CERTIFICATION OF ENROLLMENT

ENGROSSED SUBSTITUTE HOUSE BILL 2441

68TH LEGISLATURE

2024 REGULAR SESSION

ENGROSSED SUBSTITUTE HOUSE BILL 2441

AS AMENDED BY THE SENATE

ByHouse Appropriations (originally sponsored by Representatives Corry, Slatter, Stokesbary, Leavitt, and Jacobsen)

AN ACT Relating to a pilot program eliminating college in the high school fees for private not-for-profit four-year institutions; adding new sections to chapter 28B.10 RCW; and providing an expiration date.

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

NEW SECTION.  Sec. 1. A new section is added to chapter 28B.10 RCW to read as follows:

(1) Subject to the amounts appropriated for this specific purpose, the student achievement council shall select a private, not-for-profit four-year institution as defined in RCW 28B.07.020(4) with a main campus located in Yakima county and who serves rural or underserved communities to participate in a pilot program to offer college in the high school courses at no cost to the students enrolling in the courses.

(2) The student achievement council shall distribute funds to the pilot institution at a rate of $300 per student, up to a maximum of $6,000 per college in the high school course administered by the pilot institution.

(3) College in the high school courses shall not include content or instruction that would subject students to religious behavior or conduct by the pilot institution or its faculty.

(4)(a) The pilot institution shall provide the following information to the student achievement council by November 1, 2025, and annually thereafter:

(i) College in the high school courses offered, including:

(A) The name of each course;

(B) The number of courses offered;

(C) The specific locations where the courses are taught; and

(D) Student enrollment information disaggregated by school districts and high schools;

(ii) Data on college in the high school student demographics;

(iii) Awards of postsecondary credit at the pilot institution; and

(iv) The academic performance of students taking the offered college in the high school courses.

(b) The student achievement council shall compile the information provided in (a) of this subsection and provide a report to the legislature by December 1, 2025, and annually thereafter, in compliance with RCW 43.01.036.

(5) As used in this section:

(a) "Course" means a class taught under a contract between an institution and a single high school teacher on an articulated subject in which the student is eligible to receive college credit.

(b) "High school" means a public school, as defined in RCW 28A.150.010, that serves students in any of grades nine through 12.

(6) This section expires December 31, 2030.

NEW SECTION.  Sec. 2. A new section is added to chapter 28B.10 RCW to read as follows:

(1) In administering section 1 of this act, the student achievement council shall adopt rules which allow for each institution of higher education to annually sign an affidavit that the institution has adopted policies in compliance with this section. The affidavit must attest to the following nondiscrimination policies:

(a) The institution prohibits discrimination on the basis of race, creed, color, national origin, citizenship or immigration status, sex, veteran or military status, sexual orientation, or the presence of any sensory, mental, or physical disability or the use of a trained dog guide or service animal by a person with a disability;

(b) The institution operates its education program or activity in a manner free of discrimination. No student may be excluded from participation in an education program or activity, denied the benefits of an education program or activity, or subjected to discrimination on the basis of that student's age, sex, marital status, sexual orientation, race, creed, color, national origin, citizenship or immigration status, veteran or military status, or the presence of any sensory mental, or physical disability or the use of a trained dog guide or service animal by a person with a disability, unless based upon bona fide qualification of the education program; and

(c) The institution, acting in its capacity as an employer, does not:

(i) Refuse to hire, promote, or confer tenure to any person because of age, sex, marital status, sexual orientation, race, creed, color, national origin, citizenship or immigration status, veteran or military status, or the presence of any sensory, mental, or physical disability or the use of a trained dog guide or service animal by a person with a disability, unless based upon bona fide occupational qualification. However, the prohibition against discrimination because of a disability in this subsection (1)(c)(i) does not apply if the particular disability prevents the proper performance of the particular work involved. This subsection may not be construed to require an employer to establish employment goals or quotas based on sexual orientation;

(ii) Discharge or bar any person from employment because of age, sex, marital status, sexual orientation, race, creed, color, national origin, citizenship or immigration status, veteran or military status, or the presence of any sensory, mental, or physical disability or the use of a trained dog guide or service animal by a person with a disability;

(iii) Discriminate against any person in compensation or in other terms or conditions of employment because of age, sex, marital status, sexual orientation, race, creed, color, national origin, citizenship or immigration status, veteran or military status, or the presence of any sensory, mental, or physical disability or the use of a trained dog guide or service animal by a person with a disability. However, this section does not prohibit an employer from segregating wash rooms or locker room facilities on the basis of sex, or basing other terms and conditions of employment on the sex of employees where the Washington state human rights commission, created under chapter 49.60 RCW, has by regulation or ruling in a particular instance found the employment practice to be appropriate for the practical realization of equality of opportunity between the sexes; or

(iv) Print or circulate, or cause to be printed or circulated, any statement, advertisement, or publication, or use any form of application for employment, or make any inquiry in connection with prospective employment, which expresses any limitation, specification, or discrimination as to age, sex, marital status, sexual orientation, race, creed, color, national origin, citizenship or immigration status, veteran or military status, or the presence of any sensory, mental, or physical disability or the use of a trained dog guide or service animal by a person with a disability; or any intent to make any such limitation, specification, or discrimination, unless based upon a bona fide occupational qualification. However, nothing in this subsection prohibits advertising in a foreign language.

(2) Participation in theology academic programs and campus ministry departments, including the employment, promotion, or granting of tenure of faculty members for courses of study in theology, is exempt from the requirements under this section.

(3) Institutions of higher education that take no action regarding the signing of the affidavit are ineligible to participate in the pilot program in section 1 of this act.

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