Member; Chandler, Dye, Hoff, Rude, Schmick and Steele.
Minority Report: Without recommendation.Signed by 5 members:Representatives Chambers, Assistant Ranking Minority Member; Corry, Assistant Ranking Minority Member; MacEwen, Assistant Ranking Minority Member; Boehnke and Jacobsen.
Staff: Kate Henry (786-7349).
Background:

In 2019 Second Substitute Senate Bill 5800 established pilot programs to provide assistance and accommodations to students experiencing homelessness and to students who were in foster care when they graduated high school.


The State Board for Community and Technical Colleges (State Board) established pilot programs at four college districts, with two on each side of the Cascade Mountains.  The pilot sites are Edmonds College, South Puget Sound Community College, Walla Walla Community College, and Yakima Valley College.  


The Student Achievement Council (Council) chose Eastern Washington University and Western Washington University to establish pilot programs.

 
The participating community and technical colleges (CTCs) and four-year institutions must provide accommodations to homeless students and students who were in foster care at high school graduation.  The accommodations may include:

  • access to laundry facilities, storage, locker rooms and showers, and technology;
  • reduced-price meals or meal plans;
  • access to short-term housing or housing assistance, especially during seasonal breaks; and
  • case management services.

 

Each pilot program site took a different approach to identifying students, such as leveraging existing programs, conducting surveys and questionnaires, and partnering with local community organizations.  

 

The CTCs and four-year institutions may also establish plans to develop surplus property for affordable housing.

 

The pilot programs must provide a joint report to the Legislature by December 1, 2023.  The pilot programs expire July 1, 2023.
Summary of Substitute Bill:

The pilot program is expanded to include two additional four-year institutions, one on each side of the Cascade Mountains.  The pilot is expanded at CTCs with four additional sites.  The total CTC sites shall have no less than four located outside the Puget Sound region.
 
The pilot program's expiration date is extended to July 1, 2024.
Appropriation: None.
Fiscal Note: Available.
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) Pilot programs have benefited individuals when the pandemic added additional pressure on housing.  The program extends accessibility of higher education to those experiencing homelessness on a temporary basis.  The pilot programs used the funding as gap funding to help support students for a short time at crucial points in their education journey.  Case management services were provided with the pilot program funding to identified students. 

 

(Opposed)  None. 
Persons Testifying: David Buri, Eastern Washington University; Becca Kenna-Schenk, Western Washington University; Timothy Stokes, Torin Tinnin, and Auntoria Peden, South Puget Sound Community College; Jessica Porter and Sydney Short, State Board of Community and Technical Colleges; and Charles Adkins.
Persons Signed In To Testify But Not Testifying: None.