AN ACT Relating to establishing that students are no longer eligible for state aid and must repay grants, scholarships, and other financial aid immediately upon determination of significant monetary damage to a public institution of higher education; adding a new section to chapter 28B.10 RCW; adding a new section to chapter 28B.92 RCW; adding a new section to chapter 28B.118 RCW; and creating a new section.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 1. The legislature finds that an increased threat of damage to the physical assets of our state's institutions of higher education exists by students committing violent acts. Under the guise of political speech, acts of vandalism and violence have occurred, straining already limited budgets, damaging valuable equipment and property, and impeding the ability of other students to use that same equipment or property in furtherance of their education. While the legislature strongly supports First Amendment activities, these actions go well beyond that. As a first step in making injured institutions of higher education whole, the legislature intends to recover costs spent supporting the education of students who engage in extensive acts of vandalism and violence, including all state grants, scholarships, or other financial aid previously awarded to students who engage in these destructive acts.

(1) As determined by a court of competent jurisdiction, any student at an institution of higher education who causes damage to the physical assets of any institution of higher education in an amount equal to or greater than the cost of the current full academic year's tuition and fees for one residential student at that institution, is immediately ineligible for all state grants, scholarships, and other financial aid awards. The court shall order the student to immediately repay all current and previously awarded state grants, scholarships, and other financial aid awards to the awarding state agency.

All current and previously awarded state grants, scholarships, and other financial aid awards under this chapter are immediately repayable to the awarding state agency where a student is under court order to repay those awards as specified under section 2 of this act.

Where a student is ordered to repay state grants, scholarships, and other financial aid awards as specified under section 2 of this act, all property rights in the awards under this chapter immediately revert to the state, and all current and previously awarded financial aid under this chapter is immediately repayable to the awarding state agency.