HOUSE PASSES BUDGET 62-36; CONFERENCE COMMITTEE
TO NEGOTIATE HIGHER ED
House Bill 2345, the supplemental operating budget,
was approved by the state House of Representatives Monday 62-36
without any major improvements in the higher education sections
of the budget. That action, coupled with Senate approval 30-16
of its own supplemental budget bill, SB 6251, points to the need
for a House-Senate conference committee on one of the bills to
iron out significant differences between the two houses on student
enrollments, the proposed Washington Higher Education Network,
and student financial aid.
Both HB 2345 (originally sponsored by House Appropriations
Chair Tom Huff, R-Gig Harbor) and SB 6251 (originally sponsored
by Senate Ways and Means Chair Nita Rinehart, D-Seattle) went
through the respective committee systems in each chamber, and
passed their respective houses, without any changes to higher
education sections as originally proposed by the sponsors. Both
Huff and Rinehart are expected to be members of the six-person
conference committee to be named this week.
Among the differences to be decided by the conference
committee:
- SB 6251 boosts WSU enrollment by 1,235 students;
HB 2345 would add 109 students.
- SB 6251 provides $34.7 million for WHEN, the
system to link the four-year institutions with all of the state's
community colleges. The House budgets seeks to phase the project
with a $5 million appropriation.
- SB 6251 provides for $32.5 million in additional
financial aid, establishing a new Washington State College Access
Loan Program. HB 2345 provides $4.6 million for new funding in
state work study, Education Opportunity Grants, National Guard
conditional scholarships, citizen scholarship and student scholarships.
Both budgets still fund WSU pesticide and wine grape
research ($1.525 million), the university cooperative library
project, and transfer of some state Energy Office functions to
WSU.
HOUSE BUDGET AMENDMENT REQUIRES NATURAL RESOURCES
TRUST LAND CONSENSUS
House Education Chairman Bill Brumsickle, R-Centralia,
succeeded Monday in adding a House floor amendment that requires
a unanimous vote by the state Board of Natural Resources to adopt
a "Habitat Conservation Plan." The House action came
as an amendment to the supplemental operating budget (HB 2345)
which later passed the full House last night. Washington State
University supports the HCP concept but its representative on
the six-member board has abstained or voted against some recent
HCP proposals because sufficient information has not been provided
on how the decision will specifically impact its trust lands.
The amendment was not added at the request of WSU
but the university has talked to state senators about the possibility
of taking similar action. Perhaps the Senate would agree
to accepting the house language in conference committee. It
is uncertain, however, whether Gov. Mike Lowry would be willing
to sign such legislation. WSU, as a land grant institution, has
held 151,000 acres of agriculture and scientific trust lands since
statehood, which are managed by the state Department of Natural
Resources. Approximately 120,000 acres of the lands are forested.
DNR estimates the value at $422 million.
GOVERNOR APPOINTS PETER GOLDMARK AS NEW REGENT;
RE-APPOINTS DICK DAVIS
Peter Goldmark, 49, owner and operator of the Double
J Ranch in Okanogan and chairman of the Governor's Council on
Agriculture and the Environment, has been appointed to the Washington
State University Board of Regents. Senate Higher Education Chairman
Al Bauer, D-Vancouver, said Monday that although the appointment
was made late in the legislative session, he will attempt to hold
a committee hearing that could lead to full Senate confirmation
of Goldmark to a six-year term as WSU Regent. Goldmark holds
a doctorate degree in molecular biology from the University of
California, Berkeley. He is also the founder of a biotechnology
firm in Okanogan. Goldmark takes the seat now held by Robert
"Mac" Crow.
Lowry has also re-appointed Richard A. "Dick"
Davis of Spokane to the Board of Regents. Davis is president
and chief executive officer of the Pentzer Corporation, a private
investment company in Spokane. He was chief of staff to former
Gov. Booth Gardner, under whom he directed the state Departments
of Labor and Industries and Office of Financial Management. Davis
currently serves as chairman of the Association of Washington
Business.
This update is shared by broadcast fax and electronic
mail to friends of Washington State University as state government
developments occur. Contact Karen Fischer, WSU State-wide
Affairs, 509/335-6665. Larry Ganders is at 360/438-7552; Fax:
360/438-8104. Internet address is ganders@wsunix.wsu.edu. Visit
our web page at www.wsu.edu/IR/wsulegis/olympia.html.
