House and Senate committees picked up the
pace on hearings after last week’s chamber cutoff date. House committees now
hear bills that passed the Senate, and Senate committees now hear bills that
passed the House. Community and technical college system request bills on
streamlining statutes and waiving fees for active duty military both received
hearings.
Senate
committee hears bills on veteran-spouse registration and fees
March
19 — The Senate
Higher Education Committee heard testimony on HB
1052, which would require colleges and
universities to offer early registration to spouses and domestic partners of
active duty service members. Scott
Copeland, SBCTC student affairs policy associate, testified in favor of the
measure.
“With a lot of the benefits, there is a
limited timeframe and you must take the courses that apply to your [certificate
or degree]. This would not be a big impact at all and it makes the most sense,”
he said.
Nick
Lutes, SBCTC operating budget director, testified
in favor of HB
1706, which would grant permissive waivers for
building and student activity fees for active duty military. The system request
bill would remove a financial burden on service members who, under Department
of Defense Tuition Assistance Program rules, must now pay out-of-pocket for
non-tuition expenses.
·
Copeland starts at 1:09:32
·
Lutes starts at 1:17
Minimum
credit hours for aid, resident requirements receive House Higher Education
hearing
March 18 — Currently, students may take as little as three credit
hours per quarter (or the semester equivalent) to receive or renew State Need
Grants. Already in effect under the budget, this threshold would become
permanent under SB 5638. Scott Copeland, SBCTC student affairs policy associate,
testified in favor of the measure.
“Life gets in the way sometimes and this allows [students] to keep
the momentum going,” he said.
The committee moved onto SSB 5355, which would
modify the definition of resident student to comply with federal requirements
established by the Veterans Access, Choice and Accountability Act of 2014.
Copeland testified in favor of the measure.
·
SB 5638 starts at 45:54
·
SSB 5355 starts at 50:40
Senate
Higher Education Committee hears budget detail bill
March 17 — Alison Grazzini, SBCTC legislative director, shared concerns about HB 1893 before the Senate
Higher Education Committee. The bill would require all of Washington’s 34
community and technical colleges to post online detailed budget information
about non-state appropriated funds, including ending fund balances.
“As you
know, our system of 34 colleges has always supported transparency in a variety
of ways,” Grazzini said. “This information is already posted on our website and
is available going years back. On students’ tuition statements we provide, by
college, all sources of revenue and how those funds are spent. The work under
this bill is new, it is real, and it has significant impact to our college
staff.”
House
committee hears Senate version of regulation cleanup bill
March 17 — Alison Grazzini testified before
the House Higher Education Committee
Tuesday in support of SB 5977. The community and technical college system request bill
would clean up statutes related to the colleges. It also expires old bonds,
defunded programs, pilots and waivers.
“It’s a good cleanup bill,” Grazzini said.
The bill unanimously passed the Senate March 4. Its
companion, HB 1961, unanimously passed the House March 2.
Coming
up next week
Next week, the Senate Law and Justice Committee will hear the community and
technical college system request bill on corrections education (HB
1704). Bills waiving fees for active duty
military members and streamlining statutes related to the colleges are
scheduled for committee hearings and votes.