Tuesday was the final day for most non-budget House
bills to pass the House and most Senate bills to pass the Senate.
Here's the status of selected bills as each chamber begins
analyzing the work of the opposite house as the 1996 Legislature
passes its scheduled halfway point.
Drug and Alcohol Use - Substitute Senate Bill
5605 Provides for student access
to housing where liquor and drug use is prohibited. Requires
students who violate the prohibitions to be subject to disciplinary
actions. Passed the state Senate 43-1 on Jan. 19. WSU supports
this legislation, which is scheduled for a House hearing this
week.
UW and WSU Non-resident Tuition - Substitute
House Bill 2478 Increases non-resident
undergraduate tuition from $8,595 to $9,491. Passed the state
House 96-0 on Feb. 5. A key hurdle will be the Senate Ways and
Means Committee which is holding the Senate's own identical
bill (SB 6303). WSU supports this legislation but would oppose
additional increases. Resident students would not be affected.
Public Service Ethics - Substitute House Bill
2535 or Substitute Senate Bill 6235 This
amends language regarding faculty "beneficial interest"
to allow for university researchers to contract with private firms
to promote technology transfer. It allows federal guidelines
and university policies, to supersede state ethics standards in
some instances. Clarifies regulations regarding university foundations.
Passed the House 96-0 on Feb. 5. The Senate bill passed the
Senate 48-0 on Feb. 9. WSU supports this legislation for its
technology transfer provisions.
"Rinehart" Tuition Bill - Senate
Bill 6314 By Senate Ways &
Means Chair Nita Rinehart, D-Seattle. Tuition increases would
be indexed to state personal per capita income. The bill also
calls for a corresponding increase in state general fund dollars
as tuition gradually increases. Passed the state Senate 31-17.
Concept has been supported by WSU. Similar bill rejected by
the House in 1995. Now in the House Higher Education Committee.
Contracting Out At Higher Education Institutions
- 3SHB 1004 Legislation authorizing institutions
to purchase services from the private sector if it does not result
in the termination of permanent, classified employees. The bill
passed the House 58-38 on Feb. 11 but may be only technically
alive in the Legislature as it appears to be in trouble in the
Senate Labor, Commerce & Trade Committees. Supported by the
Council of Presidents, the voluntary association of the state's
four-year institutions. Not priority legislation for WSU.
Transferring State Energy Office Research &
Service To WSU - Substitute HB 2009 The
fourth substitute to the House bill appears to be the active legislation
among bills that will transfer state energy office functions to
Washington State University. It passed the state House of Representatives
80-17 on Feb. 12. The similar Senate bill (SB 6451) passed Ways
and Means but the Senate is expected to hold it to consider HB
2009.
Providing Enhanced Retirement Benefits to WSU
Fire Fighters - House Bill 2191 or SB 6154 Provides
for the admission of WSU fire fighters into the Law Enforcement
Officersí and Fire Fighters Retirement System (LEOFF.)
This permits some earlier retirement benefits afforded other
fire fighters which may help WSU efforts to recruit these employees.
The bill passed the House 97-0 on Feb. 8. A similar bill (SB
6154) passed the state Senate 48-0 on Feb. 5. Both bills, now
in fiscal committees, are supported by WSU but would require funding
to implement.
Student Scholarship Partnership - 2SHB 2302
Based on the concept of distinguished
professorships, this provides a mechanism for matching privately-raised
scholarship funds with state moneys. It would be administered
by the HEC Board. Passed the House 97-0 with a stipulation that
race, sex, ethnicity, national origin, religion or disability
status can not influence the awarding of scholarships. Now in
the Senate Higher Education Committee. WSU is analyzing the bill
for a position.
Tuition variance pilot program - SHB 2303
Authorizes colleges and universities
to increase or decrease any tuition fees up to 15 percent for
students enrolled in any single degree program identified by the
institution. Passed the House 54-42 on Feb. 9. WSU supports this
legislation. Now in the Senate Higher Education Committee.
Higher Education Innovation - Second Substitute
House Bill 2292 Provides funding to the
state Higher Education Coordinating Board to be awarded to colleges,
or college consortia, on a competitive basis. Passed the House
97-0 on Feb. 8. Now in the Senate Higher Education Committee.
Higher Education Technology Fee - Second Substitute
House Bill 2293 It appears this is the
vehicle among several bills that allows a local-option across-the-board
"technology fee" for all students at a higher education
institution not to exceed $120,000. Passed the House 89-8 on
Feb. 8. A similar bill cleared the Senate Higher Education Committee.
WSU has no position on this legislation and does not intend to
utilize this fee structure. Introduced at the request of University
of Washington students and administration.
Clark County Student Financial Aid Portability
- Substitute House Bill 2288 Directs
the Higher Education Coordinating Board to create a pilot project
in Clark County that permits some students to use their state
need grant awards when the students study in Oregon. The HEC
Board is directed to report on the pilot study in 2,002. Passed
the House 97-0 on Feb. 8. Now in the Senate Higher Education
Committee.
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.
