[Wsssc] WSSSC Legislative Updates 1/26/24

Sat Jan 27 08:26:35 PST 2024

Dear WSSSC,

We are looking forward to seeing many of you next week at the Guided Pathways Executive Leadership Retreat. Wishing you safe travels and good times.

In other news, we are nearly one third of the way through the 2024 legislative session. SBCTC staff and leaders from our 34 colleges have been busy testifying on proposed legislation, presenting during work sessions, and meeting with policymakers and their staff. Stay updated with our Legislative News<https://www.sbctc.edu/blogs/legislative-news/> blog. Last week's blog post highlighted our terrific student legislative interns, Mollie Kuwahara from Tacoma Community College, and Josaphine Saccio-Devine from Lower Columbia College.

According to the legislative calendar,<https://leg.wa.gov/legislature/Pages/cutoff.aspx> the cutoff date to read in committee reports and pass bills out of committee and read them into the record on the floor will be this Wednesday, January 31. Below include the latest and greatest updates for our Student Affairs practitioners.

READING KEY: Green = Indicated active in the legislative process; updates provided. Red = bill has died.

House Bill 1943<https://app.leg.wa.gov/billsummary?BillNumber=1943&Initiative=false&Year=2023> - Modifying the Washington national guard postsecondary education grant program.

  *   Expands eligibility for the Washington National Guard Postsecondary Education Grant to the spouse or dependent of a Washington National Guard member.
  *   Extends eligibility for the Washington National Guard Postsecondary Education Grant from five years or 125 percent of the published length of the student's program to six years or 150 percent of the published length of the student's program.
  *   This has been moved forward to appropriations 1/22/24

House Bill 2004<https://app.leg.wa.gov/billsummary?BillNumber=2004&Initiative=false&Year=2023> - Providing early registration at institutions of higher education for military students.

  *   Requires institutions of higher education that provide early course registration to allow students who are eligible veterans, national guard members, active duty military members, and their spouses, domestic partners, and dependents early course registration.
  *   This has been moved forward to a second reading 1/23/24

House Bill 2077<https://app.leg.wa.gov/billsummary?BillNumber=2077&Initiative=false&Year=2023> - Concerning participation in the Washington guaranteed admission program.

  *   Requires all public-school districts that operate a high school and certain institutions of higher education to participate in the Washington Guaranteed Admissions Program (WAGAP).
  *   Provides students and parents and guardians an option to opt out of the WAGAP.
  *   Creates a notice to high school students detailing financial aid opportunities and career and technical pathways.
  *   This is scheduled for executive session in the House Committee on Postsecondary Education & Workforce on 1/30/24.

House Bill 2025<https://app.leg.wa.gov/billsummary?BillNumber=2025&Initiative=false&Year=2023> - Modifying placement and salary matching requirements for the state work-study program.

  *   Allows State Work-Study (SWS) community service placements and public and nonprofit employers that seek to increase postsecondary enrollment for high school students to receive more than 80 percent reimbursement of student wages.
  *   Grants the Office of Student Financial Assistance (Office) broader authority to implement SWS.
  *   This has been moved forward to appropriations 1/23/24

House Bill 2112<https://app.leg.wa.gov/billsummary?BillNumber=2112&Initiative=false&Year=2023> - Concerning opioid and fentanyl prevention education and awareness at institutions of higher education. (HOT)

(Special thanks to VPSS's Claire Peinado and Rob Cox consulting on this bill)

  *   Requires public and private institutions of higher education to provide opioid and fentanyl prevention education and awareness to all students.
  *   Requires public and private institutions of higher education to make naloxone and fentanyl strips available to students on campus.
  *   Requires public and private institutions of higher education to provide education and training on administering naloxone to staff working in residence halls.
  *   Referred to Appropriations. Bill Amendments include:

     *   Requires added language the on good Samaritan statute
     *   Remove the requirement for fentanyl strips on campus
     *   Provides IHE may obtain NarCam through RCW (investigating partnership with HCA)

House Bill 2172<https://app.leg.wa.gov/billsummary?billnumber=2172&year=2023> - Providing for the use of vacant state agency property by a local government during an emergency. (HOT)

(Special thanks to VPSS's Patrick McEachern for support on this bill)

  *   Requires state agencies that own vacant properties within a qualifying city to lease those properties to the city for use during a declared emergency related to homelessness.
  *   This has been scheduled for public hearing in the House Committee on Capital Budget Feb 1.

House Bill 2214<https://app.leg.wa.gov/billsummary?BillNumber=2214&Initiative=false&Year=2023> / SB 6300 - Permitting beneficiaries of public assistance programs to automatically qualify as income-eligible for the purpose of receiving the Washington college grant.

  *   Expands demonstration of financial need for Washington College Grant (WCG) eligibility to include students who participate in Washington's Basic Food Program (Basic Food) or the Food Assistance Program (FAP).
  *   Referred to Approproation.

     *   Update includes implementation postponed to 2025-26
     *   Posted to 2027-28 for SNAP implementation.
     *   This has been moved forward to Capital Budget 1/22/24

House Bill 2221<https://app.leg.wa.gov/billsummary?BillNumber=2221&Initiative=false&Year=2023> - Establishing an American sign language and protactile sign language interpreter work group. (NEW)

  *   Directs the Office of the Deaf and Hard of Hearing within the Department of Social and Health Services to establish a workgroup dedicated to finding solutions to address shortage of qualified and certified American Sign Language interpreters and Protactile interpreters.
  *   This has been scheduled for executive session 1/26/2024.

House Bill 2242<https://app.leg.wa.gov/billsummary?BillNumber=2242&Initiative=false&Year=2023> - Supporting sexual assault survivors at institutions of higher education.

(Special thanks to VPSS Michele Waltz Consulting on this bill)

  *   Establishes a list of rights to which survivors of sexual harassment, sexual assault, and gender-based violence are entitled at institutions of higher education.
  *   Requires certain public institutions of higher education to establish a Student Health and Safety Committee.
  *   Requires public institutions of higher education to provide education on the Title IX reporting process and other resources available to survivors of sexual assault, sexual harassment, and gender-based violence.
  *   Provides that the Title IX process may not exceed 180 business days from the date a report of sexual assault, sexual harassment, or gender-based violence is reported.
  *   This has been scheduled for executive session 1/26/2024.

House Bill 2309<https://app.leg.wa.gov/billsummary?BillNumber=2309&Initiative=false&Year=2023> - Establishing the Washington 13 free guarantee. (HOT)

  *   Creates the Washington 13 Free Guarantee to provide up to 45 credits of tuition free community or technical college to eligible students regardless of income.
  *   This has been scheduled for executive session 1/26/2024.

House Bill 2374<https://app.leg.wa.gov/billsummary?BillNumber=2374&Initiative=false&Year=2023> - Establishing the Washington promise program. (HOT)

  *   Creates the Washington Promise Program to provide up to 90 credits of tuition-free community or technical college to eligible students.
  *   This has been scheduled executive session in the House Committee on Postsecondary Education & Workforce 1/30/2024.
  *

2S Senate Bill 5670<https://app.leg.wa.gov/billsummary?BillNumber=5670&Initiative=false&Year=2023> - Permitting 10th grade students to participate in running start in online settings.

  *   Permits 10th grade students to participate in online-only Running Start courses.
  *   Requires that 10th grade Running Start students take no more than five quarter credits per term, or the semester equivalent.
  *   Defines online courses as those in which the entirety of the course time is spent in a virtual setting or not in person.
  *   From last years session, this has been moved to Rules 1/8/24.

Senate Bill 5896<https://app.leg.wa.gov/billsummary?BillNumber=5896&Initiative=false&Year=2023> - Extending the terms of eligibility for financial aid programs.

  *   This bill did not receive a hearing - bill has died.

Senate Bill 5913<https://app.leg.wa.gov/billsummary?BillNumber=5913&Initiative=false&Year=2023> - Concerning communication between employees of state institutions of higher education and student athletes regarding name, image, and likeness use.

(Special thanks to NWAC Director Marco and VPSS Rob Cox consulting on this bill).

  *   Provides that the Ethics in Public Service Act does not prohibit the use of public resources by an employee of a state higher education institution to benefit any student athlete in advising, facilitation, acknowledgment, or education related to a matter involving name, image, and likeness.
  *   This has been placed on second reading 1/24/2024.

Senate Bill 5958<https://app.leg.wa.gov/billsummary?BillNumber=5958&Initiative=false&Year=2023> - Establishing the Washington career skills grant program.

  *   Establishes the Washington career skills grant program. Defines eligibility to include noncredit-bearing programs that are ineligible for federal or state aid.
  *   Requires an annual report that includes the types of programs served and pre- and post-credential wage data.
  *   Includes a sunset clause.
  *   Scheduled for executive session in the Senate Committee on Higher Education & Workforce Development 1/31/24.

Senate Bill 5999<https://app.leg.wa.gov/billsummary?BillNumber=5999&Initiative=false&Year=2023> - Expanding financial aid eligibility.

  *   Increases eligibility for the maximum Washington College Grant (WCG) award up to 70 percent of median family income.
  *   Modifies WCG awards for students between 71 and 100 percent of median family income.
  *   Entitles WCG students who are receiving the maximum WCG award, but who are not College Bound Scholarship recipients, to a bridge grant, which is an additional annual stipend for expenses beyond tuition and fees.
  *   Referred to Ways and Means 1/18/24.

Senate Bill 6053<https://app.leg.wa.gov/billsummary?BillNumber=6053&Year=2023&Initiative=false> - Improving equitable access to post-secondary education.

  *   Requires the Washington Student Achievement Council (WSAC) to enter into data-sharing agreements with the Office of the Superintendent of Public Instruction (OSPI) to facilitate the transfer of high school student directory information for informing high school students of postsecondary financial aid and educational opportunities available in the state.
  *   Allows a nonpublic university, college, school, or institute in the state of Washington that is a member institution of an accrediting association recognized by rule of the WSAC to enter into student data-sharing agreements with OSPI.
  *   Placed on second reading 1/24/2024.

Senate Bill 6103 -<https://app.leg.wa.gov/billsummary?BillNumber=6103&Initiative=false&Year=2023> Concerning free speech information for students at institutions of higher education.

  *   This would require incoming students to participate in a "free speech fundamentals workshop" offered by the college or university.
  *   This bill has not advanced.

Senate Bill 6104<https://app.leg.wa.gov/billsummary?BillNumber=6104&Initiative=false&Year=2023> - Adopting free speech policy statements at public institutions of higher education.

  *   This would require regents and trustees to adopt a free speech policy statement articulating certain principles that the institution will uphold, comparable to the University of Chicago principles<https://freeexpression.uchicago.edu/>.
  *   The University of Washington created a "freedom of expression"<https://www.washington.edu/freespeech/#:~:text=We%20believe%20that%20upholding%20the,essential%20to%20every%20institution%20of> web page.
  *   The Chronical just put out this Fostering Students Free Expression brief, attached.
  *   This bill has not advanced.

Senate Bill 6254<https://app.leg.wa.gov/billsummary?BillNumber=6254&Initiative=false&Year=2023> - Providing student navigational supports to increase postsecondary enrollment.  (HOT)
(Special thanks to VPSS Sue Orchard for consultation, President Matt Campbell for testifying; and Dual Credit Director Jamie T. for rocking coordination on this bill)

  *   Expands the financial aid completion program at the community and technical colleges to every educational service district and allows the college board to contract with outside entities including community-based organizations or tribal organizations depending on the needs of the district.
  *   Modifies the role of the financial aid outreach specialists to include student persistence.
  *   Creates a new financial aid certification program for secondary school teachers and counselors, higher education staff, and community partners and requires that the certification program be offered at no cost.
  *   Directs the Office of the Superintendent of Public Instruction, the Washington Student Achievement Council, and the Professional Educator Standards Board to explore whether completion of a financial aid certification program could be recognized as continuing education credits and what additional incentives should be provided to meet certificated professional goals.

     *   Wow, what a showing of support! Early in the morning Senate gathering related work session on HB 1835- Financial Aid Outreach Pilot, was presented by Peninsula President Suzie Ames, Columbia Basin Director Melanie Casciato, and SBCTC Policy Associate Yokiko Hayashi-Saguil (they rocked it!). Following the work session, Clover Park President Joyce Loveday and FA Director Celva Boon, Pierce-Fort Steilacoom President Matt Campbell, South Puget Sound Admission Specialists Anne Molenda and Masa Kawamura and student Chris Gandy, all testified on behalf of the 6254 bill. It was amazing to have such strong voice, an advocacy from our CTC's!

[Compass]
Lauren Hibbs, Ed.D
Director, Student Services
Washington State Board for Community and Technical Colleges
lhibbs at sbctc.edu*<mailto:lhibbs at sbctc.edu*> o: 360-704-4334 *
sbctc.edu<https://www.sbctc.edu/> * Twitter: @SBCTCWashington<https://twitter.com/SBCTCWashington> * Facebook: @WASBCTC<https://www.facebook.com/wasbctc/>

SBCTC Vision:

"Leading with racial equity, our colleges maximize student potential and transform lives within a culture of belonging that advances racial, social, and economic justice in service to our diverse communities."

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