WSU Bill Status

2001 Bills Tracked By Washington State University
Bill Status and Summary As Of - May 16, 2001
First Special Legislative Session

Bill Number
Title
Status
Date
Sponsor
Comments
University Position (If Applicable)

HB 1007
f#
Taxation of electricity
H Technology
01-08-01
Morris
Changes the method of taxing electricity businesses from taxing gross receipts and property owned by the electricity business to taxing the amount (kilowatt hour) of electricity transmitted.
Distributes tax revenue in a manner that replicates current distribution to recipients (tax rate to be determined.)
Repeals the public utility district privilege tax and exempts electricity businesses from the public utility tax, municipal business taxes and property taxes.
City of Pullman strongly opposes.

HB 1073
f
Technology fees/higher ed
H Higher Educ
01-15-01
Benson
The public community and technical colleges are included in the statute allowing governing boards, with written agreement of the student governance, to establish a student technology fee.
Following one year of collection and expenditure of the technology fee, institutions are eligible for a state match on a dollar-for-dollar basis to a maximum of $450,000 per year, per campus.
- Of any state match, 3.5 percent must be deposited in the institution`s local financial aid fund.

HB 1155
Alternative pblc wrks cntrct
H State Govt
01-18-01
Schmidt, D.
- See notes on E SSB 5060
Pro

HB 1177
f
Unemployment compensation
H Approp
02-27-01
Kenney
- Ensuring that reasonable assurance continues to apply to employees of educational institutions.
- Modifies the definition of "reasonable assurance" for faculty members who work at community or technical colleges and who have offers of employment in the next academic year or term conditioned on enrollment, funding, or program changes.

HB 1184
fd
Unemployment compensation
H Rules X
03-26-01
Conway
- Prohibits educational employees from receiving unemployment benefits between academic terms or during vacations, when they have reasonable assurance of employment in the same capacity at any educational institution in the next year or following the vacation.
- Makes the state unemployment insurance system conform with the Federal Unemployment Tax Act.

HB 1236
f
College textbooks/tx exmptn
H Higher Educ
01-22-01
Keiser
- Allows students to request a reimbursement from the Department of Revenue on the retail sales taxes paid for college textbooks, under certain conditions.
- Proposed amendment would exempt textbooks from sales tax (WSU prefers amendment)
- An exemption from the retail sales tax is added for college textbooks. A person requesting a remittance must pay the tax and then apply to the Department of Revenue for a remittal.
Neutral

SHB 1314
a$
Supplemental operatng budget
C 117 L 01
04-27-01
APP
(Sommers, H.)
- Appropriations are modified for the 1999-01 fiscal biennium. The total appropriation for the 1999-01 fiscal biennium was $37.9 billion, of which $20.9 billion was from the state general fund.
- The 2001 Supplemental Operating Budget increases appropriations from the state general fund by $194 million. Total appropriations, including other funds, are increased by $463 million. $48 million of the total was appropriated from the Emergency Reserve Fund to pay for damage caused by the February 28, 2001 earthquake.
- The Supplemental Budget includes an appropriation of $16 million from the education construction account to the WSU agricultural permanent account as full and final payment of the agricultural college trust land settlement.
- Effective Date: 7/22/01

SHB 1315
$
Operating budget
S Ways & Means
04-30-01
Sommers, H.
- House Operating Budget reduced WSU "non-instructional" programs by $4.7 million but adds $2.2 million in enrollment increases and $1 million for an Advanced Technology Initiative.
- The House provides $2.2 million in enrollment increases for WSU, all in the second year of the biennium. The increases include 161 FTE for Pullman, 42 for Spokane, and 82 for Vancouver. While the Senate budget provides new institutional flexibility on enrollments, the House budget also allows the institution to transfer up to 10 percent of the enrollments between campuses.
- The House "Nearly" fully funds salary increases averaging 3 percent next year, and 2.6 Percent in 2002. - The Governor`s Student Recreation Center funding absent in both House and Senate Budget proposals.
- Tuition: Governing Boards may increase tuition by up to 6.9 percent next year (FY 2002) and up to 5.9% FY 2003, for all categories of students except graduate business programs who may increase 12% for 2002 and 12% for 2003.

HB 1345
f
Personal service contracting
H Approp
02-21-01
Dickerson
- Requires the Office of Financial Management to develop mandatory guidelines for the effective and efficient management of personal service and client service contracts by state agencies.
- Requires the Office of Financial Management to provide training for state agency personnel entering into and managing, personal service and client service contracts.
- Requires the Office of Financial Management to conduct risk-based audits of the contracting practices associated with individual personal service and client service contracts.
- Requires the attorney general and the State Auditor to provide an annual report on contract audit and investigative findings.
Con

SHB 1359
$
Capital budget
S Ways & Means
04-30-01
CB
(Alexander)

- House Capital Budget
- The overall House total for Washington State University is $100.93 million for the upcoming biennium.
- Proposals for a new Pullman Energy Plant, a $10.9 million addition to the Murrow Communications Building, a $15.9 million Multi-media building at WSU Vancouver, and a $10.6 million Shock Physics Building near Webster Hall have been in included in the house proposed budget. The House did not fund the construction of the $10.2 million addition to Pullman`s Cleveland Hall.
- WSU is continuing to work with House negotiators to restore funding for design of the Spokane Academic Building at Riverpoint. The governor recommended $2.27 million to design the project. The House reportedly had it in the budget several days before its release but it was taken out of the budget when it reportedly became uncertain whether there would be capacity for construction dollars in the 2003-2005 biennium.
- The House, in part responding to concerns from veterinarians across the state, boosted the Senate equipment funding level to $6 million. The Senate budget had provided only $4 million of the $8 million recommended by the governor to an omnibus equipment appropriation.

SHB 1381
Higher ed/student id
H Rules 3C
04-22-01
HIE
(Mulliken)
- See notes SSB 5509 Pro

SHB 1384
a
Agencies/executive sessions
C 216 L 01
05-09-01
- Clarifies the definition of "potential litigation" for purposes of the Open Public Meetings Act.
- Allows the Attorney General to provide information, technical assistance, and training on the provisions of the Open Public Meetings Act.
- Effective Date: 7/22/01

HB 1409
Smoking/residnce halls
H Higher Educ
01-25-01
Quall
- Prohibits smoking in publicly owned residence halls at public institutions of higher education.
- Bill a result of a WSU parent complaint.
Neutral

HB 1464
Collective bargaining/U.W.
H Commerce/Lab
01-26-01
Clements
- University of Washington TA/RA collective bargaining bill.
- Authorizes collective bargaining for University of Washington employees who are enrolled in academic programs.

HB 1466
fe
Promise scholarship program
H Approp
02-13-01
Fromhold
- Establishes a statute for the merit and need-based scholarship program administered by the Higher Education Coordinating Board. Scholarships have been awarded since 1999. - Eligible students may receive up to two years of tuition at the community college full-time tuition rate. - Scholarships are awarded to students graduating from public and approved private high schools and students participating in home-based instruction who meet academic and financial eligibility criteria. - Promise scholarships were addresses in the House Operating Budget

SHB 1515
Public works/higher edu
C 38 L 01
04-17-01
SG
(Armstrong)
- Raises the triggering amount that requires a public bid process from $25,000 to $35,000.
- Raises the triggering amount that requires a public bid process for projects involving only one trade from $10,000 to $15,000.
- Effective Date: 7/22/01
Pro

E SHB 1517
f#
State agncy quality imprvmnt
S St&Loc Govt
05-04-01
SG (Miloscia)
- Requires every state executive agency to develop and implement a quality management program to improve the quality, efficiency, and effectiveness of the public services it provides using business process redesign, employee involvement, and other quality management techniques.
Con

HB 1520
$f
Family Leave insurance
H Commerce/Lab
01-29-01
Dickerson
- Establishes the family leave insurance program.
- Provides for payment of benefits of $250 per week for up to five weeks to employees on unpaid family leave.
- Provides for assessment of premiums of 2 cents per hour worked per employee to be paid equally by employers and employees


HB 1623
Investing surplus funds
C 31 L 01
04-16-01
Kenney
- Allows the public four-year institutions of higher education to participate in the investment of surplus funds.
- Effective Date: 7/22/01
Pro

HB 1707
f
Background checks/higher edu
H Higher Educ
02-01-01
Hurst
- Requires fingerprint based criminal history checks for conviction records on new employees of institutions of higher education who will have unsupervised contact with minors.
- Would affect those workers involved with Running Start

SHB 1743
f
Higher education tuition
H Approp
02-27-01
HIE (Kenney)
- Limited tuition setting authority and flexibility is granted to the governing boards of each institution of higher education and to the state board for community and technical colleges.
- Tuition may increase or decrease. Tuition may not be increased beyond the per capita personal income based on a three-year rolling average (4.9 percent and 3.9 percent, respectively, for academic years 2001-2002 and 2002-2003).
- State general fund support will increase at the same percentage of increase as the per capita personal income based on a three-year rolling average. State funding of the state need grant will increase proportionately with tuition.
- The governing boards and the state board may assess a surcharge, in addition to a tuition increase, for the 2001-2003 biennium only. Surcharges may be up to 2 percent each year, but will not be added into the tuition base. Institutions assessing a surcharge must cover increases in state need grants resulting from the surcharge.
- Tuition increases and/or surcharges may vary by time- of-day, day-of-week, delivery method and campus, and student category.
- WSU supports amending the bill to make the surcharge permanent and three technical amendments on S & A Fees, Tuition refund and the engineering consortium in Spokane.
- Tuition was addressed in the House Operating Budget see notes on SHB 1315.
Pro

HB 1755
$f
College awareness project
H Higher Educ
02-02-01
Kenney
- Establishes the College Awareness Project to encourage under served and under represented populations of this state to seek a higher education.
- WSU component: New initiatives to improve the campus climate will begin. A diversity course requirement will be added. A summer program to orient students to college life will be established. Additional opportunities will be available for high school students to visit the campuses. The number of community liaisons and tribal contacts will be increased. Programs that promote college awareness and teach skills necessary for academic success will be established.
Pro

HB 1789
f
Nonprofit org/property tax
H Finance
02-05-01
Fromhold
- Property owned by foundations of institutions of higher education is exempt from property taxation. Additionally, land classified under the open space program hat is transferred to a foundation of an institution of higher education is exempt from back taxes and other provisions outlined in current law.
Pro

HB 1808
f
Agncy contrct accountability
H State Govt
02-05-01
Miloscia
- Requires the director of financial management to devise a modern and complete system for achieving accountability for the use of public funds in all contracts made by any state agency. The director shall consult with stakeholder groups when devising the system.
- Provides that the system shall address, but not be limited to, contractor selection; contract provisions, including performance measures that may be required under RCW 43.88.090; contract management; contract monitoring; auditing and post evaluation; timely resolution of monitoring and audit findings and recommendations; and financial accountability expectations.

HB 1820
o
Ethics in public service
H Rules 3C
04-22-01
Van Luven
- An act relating to clarifying ethics requirements for officers and employees of institutions of higher education with regard to sponsored research and technology transfer agreements.
- Clarifying that certain technology transactions by institutions of higher education are exempt from state ethics requirements.
- Removes the existing requirements for open bidding, or advice by a state ethics board that a contract or grant does not conflict with the proper discharge of a state officer`s or employee`s duties, that are part of the process for certain contractual or grant interests of a state officer or employee to be exempt from conflict of interest restrictions, if the officer or employee complies with the written administrative process relating to conflicts of interest that conforms with certain federal requirements.
Pro

HB 1833
Higher education tuition
H Higher Educ
02-06-01
Chandler, G.
- Provides that the governing boards of the state universities, regional universities, and The Evergreen State College may not set or adjust tuition fees for full- time students, except during the summer term.
Con

HB 1847
d
Trust lands/sale of material
H Natural Res
02-06-01
Pennington
- Streamlining the process of selling valuable materials from state lands.

SHB 1848
$f
Earned income training crdts
H Approp
02-27-01
HIE
(McIntire)
- Creates a two-year pilot program providing qualified families with an earned income training credit of 50 percent of the federal earned income tax credit that may be applied to tuition at a public baccalaureate institution of higher education, accredited private post- secondary schools, community or technical college, private career school or on-the-job training expense incurred by an employer.
- An earned income training credit pilot program is created and will be administered by the Higher Education Coordinating Board (HECB) with the assistance of the State Board for Community and Technical Colleges (SBCTC).

HB 1910
f
Physical therapy
H Rules X
03-26-01
Kenney
- This bill authorizes the Board of Trustees at Eastern Washington University to offer a doctorate degree in physical therapy. The program must meet the program approval requirements of the Higher Education Coordinating Board.
- Eastern Washington University proposes to offer a DPT which is a professional degree.
- See notes on Companion Bill SB 5921


SHB 1938
Sabotage
H Rules X
03-26-01
CJC (Pearson)
- Expands the "criminal sabotage" statute to include fur farms, university and private research facilities, biotechnology laboratories, and commercial and private animal production facilities.
- Categorizes "criminal sabotage" as a seriousness level X on the sentencing guidelines grid.
- Expands the authorization of treble damages.
Pro

HB 2006
Student fees
H Higher Educ
02-12-01
Gombosky
- This bill amends current statute to require that any action that imposes mandatory, but refundable fees, or authorizes expenditures of services and activities fees must be reviewed by the governing boards within 90 days if the action is approved by a vote of two-thirds of the student body. If the governing board fails to act or complete a review within 90 days, the action is in dispute and subject to resolution by the dispute resolution committee. Also, if the board does not approve an action, the action goes through the dispute process. The decision of the dispute resolution committee is binding.
- The bill also amends the 14-day requirement for the dispute resolution process in cases of an intervening summer session, in which case the 14-day requirement would commence on the first day of the fall session.
Con

HB 2044
f
PERS/plan 2 early retirement
H Approp
02-13-01
Cooper
- Retiring early in the public employees` retirement system, plan 2.

HB 2134
f
State capital asset transfer
H Cap Budget
02-16-01
Hurst
- The Board of Regents of Washington State University (WSU) must transfer ownership and control of the agricultural property at the Rainier School to the City of Buckley; there is no requirement of compensation to the Charitable, Education, Penal, and Reformatory Institution Account. The livestock, vehicles, and other assets of the dairy/forage facility that had been on the property belong to WSU and are to be moved or disposed of by WSU. WSU retains the records of the dairy/forage facility.
Bill appears to be dead for the 2001 legislative session. Negotiations between Buckley and the state Department of Social and Health Services are continuing.
Con

HB 2244
Higher education retirement
H Approp
04-12-01
Sommers, H.
- Modifies state guarantees and limits on TIAA-CREF retirement benefits in defined contribution plans for faculty and some administrative staff of higher education institutions.
Bill appears to be live in the legislative session, though it has not yet moved from the originating committee.
Pro

SSB 5033
Personnel file inspection
S Rules 2
03-21-01
LCF (Fairley)
- Employees of personal services agencies are, for purposes of employee records, also considered employees of the firms they are placed with. Employees are entitled to inspect and copy, subject to a reasonable copying charge, their own personnel files. Such files must be retained by the employer for at least three years after the employee stops working for the employer. Violators are subject to a civil penalty imposed by the Director of the Department of Labor and Industries of $5,000 or more per day, depending on the employer`s history of violations. An employee may also recover, via civil action, damages of $5,000 for a violation.

E SSB 5060
a
Alternative pblc wrks cntrct
Del to Gov
04-19-01
SLG
(Winsley)
- Authority to use the alternative public works contracting procedures is extended for six years until July 1, 2007.
- The alternative procedures may be used for public works projects valued over $12 million.
- The temporary independent oversight committee is abolished.
- Effective Date: July 1, 2001.
Pro

SB 5159
f
Investing surplus funds
S Rules 3
04-22-01
Winsley
- See notes on Companion Bill HB1623

Pro

SB 5168
Technology fees/higher ed
S Higher Educ
01-12-01
Shin
- The community colleges and technical colleges are included in the statute allowing governing boards, with the written consent of the student government association, to establish a student technology fee.
- Following one year of collection and expenditure of the technology fee, institutions are eligible for a state match on a dollar-for-dollar basis to a maximum of $450, 000.
- Of any state match, 3.5 percent must be deposited in the institution`s local financial aid fund.

2SSB 5201
TANF/higher education
S Rules 2
03-21-01
WM (Kohl- Welles)
- Creating the higher education for lifelong progress program.
- Second Substitute Bill Compared to Substitute Bill: HELP participation is subject to available funds and slots as defined in the Omnibus Appropriations Act.
- Substitute Bill Compared to Original Bill: Education in a high-demand field is emphasized. Each educational institution defines "satisfactory progress."

E SSB 5264
f#
Pblc emplys/unfair practices
S Rules 3
04-22-01
WM
(Prentice)
- The Legislature declares that public employers should be prohibited from misclassifying employees, or taking other action to avoid providing employment- related benefits to which employees are entitled under state law or employer policies. The statement of intent also states that the Legislature does not intend to modify or mandate in any way the provision of employment-related benefits by public employers, but instead intends that whatever eligibility rules public employers have should be applied on an objective basis. There is no intent to affect contracting with public employee retirees or employing students as part of their education or financial aid.
Con

SB 5316
fd
Unemployment compensation
C 99 L 01
04-19-01
Prentice
- The statutory definition of "reasonable assurance" of ongoing employment is clarified. Tenured or tenure- track instructors are considered to have reasonable assurance unless notified otherwise by the college. Instructors are presumed NOT to have reasonable assurance if their employment offers are conditioned upon the college`s enrollment, funding, or program changes.
- Reasonable assurance determinations are made on a case-by-case basis, using a "total weight of evidence" method, with primary weight given to the contingent nature of the employment offer. Federal Department of Labor guidelines are used to interpret the law. If part of the statute conflicts with federal requirements, it is inoperative. ESD adopts rules that comply with federal requirements.
- The new definition of reasonable assurance applies to work weeks beginning after March 31, 2001.
- Effective Date: 4/19/01

E SSB 5345
$
Operating budget
S Rules 3
04-22-01
WM (Brown)
Senate Operating Budget
- Increased salaries by 3.7% in 2001 and 3.1% in 2002. However, salary increases would be funded for employees paid with state funds, but not those paid with tuition or federal funds, a shortfall of $5.6 million.
- A Recruitment and Retention pool is funded at $1.2 million.
- Maintenance and Utilities for the Student Recreation Center was not funded. $1.75 million item amounts to an additional budget cut.
- Enrollment: WSU requested increases of 250 FTE in Pullman, 65 FTE in Spokane and 125 FTE in Vancouver, all in the second year. The Senate funds 104 new FTE per year, for a total of 208 FTE with no designation of campus. Targets are university wide. (The Governor had recommended 8 FTE in Spokane and 14 FTE in Vancouver). WSU requested funding ranging from $7,700 to $21,316 per FTE. The Senate funds new FTE at $7,718, enough for many programs but not for high cost health programs.
- No inflation funding: As recommended by the Governor, no funding is provided for utility rate increases or other inflation. No other WSU programs are enhanced. The $1 million recommended by the Governor for the Advanced Technology Initiative is not funded.
- The Senate budget originally targeted cuts at 25% of the enhancements received for research and outreach programs since 1989, totaling $3.3 million. The Senate Ways and Means Committee adopted an amendment sought by WSU to allow the cuts to be taken in any program identified by the university.
- Tuition: Governing Boards may increase up to 6.7% for FY 2002 and up to 6.1% for FY 2003. Rates for pharmacy, nursing, veterinary medicine, and graduate programs in business may exceed the 6.7% and 6.1% limits. For non-residents, rates may be adjusted, but tuition may not be less than the cost of instruction.

SSB 5346
$
Supplemental Operating Budget
S Rules 2
03-30-01
WM (Brown)
See the House Supplemental Budget Bill, HB 1314

SHB 1314

SSB 5347
$
Capital budget
S Rules 3
04-22-01
WM (Fairley)
- Senate Capital Budget
- Funded Projects: $23 million for a new Energy Plant, $10.9 million for the renovation of the Murrow Communications Building, $10.6 million for a new Shock Physics Building and renovation of some Webster classrooms, $3.5 million to design a Plant Biosciences addition to Johnson Hall.
- For WSU Vancouver, the Senate gave the green light to a $15.9 million Media/Electronic Communications Building and agreed to provide design monies for a new student service building.
- The Senate unexpectedly omitted $2.27 million for design of a new building to unify WSU Spokane at the Riverpoint campus and cut $4 million from the university`s $8 million equipment budget.

2SSB 5384
Higher education/labor
S Rules 2 G
03-10-01
WM
(Prentice)
- Second Substitute Bill Compared to Substitute Bill: Limits are placed on collective bargaining agreements with respect to compensation actions. Salary increases negotiated for faculty in the bargaining unit are subject to legislative appropriation and modification as provided in current state law. Parties may not bargain over state paid health insurance. Agreements may include salary increases supported by local efficiency savings, even when the resulting improvements put faculty compensation beyond an amount or percentage authorized in the state`s operating budget. However, these locally financed salary improvements must not be included in the base subsequently provided by the university to the Governor and Legislature for use when the state considers future salary adjustments for university employees.
- Substitute Bill Compared to Original Bill: The substitute changes the definition of shared governance, specifies that tuition is not subject to collective bargaining, and removes references to boards of regents.
- Exempts WSU and UW

SSB 5404
Promise scholarship program
S Ways & Means
02-28-01
HIE (Kohl- Welles)
- Students who receive the promise scholarship must be in the top 10 percent of their graduating class, achieve on their first attempt at least a cumulative score of 1200 on the SAT I, or a composite score of 27 on the ACT. Recipients must be legal residents of the United States residing in Washington State. Recipients may use the scholarship to attend a college or university included in the border county opportunity project that offers a course of study not available in the state of Washington.
- Promise scholarships were addressed in the Senate Operating Budget.

SB 5448
f
College course materials
S Higher Educ
01-23-01
Shin
- An exemption from the retail sales tax is added for college textbooks sold in designated college bookstores.

SSB 5479
f
Athlete agents
S Rules 2