Washington State
House of Representatives
Office of Program Research
BILL
ANALYSIS
Postsecondary Education & Workforce Committee
SB 5079
Brief Description: Concerning the date by which tuition operating fees are established.
Sponsors: Senators Braun, Liias, Boehnke, Dozier, Holy, King, Mullet, Muzzall, Salda?a, Schoesler, Wagoner and Wellman.
Brief Summary of Bill
  • Requires the Office of Financial Management to calculate, and transmit to institutions of higher education, the maximum annual increase in tuition operating fees for resident undergraduates every year by October 1.
Hearing Date: 3/10/23
Staff: Saranda Ross (786-7068)
Background:

Tuition operating fees for resident undergraduates at institutions of higher education, excluding certain applied baccalaureate degrees, may not increase above the average annual percentage rate in the median hourly wage for Washington for the previous 14 years as the wage is determined by The Federal Bureau of Labor Statistics.  Institutions of higher education are the state universities, the regional universities, The Evergreen State College, and the community and technical colleges.
Summary of Bill:

Requires the Office of Financial Management to calculate the maximum increase in tuition operating fees for resident undergraduates at institutions of higher education, excluding certain applied baccalaureate degrees, and transmit that information to the institutions by October 1 of each year for the following academic year.
Appropriation: None.
Fiscal Note: Available.
Effective Date: The bill takes effect 90 days after adjournment of the session in which the bill is passed.