April 20, 2007, Ed. 15 |
Produced by the Washington State Board for Community and Technical Colleges |
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This Week in Legislative Bill round-up
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Legislative Hotline Hearing Impaired Washington State TDD Relay Service Legislature's Web site Governor's Web site TVW Web site Legislative News is published weekly during legislative sessions by the staff of the State Board for Community and Technical Colleges, 1300 Quince Street SE, PO Box 42495, Olympia, WA 98504-2495, telephone 360-704-4310, FAX 360-704-4415. Suzy Ames, editor
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Legislative round-up: The clock is ticking The 2007 legislative session is scheduled to end on Sunday. In the short period of time left, legislators have budgets to negotiate and pass – no small feat, to say the least. For higher education, the issue of increasing access for all residents took center stage with the passage of some major pieces of legislation, such as the expansion of the Opportunity Grants program, creation of the Passport to College Promise program and expanded eligibility of the State Need Grant. As we’ve done all session, here’s a re-cap of the status of the major bills we’ve been tracking that are still alive...the list is surprisingly long! High School Completion House Bill 1051, expanding high school completion programs, is the focus of a tug-of-war between the House and Senate. The bill was amended by the Senate and sent back to the House, where they rejected the proposed changes. Both chambers are sticking to their versions of the bill and asking the other to concede. The bill may go to conference or its fate may be determined by the stalemate. To be determined… Sponsored by Rep. Dave Upthegrove, D-Des Moines, the bill allows students under 21 years old who have completed graduation requirements, except the Certificate of Academic Achievement, to enroll at no charge at a two-year college in a high school diploma program. In addition, the bill allows colleges to contract with high schools to offer the program directly or join together to offer regional programs. The amended bill passed by the Senate would change the program from a mandatory program to a pilot at two community or technical colleges (not named in the bill). Financial Aid Second Substitute House Bill 1096, creating postsecondary Opportunity Grant programs, is on its way to the governor for signature. Sponsored by Rep. Phyllis Gutierrez Kenney, D-Seattle, the bill directs the SBCTC to develop and implement the Opportunity Grant programs in partnership with business, labor, the Workforce Training and Education Coordinating Board and the Higher Education Coordinating Board. Funding for the program now lies in the budget conference process as the House and Senate develop a final operating budget to send to the governor. Engrossed Substitute House Bill 1131, creating the Passport to College Promise program, sponsored by Rep. Hans Dunshee, D-Snohomish, is on its way to the governor for signature. The bill was amended by the Senate Ways and Means Committee, and concurred by the House, to turn the program into a six-year pilot program to provide scholarships and student support services for students who emancipate from foster care at age 18, after having spent at least one year in foster care after their 16th birthday. The maximum annual scholarship amount will be equal to tuition and fees at the highest-priced state college or university. In addition, the amended bill requires the Department of Social and Health Services to establish procedures for helping the Higher Education Coordinating Board (HECB) and institutions of higher education identify students who are eligible for assistance under the program. Lastly, the bill was amended to charge the HECB, rather than the SBCTC, to be responsible for developing a foster youth-specific Web site on college admission and financial aid processes, timelines and resources. Engrossed Substitute House Bill 1179, allowing part-time students at postsecondary institutions to qualify for a State Need Grant, was passed by the Senate and returns to the House for concurrence. Sponsored by Rep. Bob Hasegawa, D-Seattle, the original bill reduces the minimum number of quarter credits for which a student must be enrolled to receive a State Need Grant from six to three (or the semester equivalent). The Senate Ways and Means Committee adopted an amendment that would establish a four-year pilot period during which students taking only three to five credits may be eligible for the State Need Grant, to the extent funds are specifically appropriated for that purpose. Engrossed Second Substitute Senate Bill 5098, creating the Washington College Bound Scholarship program (originally entitled the Washington Guaranteed Scholarship program), is on its way to the governor for signature. Sponsored by Sen. Phil Rockefeller, D-Kitsap County, the bill authorizes the Higher Education Coordinating Board to purchase credits through the Guaranteed Education Tuition (GET) Program for 7th and 8th grade students who are eligible for free- or reduced-price lunch. Students must pledge they will graduate from high school with at least a C average and not have any felony convictions. The scholarship would provide funding to cover the cost of the student’s tuition, fees, books and materials, minus the value of any other state financial aid received. The Higher Education Coordinating Board would administer the program. Tuition waivers Substitute Senate Bill 5101, sponsored by Sen. Steve Hobbs, D-Lake Stevens, is on its way to the governor for signature. The bill expands the eligibility for state employee college tuition waivers to include public school teachers and certificated instructional staff who hold, or are seeking, an endorsement and assignment in a state-identified shortage area. Currently, state employees may be enrolled in a course on a “space available” basis and are charged $5 per class as a registration fee. Their enrollment information is not included in official enrollment reports. Engrossed Substitute Senate Bill 5002, sponsored by Sen. Mike Hewitt, R-Walla Walla, is on its way to the governor for signature. The bill changes tuition waivers for families of fallen veterans and National Guard members to make them mandatory for certain children and spouses of veterans. Tuition and fees waived for children and surviving spouses of eligible veterans do not apply to the limits placed on institutions with respect to operating fees revenue. WA Learns Recommendations The House passed Second Substitute Senate Bill 5806, sponsored by Sen. Mark Schoesler, R-Ritzville, which implements the Washington Learns higher education recommendations to establish a statewide tuition policy and specified policy issues. The governor is expected to sign the bill later today. Faculty/Labor Substitute House Bill 2361, changing collective bargaining eligibility requirements for certain employees of higher education institutions and related boards, was passed by both chambers and is awaiting signature by the governor. Sponsored by Rep. Steve Conway, D-Tacoma, the bill provides collective bargaining rights to certain exempt employees in higher education. The substitute bill continues the exclusion of executive employees and their assistants, managers, confidential employees, and employees involved in human resources and labor relations. Educational Programs Second Substitute House Bill 1906, sponsored by Rep. Ross Hunter, D-Medina, is on its way to the governor for signature. The bill will improve math and science education in the K-12 system and covers the main sections from the governor’s omnibus education bill. The bill creates an after school math support program with community-based organizations; creates a math and science instructional coach program; requires the State Board of Education (SBE) to adopt new math and science standards; requires the SBE to identify three math and science curricula for each grade span; creates two new alternative routes to teacher certification for math and science teachers; and requires the Transition Math Project to develop a common math readiness test (not a placement test) to be used by all colleges and universities as a measure of a students’ college readiness in math. Substitute Senate Bill 5104, expanding the applied baccalaureate degree pilot program, is being held by the House Appropriations Committee possibly as one of the bills deemed necessary to implement the budget. Sponsored by Sen. Rosemary McAuliffe, D-Bothell, the bill expands the applied baccalaureate degree pilot program. Two additional pilots would be created – at least one of which will be a technical college. An amendment was added by the House Higher Education Committee that changes the date by which colleges must be selected for the pilot from February to June 2008. Substitute Senate Bill 5731, creating a committee on the education of students in high demand fields in both two- and four-year colleges, is on its way to the governor for signature. Sponsored by Sen. Paull Shin, D-Edmonds, the bill establishes a committee on the education of students in high demand fields. The committee will consist of: two members of the House of Representatives; two members of the Senate; and one person each from the Higher Education Coordinating Board, the State Board for Community and Technical Colleges, the Office of the Superintendent of Public Instruction, the Washington State Labor Council, the Workforce Training and Education Coordinating Board, the Council of Presidents, the Prosperity Partnership, and a graduate student member of the Washington Student Lobby. Corrections/Education Substitute House Bill 1319, sponsored by Rep. Al O’Brien, D-Mountlake Terrace, is on its way to the governor for signature. The bill expands the offense of stalking, at the felony level, to include the stalking of staff, including community college faculty and staff, who work in correctional facilities, municipal jails, criminal justice centers and Department of Corrections day reporting centers. Engrossed Second Substitute Senate Bill 5070, sponsored by Sen. Mike Carroll, R-Lakewood, incorporating changes to existing laws and new provisions that impact offenders returning to the community from confinement, was substituted by Senate Bill 6157, sponsored by Sen. Margarita Prentice, D-Renton. The new bill, which seeks to increase access and coordination of offender services in communities through inventories of services and community transition coordination network pilot programs, was passed by the Senate Ways and Means Committee. In the education section of the bill, a postsecondary education degree program is created provided that funding for the program is allocated by the Legislature. Offenders must pay for the program themselves, receiving funding from a third party, or by obtaining a loan from the Department of Corrections. The loan program may only be used to pay for associate or two-year degree programs to prepare an offender for employment. The offender must repay the loan beginning two years after release. In addition, the Department of Corrections and the SBCTC are required to investigate and review methods to optimize education and vocational programming opportunities for offenders. The report is due to the governor and Legislature by July 2008. Miscellaneous Senate Bill 5759, sponsored by Sen. Mark Schoesler, R-Ritzville, was signed into law by Gov. Chris Gregoire. The new law adds technical college trustees to the list of executive state officers who must file a statement of financial affairs. Community college trustees are already on the list. When the technical colleges were merged into the community and technical college system, the Legislature failed to amend the Public Disclosure statutes to include technical colleges on the list of those required to file an F1 form. Engrossed Second Substitute Senate Bill 5843, sponsored by Sen. Eric Oemig, D-Kirkland, regarding educational data and data systems, is on its way to the governor for signature. The House amended the bill to include the creation of an Education Data Center in the Office of Financial Management to conduct collaborative analyses of early learning, K-12 and higher education programs and issues. The Senate concurred with this change.
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