Legislators return to Olympia, CTC priorities highlighted

Legislators were back in Olympia this week for Committee Days. This time each year, all committees in the House and Senate hold work sessions on a variety of topics to set the stage for the upcoming regular legislative session in January.

As always, community and technical colleges were in the spotlight with work sessions, testimony, and legislative outreach to discuss system initiatives and legislative priorities. Below are highlights from another great week.

CTCs meet workforce demands

The Senate Higher Education Committee held a work session yesterday to hear reports from various stakeholders about connecting services with the needs of Washington’s employers.

Tina Bloomer, SBCTC policy associate, the Washington Student Achievement Council (WSAC), and the Workforce Training and Education Coordinating Board, presented the Skilled and Education Workforce Report. Using statewide labor market data, this report assesses the status of degree production in Washington and identifies where skilled workers are needed.

Highlights of the report include wage disparities at varying education levels, the impact of education on unemployment rates, and how aligning curricula between K-12 and postsecondary better prepares students for competitive workforce demands.

Link to presentation.

Kathy Goebel, SBCTC policy associate, and Amy Johnson, Association of Washington Business (AWB) strategic consultant, jointly presented on partnerships between CTCs and businesses through the Centers of Excellence (COEs). With 10 centers across the state representing in-demand fields, COEs bridge the gap between education and employers while providing professional development, training, faculty exchanges, program content development and review, and real-time economic information of local industries.

 

In early 2013, the SBCTC partnered with AWB to host skills gap forums statewide to share information about creating pipelines to better connect skilled workers with in-demand jobs. Participants discussed emerging employer needs, updated economic data, and how CTCs can help build curricula to narrow skills gaps and contribute to a healthy state economy. Outcomes from these forums can be found here.

 

Link to presentation.

 

David Prince, SBCTC research and analysis director, presented on the critical need touse current data to inform policy decisions throughout the CTC system and beyond. Prince described the type of data produced and how it’s shared between CTCs, higher education institutions, workforce agencies, and others.

 

CTCs use data to identify areas of need for colleges and to ensure students continue to have resources to reach their higher education goals. Examples include matching employment records, tracking student progression as courses are completed, and compiling program participation information. Discussions continue as needs evolve with a rapidly changing economy, in how to better collect data and share with partners statewide.

 

Link to presentation.

 

Link to hearing.

 

Legislators hearing CTC priorities

The House Higher Education Committee held a work session this morning to hear the legislative priorities from Washington’s higher education stakeholders.

Marty Brown, SBCTC executive director, and Alison Grazzini Smith, SBCTC legislative director, presented the 2014 CTC system legislative priorities which include funding for high-demand enrollments, the Student Achievement Initiative, the MESA community college program, faculty compensation, severfal capital construction projects, and support for HB 1429 which expands postsecondary education in corrections institutions statewide.

Committee members also heard presentations from WSAC regarding the Roadmap Plan that identities Washington state educational goals for the next 10 years. Details of the Roadmap Plan can be found here. The Council of Presidents also presented its legislative priorities for the 2014 session.

Link to hearing.

Legislative outreach

To further build critical support for CTC priorities, meetings were held with key legislators and legislative staff to communicate the system’s legislative requests for the upcoming session. With recent election results, there will be a number of new legislators and legislative staff coming to Olympia in the next few months. This means additional outreach opportunities to demonstrate how community and technical colleges play a key role in elevating the lives of students, employers, and Washington’s economy.

 

Future editions

Legislative News will continue to be published as legislative activities occur that impact community and technical colleges. It will be published multiple times each week when the Legislature convenes January 13.

Special Session, CTC Students Descend on Olympia

What do aerospace training, high-demand jobs and a special legislative session have in common? Community and technical colleges!

While legislators gathered in a surprise special session this week to support Washington’s aerospace industry, more than 200 community and technical college students gathered in Olympia to learn about the legislative process and how to communicate with lawmakers. Below are highlights from this very busy, very productive week.

Special legislative session

A three-day special session came to a close on Saturday, Nov. 9 with new legislation to advance Washington’s position as a world leader in aerospace. Two workforce bills were approved to help secure Boeing production of the 777x here in Washington and support the thousands of other employers who build our state’s aerospace industry. Gov. Inslee signed both bills into law at on Monday, Nov. 11.

Link to bill signings.

House Bill 2088, unanimously passed in both the House and Senate, provides additional enrollments and facility space for aerospace training. The bill includes:

·       $8 million for an additional 1,000 full-time equivalent students in the 2014-15 school year. SBCTC and the Aerospace and Advanced Materials Manufacturing Pipeline Advisory Committee will collaborate in determining training locations to ensure programs are connected with industry needs.

·       $500,000 to develop a fabrication composite wing training program for current aerospace workers at the Washington Aerospace Training and Research Center (WATR) operated by Edmonds Community College. In addition, $1.5 million in capital funds will be used to modify the WATR Center and purchase specialized equipment.

·       $5 million in capital funds will be allocated to the Department of Commerce for the Renton Aerospace Training Center currently being developed by the City of Renton at the Renton Municipal Airport. Renton Technical College will train aerospace workers at this facility.

Marty Brown, SBCTC executive director, testified before the House Appropriations Committee in support of HB 2088 saying, “We very much appreciate the Governor’s confidence in our system’s proven ability to produce the quality workforce our state needs… Given this lead time, we will work to find enough quality faculty and staff to fill these highly technical positions and ensure we have the appropriate equipment to train our students…”

 

Larry Brown, Aerospace Machinists legislative and political director and SBCTC board member, also testified in support, “... The community and technical colleges is an outstanding investment… We have a window of opportunity to make these investments and get these folks there so they can replace people that will retire shortly. I urge your support for this investment in workforce training for aerospace.”

 

Link to testimony (beginning at 35:00).

 

Others testifying in support included Larry Cluphf, Edmonds Community College WATR Center; Carol Weigand, Spokane Community College; and Alex Pietsch, Governor’s Office for Aerospace.

 

The Legislature also passed Senate Bill 5952 that extends aerospace tax preferences until 2040 and expands the sales and use tax exemption to construct new facilities for superefficient airplane manufacturing.

 

Marty Brown, SBCTC executive director testified in support of SB 5952, “We have 24 colleges designated as aerospace colleges; eleven of those are participants in the AIR Washington grant. Last year, system-wide, we granted nearly 6,000 degrees and certificates in 20 different aerospace-related fields… We appreciate your support…”

 

Others testifying in support include Larry Brown, Aerospace Machinists and SBCTC board member; Larry Cluphf, Edmonds Community College WATR Center; Carol Weigand, Spokane Community College; and Alex Pietsch, Governor’s Office for Aerospace.

 

Link to testimony (beginning at 1:49:23).

 

Student Legislative Academy

Nov. 8-9 marked the annual Student Legislative Academy, where students from community and technical colleges across the state descend on Olympia to learn how to navigate the legislative process and set to work crafting an advocacy plan for their legislative agenda. Student priorities for the 2014 legislative session include funding and financial aid for undocumented students.

Marty Brown, SBCTC executive director, kicked off the two-day event with a legislative overview, along with Alison Grazzini Smith, SBCTC legislative director. Students also heard from industry panelists including Ricardo Sanchez, Latino Educational Achievement Project; Emily Murphy, OneAmerica; Marc Webster and Rachelle Sharpe, WA Student Achievement Council; Nick Lutes, SBCTC; John Boesenberg, SBCTC; and Karen Strickland, WA American Federation of Teachers, AFL-CIO.

Dr. Amy Morrison Goings, Lake Washington Institute of Technology president, shared successful advocacy strategies for meeting with legislators.

Tom Campbell, Green River Community College trustee, informed students about the important role of trustees and the collaborative approach necessary to advocate for the community and technical college system. Kim Tanaka, Trustees Association of Community and Technical Colleges administrator, also addressed students about the trustee confirmation process, how to engage trustees in outreach, and the importance of attending local board meetings.

During the busy special session, legislators stopped by to discuss the state of higher education and answer students’ questions. Representatives Ross Hunter, D-Bellevue; Larry Seaquist, D-Gig Harbor; Hans Zeiger, R-Puyallup; Chris Reykdal, D-Tumwater; and Drew Hansen, D-Bainbridge Island shared their views and brainstormed ways students can make their voices heard come January.

Link to additional materials.

Upcoming activities

With the special session over, the House and Senate will shift gears and focus on Committee Days scheduled for November 21-22 in Olympia. An annual event, all House and Senate committees hold work sessions on various topics that may lead to legislation during the regular legislative session beginning January 13.

Future editions

Legislative News will be published periodically as system-wide legislative activities and impacting community and technical colleges occur. It will be published multiple times each week during the start of the regular legislative session.

Higher education hits the road, CTCs highlighted

Higher education was back in the spotlight last week as committees met to discuss issues impacting colleges and students – access, affordability, workforce needs, and economic demand. The CTC system was well represented by presidents, trustees, faculty, students, and staff, who demonstrated how CTCs create tomorrow’s workforce through academic excellence. Below are highlights from last week’s higher education meetings.

Joint Higher Education Task Force meeting

Created in 2012 under House Bill 2483, the Joint Higher Education Task Force is comprised of five legislators and is responsible for evaluating the work of the Washington Student Achievement Council (WSAC).

Gene Sharratt, WSAC executive director, provided a status update on the Ten-Year Roadmap for Washington’s higher education system. The final Roadmap is due to the Legislature in December 2013.

WSAC councilmembers also presenting were Karen Lee, Ray Lawton, Paul Francis, and Rai Nauman Mumtaz.

Link to committee materials.

House Higher Ed hits the road

Chair Larry Seaquist, D-Gig Harbor, took the House Higher Education Committee on a tour of several colleges and universities in Eastern Washington. CTCs included were Walla Walla, Columbia Basin, and Yakima Valley. Presidents, trustees, faculty, students, and staff presented and participated in committee hearings, tours, and meetings illustrating the important role CTCs play in providing high-quality postsecondary education.

Walla Walla Community College: September 18

On Wednesday, September 18, legislators spent the day in Walla Walla learning how innovative local partnerships contribute to student success, retention and completion in the CTC system. Conversation also focused on higher education’s partnership with industry to help close skill gaps in the workforce.

David Prince, SBCTC research director, presented statewide findings on student completion and retention rates. Through the CTC performance funding mechanism -- the Student Achievement Initiative -- student success has grown and remained steady over recent years. In addition, data shows students succeed at an even higher level when they have access to financial aid (e.g. the State Need Grant).

Link to presentation.

Steve VanAusdle, Walla Walla Community College president, illustrated how higher education is meeting industry needs and boosting the state’s economy. President VanAusdle shared how creating jobs, increasing wages and balancing today’s societal challenges leads to economic prosperity for future generations. He also noted that investing in CTCs leads to job growth, a more skilled workforce, and healthier local economies. 

Link to presentation.

Also presenting: Josh Wyner, The Aspen Institute; Wendy Samitore, Walla Walla Community College; Kristi Wellington-Baker, Walla Walla Community College; Clare Carson, Whitman College; Sarah Swager, Central Washington University; Bill Clemens, Pacific Power/Eastern Washington Workforce Development Council; and Dr. Joe Small, Walla Walla Community College.

 

Columbia Basin College: September 19

Legislators visited the Health Sciences Center in Richland, WA on Thursday, September 19, to hear how higher education is aligning with K-12 and responding to the evolving needs of the health care industry.

Bill Moore, SBCTC Core to College director, Jim Brady, Spokane Falls Community College faculty, and others discussed how K-12 and CTCs are partnering on the Smarter Balanced assessment test and the Common Core State Standards. Faculty and staff across the state are working to create a seamless transition for college-bound high school students, especially in the area of math.

Link to presentation.

Edward Esparza, SBCTC policy associate, updated the committee on implementation of 2SSB 5624 – creating applied baccalaureate STEM degrees in alignment with K-12. Under the bill, passed during the 2013 legislative session, SBCTC was allocated $500,000 in one-time funding to create two BAS degree programs tied to STEM fields. After an internal request for proposal process, five CTCs were selected: Bellevue, Cascadia, Green River, Olympic, and Renton Technical.

Mary Hoerner, Columbia Basin College nursing director, led a presentation describing how CTCs contribute to a robust medical workforce. Hoerner demonstrated that the medical field is as diverse as the student population Columbia Basin serves – from registered nurses, licensed practical nurses, medical assistants and others, CTCs are creating multiple pathways that result in living wage jobs.

Link to presentation.

Rich Cummins, Columbia Basin College president, provided a tour of the Health Sciences Center to demonstrate how students apply classroom knowledge in a hands-on learning environment.

Also presenting: Jesse Nelson, Central Washington University; Melissa Pettey, Spokane Public Schools; Eleni Papadakis, Workforce Training and Coordinating Board; Kristen Fox, Kadlec Health System; John Roll, Washington State University; Keith Watson, Pacific Northwest University of Health Sciences; Christina Nyirati, Heritage University; and Linda Dale, Heritage University.

Yakima Valley Community College: September 20

The final day of the tour landed legislators at Yakima Valley Community College where panelists provided an update on diversity and service to underrepresented students in Washington’s higher education system.

Linda Kaminski, Yakima Valley Community College president, discussed student demographics and college resources that lead to student success including access to in-demand programs, advising, and financial aid.

Tomas Ybarra, Yakima Valley Community College vice president of instruction and student services, along with Elizabeth DeVilleneuve and Matthew Loeser both YVCC faculty, provided an overview of how YVCC is serving underrepresented students. Using data and ongoing student feedback, college services are continually evolving to meet students’ needs. More underrepresented students are enrolling in college, including in high-demand STEM fields, thanks to partnerships with local educational service districts, CTC advising services, student clubs and online learning.

Link to presentations.

Also presenting: Randy Spaulding, WSAC; Sheila Edwards Lange, University of Washington; Enrique Morales, University of Washington; Marc Robinson, Washington State University; Olivia Gutierrez, Heritage University; Miriam Bocchetti, College Assistance Migrant Program (CAMP); and John Swiney, Central Washington University.

Upcoming activities

The House and Senate will hold committee assembly November 21 – 22 in Olympia. Committee assembly days is an annual event where all House and Senate committees hold work sessions on various topics that may lead to legislation in the upcoming session.

Future editions

Legislative News will be published periodically during the legislative interim as system-wide legislative activities and other events impacting community and technical colleges occur.

Legislature adjourns; governor signs budgets

It’s over! The state Legislature adjourned Saturday night, bringing an end to six months of work and tense budget negotiations that raised fears of a government shutdown. Gov. Jay Inslee quickly signed the 2013-2015 operating and capital budgets, sending a wave of relief through Olympia – until the Legislature reconvenes in January.

Operating budget

After years of debilitating budget cuts, higher education fared well in the 2013-2015 operating budget, particularly considering the Legislature had to solve a $1.2 billion budget deficit and add $1 billion to K-12. The budget drew applause from 2-year and 4-year institutions alike.
 

“Our 34 community and technical colleges will pay back this investment many times over by providing the real-world training and education students need and employers demand,” said Marty Brown, SBCTC executive director. “As the economy continues to rebound, we urge lawmakers to continue this positive momentum. All Washingtonians benefit when graduates bring their skills and purchasing power to our shared economy.”
 

Highlights for CTCs include:

· State funding level: Overall, state funding increased from $585 million in the current fiscal year (FY 2013) to $638 million in FY 14 and $637 million in FY 15. This is a 9 percent increase over current year levels.

· Tuition: Resident tuition was frozen for the 2013-2014 academic year. For the 2014-15 academic year, the State Board may decrease, increase, or make no change to tuition levels. If the State Board increases tuition, colleges must put more money into financial aid.

· Institutional support: The Legislature invested state dollars to help replace the revenue potentially generated by a tuition increase. The budget includes $18.5 million in new money each year ($37 million total) for “additional institutional support” with no additional legislative requirements attached.

· Student Achievement Initiative: $5.25 million each year ($10.5 million total) was provided for the Student Achievement Initiative.

· Restoration of one-time reductions: $9 million per year was provided to partially restore general reductions taken in the 2011-13 biennium.

· Restoration of 3 percent reduction in compensation costs: $15 million each year was provided to restore the 3 percent reduction in compensation costs taken in the 2011-13 biennium.

· Legislative enrollment target: No change from current target of 139,237.

Individual legislator requests include:

· $200,000 for expanded duties for the Aerospace Center of Excellence at Everett.

· $362,000 for an internet technology integration program at the Opportunity Center at North Seattle.

· $510,000 for the Vigor maritime training center at South Seattle.

· $500,000 to implement SB 5624 calling for two coordinated STEM or career technical education bachelor’s degrees of the CTC system’s choosing.

· $4.8 million was included in the Department of Commerce budget to “establish and operate a community health care, education and innovation center at the Pacific Hospital in Seattle. Funds must be used for lease, maintenance, operations, and other related expenses for Seattle community colleges’ allied health programs and other uses identified by the department.”

A side-by-side comparison shows the final operating budget compared with earlier versions.

Capital budget

The 2013-2015 capital budget funds every project requested by the CTC system in priority order, down to but not including construction of Olympic College Instruction Center.

· Major construction projects were funded 11 percent to 16 percent below the requested levels, which is right in the middle of the previous House and Senate proposals.

· Major design projects were reduced 6 percent to 43 percent, similar to the previous House proposal.

· Minor program improvement projects are funded at 15 percent below the requested levels.

· The capital budget authorizes all alternatively financed projects and a long-term lease for Spokane as requested.

· The building fee appropriations are consistent with the revenue expected without a tuition increase.

A comparison shows the final operating budget compared with earlier versions.

Future editions

Legislative News will be published as legislative-related information regarding CTCs arises. Stay tuned! 

Special session looms; trustees and board appointment wrap-up

The 105-day regular legislative session ended Sine Die on April 28 without agreement on the state’s two-year operating and capital budgets.

The Legislature will reconvene for a special session beginning next Monday, May 13, at 9 a.m. While the state constitution requires the Governor to call the Legislature back to work for a period no longer than 30 days, the bodies many adjourn sooner if a budget deal is struck.

During special session, all bills previously introduced during regular session may be considered again, new bills may be introduced, and there are no cut-off deadlines for bills considered.

Trustee and State Board appointments confirmed by Senate

One of the responsibilities of the Senate is to confirm appointments of community and technical college trustees and members of the State Board for Community and Technical Colleges. The appointments are made by the Governor and then referred to the Senate for confirmation.

When it was all said and done, 58 two-year college trustees and one State Board members were confirmed during the 2013 regular session.

Jim Bricker was reappointed and confirmed to the State Board for Community and Technical Colleges.

Trustees confirmed during their first term Lisa Chin, Bellevue College; Debbie Ahl and Jim Groves, Bellingham Technical College; Anna Franz and Miguel Villarreal, Big Bend Community College; Janet McDaniel, Cascadia Community College; Faaluaina ( Lua) Pritchard, Clover Park Technical College; Kedrich Jackson, Columbia Basin College; Ed Morgan, Community Colleges of Spokane; Diana Clay, Edmonds Community College; Bob Bolerjack and Janet Kusler, Everett Community College; Arthur Blauvelt and Denise Portmann, Grays Harbor College; Mark Albertson, Green River Community College; Neil Johnson and Darrell Mitsunaga, Lake Washington Institute of Technology; Steve Vincent, Lower Columbia College; Jim Page, Olympic College; Lawrence (Mike) Glenn, Peninsula College; Angela Roarty and Steve Smith, Pierce College District; Susan Palmer, Renton Technical College; Courtney Gregoire, Seattle Community Colleges; Phillip Barrett, Shoreline Community College; Lindsey Fiker and Christon Skinner, Skagit Valley College; Judith Hartmann, South Puget Sound Community College; Darcey Fugman-Small and Donald McQuary, Walla Walla Community College; Tamra Jackson, Wenatchee Valley College.

Trustees reappointed and confirmed:

Karen Seinfeld, Theresa Pan Hosley, and Calvin Pearson, Bates Technical College; Vicki Orrico, Bellevue College; James Cunningham, Bellingham Technical College; Louis Mendoza, Cascadia Community College; Joe Dolezal, Centralia College; Mark Martinez, Clover Park Technical College; Greg Bever, Community Colleges of Spokane; Rebecca Chaffee, Grays Harbor College; Lynnette Jones and Bruce Reid, Lake Washington Institute of Technology; Thuy Vo, Lower Columbia College; Beverly Cheney and Darlene Peters, Olympic College; Dwayne Johnson, Michael Maxwell, and Julie McCulloch, Peninsula College; Amadeo Tiam, Pierce College District; Brian (Kirby) Unti, Renton Technical College; Roger Olstad, Shoreline Community College; John Stephens, Skagit Valley College; Robert Ryan, Tacoma Community College; Miguel Sanchez, Walla Walla Community College; Sue Cole, Chuck Robinson, and Barbara Rofkar, Whatcom Community College.

Names of any trustees not receiving confirmation this session will be resubmitted for confirmation before the Senate, either during special session or during the 2014 regular session.

Bills signed by the Governor

Bills passed during the regular session continue to be signed into law by the Governor. The Bill Watch List provides greater detail on bills tracked during the regular session and will continue to be updated as action is taken.

Future editions

Legislative News will be published during special session as state leaders make decisions, hold committee hearings, or discuss topics important to the community and technical college system. Stay tuned!

Sunday is Sine Die, special session looms

The Legislature is set to adjourn Sunday, but a special session is all but certain as budget negotiations continue. The state constitution requires the Governor to call the Legislature back to work for a period no longer than 30 days. The question on everyone’s mind is, “when?”

As budget writers meet behind closed doors, legislative work continues. The House Higher Education Committee heard testimony from the Washington Student Achievement Council and college students. In addition, Gov. Inslee signed into law five bills impacting community and technical colleges.

WSAC, students focus on priorities

Washington State must take an unflinching look at higher education and have the courage for tough conversations. That was the key message delivered by Washington Student Achievement Council (WSAC) members at a House Higher Education work session on Tuesday.

Brian Baird, former WSAC chairman, began by highlighting success stories heard during the council’s ten-city listening tour. Among them: the responsive nature of Washington’s community and technical college system.

“If you look at the diversity of challenges that (community and technical colleges) face and their responsiveness to local needs and community needs, it’s really quite impressive,” Baird said. “I think that’s an example, in part, of the structure and mission of the community colleges, and it may also have something to do with the overall way that organization as a whole is organized and structured statewide, and it’s worth looking at that.”

Baird encouraged the Legislature to foresee on-line learning’s impact on traditional “bricks and mortar” institutions in terms of enrollments, costs, financial aid, and Guaranteed Education Tuition (GET). He also said colleges and universities should be able to answer three questions:

·        What actions do you systematically take to assess the skills, knowledge, competencies and character needed when people graduate?

·        How do you ensure your curriculum imbues students with those skills and knowledge?

·        How do you assess that they actually got (those skills and knowledge) before they graduate?

Baird recommended researching a randomly selected group of students statewide to determine whether they’re learning what they need to know in college.

Jay Reich, former WSAC member, said Washington’s higher education system is complex and driven by conflicting or ambiguous goals. He encouraged local communities and the state to be “patient, disciplined, and steadfast both in encouraging change and in being willing to assess our impacts with an incredible amount of honesty and courage.”

Reich pointed out that the system is characterized by fundamental and honest disagreements about needed competencies, strategies, and priorities.

Rep. Norma Smith, R-Clinton, stressed that Washington needs all levels of higher education, not just bachelor’s degrees.

“Those young people are as important to our economy as that young person who is going to attend a four-year institution,” Smith said. “We in the state have extraordinary opportunities to continue to have a robust production center, but it’s going to take a change in thinking. Those kids aren’t something less. They bring their own talents, their own giftedness, their own creativity and experience that we all need.”

Kailene Sparrs, Clover Park Technical College student and Washington Community and Technical College Student Association chair, highlighted the importance of keeping higher education affordable and accessible.

“We want to make sure that education remains or becomes more affordable and accessible to everyone of all demographics,” Sparrs said, pointing out that CTCs serve a higher percentage of low-income, first-generation, single-parent students and students of color.

“If we want to raise how many people in this state are capable of going out and getting a job to support their families, then we need to make sure they can get into higher education. And for many people in this state, community and technical colleges are the open door to a better future.”

Sparrs encouraged lawmakers to provide protected, dedicated funding to make higher education a “cultural priority.”

University of Washington students urged lawmakers to keep tuition affordable, restrict differential tuition, and expand financial aid programs for graduate and professional students.

Link to work session on TVW.

CTC bills signed into law by governor

Early registration for military
HB 1109 (Appleton) requires colleges to have a process in place by the 2013-14 academic year to offer early registration for veterans or National Guard members.

High school equivalency exams
SHB 1686 (Seaquist) replaces “general equivalency diploma” with “high school equivalency” to provide flexibility in test options.

Aligning high-demand secondary STEM or career and technical education programs with applied BA programs
2SSB 5624 (McAuliffe) creates a high school-to-community and technical college STEM pathway by requiring the further development of STEM-specific applied baccalaureate programs, subject to available funding.

Multiple measures of assessment for placement
SB 5712 (Kohl-Welles) encourages colleges to use multiple measures to determine whether a student must enroll in a pre-college course and to post all available options for course placement on their web sites and admissions materials.

Sip and Spit
SSB 5774 (Hewitt) creates a special permit to allow tasting of alcohol by individuals who are at least 18 years old enrolled in a culinary, wine technology, beer technology, or spirituous technology-related degree program.

Preview of next edition

Based on pending action by the Legislature, next week's edition of LegNews will provide information on bills waiting to be signed by the Governor and news about a potential special session.

Sunday is Sine Die, special session looms

The Legislature is set to adjourn Sunday, but a special session is all but certain as budget negotiations continue. The state constitution requires the Governor to call the Legislature back to work for a period no longer than 30 days. The question on everyone’s mind is, “when?”

As budget writers meet behind closed doors, legislative work continues. The House Higher Education Committee heard testimony from the Washington Student Achievement Council and college students. In addition, Gov. Inslee signed into law five bills impacting community and technical colleges.

WSAC, students focus on priorities

Washington State must take an unflinching look at higher education and have the courage for tough conversations. That was the key message delivered by Washington Student Achievement Council (WSAC) members at a House Higher Education work session on Tuesday.

Brian Baird, former WSAC chairman, began by highlighting success stories heard during the council’s ten-city listening tour. Among them: the responsive nature of Washington’s community and technical college system.

“If you look at the diversity of challenges that (community and technical colleges) face and their responsiveness to local needs and community needs, it’s really quite impressive,” Baird said. “I think that’s an example, in part, of the structure and mission of the community colleges, and it may also have something to do with the overall way that organization as a whole is organized and structured statewide, and it’s worth looking at that.”

Baird encouraged the Legislature to foresee on-line learning’s impact on traditional “bricks and mortar” institutions in terms of enrollments, costs, financial aid, and Guaranteed Education Tuition (GET). He also said colleges and universities should be able to answer three questions:

·        What actions do you systematically take to assess the skills, knowledge, competencies and character needed when people graduate?

·        How do you ensure your curriculum imbues students with those skills and knowledge?

·        How do you assess that they actually got (those skills and knowledge) before they graduate?

Baird recommended researching a randomly selected group of students statewide to determine whether they’re learning what they need to know in college.

Jay Reich, former WSAC member, said Washington’s higher education system is complex and driven by conflicting or ambiguous goals. He encouraged local communities and the state to be “patient, disciplined, and steadfast both in encouraging change and in being willing to assess our impacts with an incredible amount of honesty and courage.”

Reich pointed out that the system is characterized by fundamental and honest disagreements about needed competencies, strategies, and priorities.

Rep. Norma Smith, R-Clinton, stressed that Washington needs all levels of higher education, not just bachelor’s degrees.

“Those young people are as important to our economy as that young person who is going to attend a four-year institution,” Smith said. “We in the state have extraordinary opportunities to continue to have a robust production center, but it’s going to take a change in thinking. Those kids aren’t something less. They bring their own talents, their own giftedness, their own creativity and experience that we all need.”

Kailene Sparrs, Clover Park Technical College student and Washington Community and Technical College Student Association chair, highlighted the importance of keeping higher education affordable and accessible.

“We want to make sure that education remains or becomes more affordable and accessible to everyone of all demographics,” Sparrs said, pointing out that CTCs serve a higher percentage of low-income, first-generation, single-parent students and students of color.

“If we want to raise how many people in this state are capable of going out and getting a job to support their families, then we need to make sure they can get into higher education. And for many people in this state, community and technical colleges are the open door to a better future.”

Sparrs encouraged lawmakers to provide protected, dedicated funding to make higher education a “cultural priority.”

University of Washington students urged lawmakers to keep tuition affordable, restrict differential tuition, and expand financial aid programs for graduate and professional students.

Link to work session on TVW.

CTC bills signed into law by governor

Early registration for military
HB 1109 (Appleton) requires colleges to have a process in place by the 2013-14 academic year to offer early registration for veterans or National Guard members.

High school equivalency exams
SHB 1686 (Seaquist) replaces “general equivalency diploma” with “high school equivalency” to provide flexibility in test options.

Aligning high-demand secondary STEM or career and technical education programs with applied BA programs
2SSB 5624 (McAuliffe) creates a high school-to-community and technical college STEM pathway by requiring the further development of STEM-specific applied baccalaureate programs, subject to available funding.

Multiple measures of assessment for placement
SB 5712 (Kohl-Welles) encourages colleges to use multiple measures to determine whether a student must enroll in a pre-college course and to post all available options for course placement on their web sites and admissions materials.

Sip and Spit
SSB 5774 (Hewitt) creates a special permit to allow tasting of alcohol by individuals who are at least 18 years old enrolled in a culinary, wine technology, beer technology, or spirituous technology-related degree program.

Preview of next edition

Based on pending action by the Legislature, next week's edition of LegNews will provide information on bills waiting to be signed by the Governor and news about a potential special session.

Another bill deadline approaches, committees discuss interim plans

Today is the 93^rd day of session and the Legislature is busy! It’s a mad dash for legislators to pass bills in both chambers before tonight’s 5 p.m. deadline. Budget negotiations continue as the House and Senate come to a consensus on how to close the large budget shortfall.

Some legislative committees have already shifted focus to post-session—or “interim”—holding work sessions and creating plans for the rest of the year. Community and technical colleges continue to be in the forefront of legislative action.

Post-session planning begins

The House Higher Education Committee held a work session Tuesday about issues for members to focus on before the next legislative session begins in January.

Rep. Larry Seaquist, D-Gig Harbor, asked higher education institutions and stakeholders to provide ideas to help shape proposed legislation in the future.

Marty Brown, SBCTC executive director, testified that organizing interim work around the Washington Student Achievement Council’s Ten-Year Roadmap would benefit the community and technical colleges by elevating important issues such as the State Need Grant and online learning. WSAC’s Roadmap focuses on five key areas in the higher education system:

·       Readiness

·       Affordability

·       Institutional capacity and student success

·       Capturing the potential of technology

·       Stable and accountable funding

Other higher education stakeholders testified about interim planning including Paul Francis, Council of Presidents interim executive director, and Bryan Wilson, Workforce Board executive director. The committee will continue planning for interim during another work session next week.

Link to work session on TVW.

Job Skills Program bill passes

Substitute House Bill 1247 was passed unanimously out of the Senate during last night’s floor debate. This bill is now on its way to the Governor’s desk for his signature.

SHB 1247 makes it easier for small businesses wanting to participate in the SBCTC-administered Job Skills Program, by eliminating the dollar-for-dollar match requirement. Small businesses are now only required to pay salary and benefits while employees benefit from customized training.

Link to Senate floor debate (begins at 19:40).

Floor cut-off tonight

The deadline for bills being considered in opposite chambers is 5 p.m. tonight. To advance further in the legislative process, bills have to be voted out of the House or Senate.

Preview of next edition

The Friday edition of Legislative News will provide a summary of bills still in play after tonight’s bill deadline and other relevant news for community and technical colleges.

Budget talks heat up, CTC bills delivered to Governor

The House and Senate released operating and capital budget proposals this week while the April 9 fiscal committee cut-off further winnowed bills left alive this session.

Capital budget proposals released

All three capital proposals — Governor, Senate, and House — fund every project the CTC system requested in priority order, down to — but not including — construction of the Olympic College Instruction Center.

Senate capital budget proposal

The Senate Ways and Means Committee approved its version of the capital budget on Thursday. PSSB 5035 funds minor program and major construction projects at about 15 percent below the levels requested by SBCTC. (The Governor’s proposal reduced major construction project funding by about five percent.)

All of the system’s alternatively financed projects were approved as requested.

The Building Fee appropriations in the Senate proposal exceeds by about $20 million what the system expects to collect under the Senate operating budget proposal. This effectively commits future revenue to the projects in 2013-15.

In a public hearing earlier in the week, Nancy McKinney, South Puget Sound Community College vice president of administrative services, explained why decreased funding will harm important projects students need.  

“As many of you know, (community and technical colleges have) developed an inclusive and rigorous selection process to prioritize our capital needs. [Our approach] allows us to adapt buildings to meet the changing needs in our communities and address skill gaps as they arise,” McKinney said. “We appreciate you following the priorities we provided, but we are very concerned about funding projects below their estimated costs. The capital budget for this biennium also reduced funding for major construction projects 15 percent below our requested level and I happen to have one of those projects — the Learning Resource Center — on my campus… the reduced funding has really made this project challenging to manage.”

Link to testimony (begins at 1:18:30).

House capital budget proposal

This morning (Friday), the House Capital Budget Committee adopted its version of the capital budget, PSHB 1089. It may be acted upon early next week.

Highlight of bill provisions:

·       The House proposal funds the system’s major construction projects eight to 15 percent below their estimated costs.

·       The major design projects are reduced by six to 43 percent.

·       The House authorized all of the system’s alternatively financed projects as requested.

·       The Building Fee appropriations are $4 million less than the revenue expected from the House proposed tuition increases.

In a public hearing earlier in the week, David Mitchell, Olympic College president, thanked the committee for following the system’s prioritized list, but voiced concern that the proposal reduces funding for contingencies and neglects to account for inflation in the design phase.

“It has been our experience that we need 10 percent contingency for new construction and 15 percent for renovation projects. [This proposal] provides only half of that. We also are concerned that there is no inflation accounted for in the design,” Mitchell said. “And there is still an opportunity to fund a construction project at Olympic College that will house a wide range of programs including training for health occupations.”

Operating Budget Proposal

At the time this blog was posted, the House just passed its version of the operating budget. The House Appropriations Committee earlier added $10 million in new funding for the Student Achievement Initiative and adopted four other technical amendments the CTC system requested.

The House proposed budget does not provide the level of additional investments contained in the Senate or Governor proposals. It offers modest reductions to funding for other state agencies, eliminates multiple tax exemptions, and extends temporary taxes established in the current biennium.

In addition, the spending plan:

·       Restores funding related to the three percent salary reduction and one-time budget reductions taken in 2011-13.

·       Makes an investment in the Student Achievement Initiative of $10 million for the biennium from existing funds (in addition to the $10 million in new money, described above).

·       Provides authority for annual tuition increases of three percent.

·       Invests $1.9 million per year to increase enrollments in aerospace and STEM programs.

·       Includes $255,000 per year to support and operate a center at South Seattle Community College to provide training to students in maritime industries.

·       Includes $362,000 for the ‘internet technology integration project’ at the Opportunity Center for Employment and Education at North Seattle Community College.

·       Provides $200,000 per year to support the Labor Education Center at South Seattle.

·       Provides a one-time investment of $75,000 to implement provisions of 2nd Substitute House Bill 1680 - Educational Opportunity Gap.

·       Approves several collective bargaining agreements.

·       Maintains current Running Start program assumptions.

·       Does not fund I-732 increases to salary.

In public testimony earlier in the week, Ed Brewster, Grays Harbor College president, thanked the House for investing in higher education and requested that the final budget reflect priorities outlined in the Senate budget proposal.

“Thank you for the support that you have provided to community and technical colleges. We encourage you to meet the funding levels provided in the Senate budget. The Senate proposal … [includes] an additional $26 million in new funding for our performance-based Student Achievement Initiative. We ask that the final budget reflect these priorities so that our system continues to move students into good jobs and even higher levels of education,” Brewster said.

Judy Hartman, South Puget Sound Community College trustee, thanked the committee for additional investments in high-demand areas of study and for minimizing tuition increases for students.

“Thank you for the proposed new funding to added enrollments in aerospace and STEM. We saw in the recent Roundtable report that Washington could add (more than) 100,000 new jobs in the next four years by closing STEM skills gaps. Community and technical colleges play an important role in this. We offer many high-demand STEM programs. … We appreciate that you have provided new state funding and minimized tuition increases,” Hartman said.

Link to testimony (begins at 58:07).

Bills still standing after fiscal cut-off

Bills that survived last week’s policy bill cut-off had until Tuesday, April 9, to pass out of fiscal committees. Bills now have until Wednesday, April 17, to be voted off the floor. Budget bills and bills considered "necessary to implement the budget" (labeled NTIB) are exempt from cut-off deadlines.

The status of bills of interest to community and technical colleges are listed below. More details can be found on the Legislature’s website.

Bills headed to the Governor

Early registration for military

HB 1109 (Appleton) requires college to have a process by the 2013-14 academic year to offer early registration for eligible students who are veterans or National Guard members.

High school equivalency exams

SHB 1686 (Seaquist) replaces “general equivalency diploma” with “high school equivalency” to provide flexibility in test options.

Aligning high-demand secondary STEM or career and technical education programs with applied BA programs

2SSB 5624 (McAuliffe) creates a high school-to-community and technical college STEM pathway by requiring the further development of STEM-specific applied baccalaureate programs, subject to available funding.

Multiple measures of assessment for placement

SB 5712 (Kohl-Welles) encourages colleges to use multiple measures to determine whether a student must enroll in a pre-college course and to post all available options for course placement on their web sites and admissions materials.

Sip and Spit

SSB 5774 (Hewitt) creates a special permit to allow tasting of alcohol by individuals who are at least 18 years old enrolled in a culinary, wine technology, beer technology, or spirituous technology-related degree program.

Bills of interest that survived cut-off and await further action

Job Skills Program

ESHB 1247 (Hansen) modifies the Job Skills Program (JSP) by exempting small businesses from providing a dollar-for-dollar match for training.

Expand access to computer science education

SHB 1472 (Hansen) creates a grant program to support computer science professionals serving as co-instructors for high school computer science courses, directs the Workforce Training and Education Coordinating Board to convene a Computer Science Professional Shortage Taskforce.

Operating efficiencies (non-capital)

HB 1736 (Zeiger) requires OFM to work with multiple agencies to review certain reporting requirements, electronic signatures, reciprocity agreements for interstate online education.

Improving access for students with disabilities

SB 5180 (Shin) establishes a taskforce to improve higher education access for students with disabilities.

State Need Grant for WGU students

SSB 5195 (Rolfes) allows nonprofit institutions to be eligible to participate in the State Need Grant program.

Equitable funding for higher education

SSB 5338 (Baumgartner) establishes baseline state funding to the institutions of higher education and decreases tuition by 3 percent.

Tuition surcharge

SB 5893 (Hill) imposes a 20 percent surcharge on international students. *NTIB

State employee eligibility for insurance benefits

SB 5905 (Hill) eliminates state-paid health care coverage for part-time employees. *NTIB

Budget unveiling attracts overflow crowds

After days of speculation and anticipation on the hill, the Senate unveiled its budget proposal this week, marking a major session milestone. At the time this blog was posted, the budget was up for a vote on the Senate floor.

All eyes now turn to the House, with the expectation of a budget release sometime next week. The gap between the two budgets will surely heat up discussions about potential special sessions.

Senate budget activity in Ways and Means

The Senate budget proposal was released, heard in public testimony, and approved this week in Senate Ways and Means.

The budget proposal was released on Wednesday with a public hearing scheduled just hours later. An overflow crowd packed the room and testimony began with a budget-related bill, Senate Bill 5883. If passed, the measure would:

·       Establish a statutory per-student funding level for higher education, calculated by dividing the current level of state funding by a 3-year enrollment average. New investments above this baseline would come as performance funding – for CTCs, through the Student Achievement Initiative. The per-student funding level would increase by inflation in future fiscal years.

·       Lower tuition by three percent for all public colleges and universities for fiscal year 2014. Future tuition increases would be limited to increases equal to inflation, unless the per-student funding level (above) isn’t funded, then tuition increases would be allowed to backfill the lack of state funding.

Marty Brown, SBCTC executive director, complimented the move to create a statutory funding level for higher education, but expressed concern about how the level would be calculated. “We have the same concerns (as other higher education institutions): it’s probably at the low ebb historically of per-student funding and – particularly in our case – we had very high enrollments during the recession….big numbers in enrollments and low numbers in state funding…that’s a concern.”

Link to Marty Brown’s testimony (begins at 1:00:30).

Later, the hearing turned to the Senate 2013-15 biennial operating budget proposal. The spending plan would:

·       Restore funding related to the 3 percent salary reduction and one-time budget reductions taken in 2011-13.

·       Invest $17.9 million per year to support core academic functions at the CTCs.

·       Invest $13.4 million per year to be distributed using the Student Achievement Initiative.

·       Reduce the CTC appropriation by $5.8 million to recognize “administrative efficiencies” generated through efforts in LEAN management principles.

·       Provide $255,000 per year to support and operate a center at South Seattle Community College to provide training to students in maritime industries.

·       Provide a one-time investment of $500,000 in FY 2014 to implement provisions of 2nd Substitute Senate Bill 5624 - Aligning high demand secondary STEM or career technical education programs with applied baccalaureate programs.

·       Reduce WorkFirst funding in DSHS by 10 percent.

·       Maintain the current Running Start program assumptions.

·       Not fund I-732 salary increases.

·       Make no additional investments in the State Need Grant.

·       Increase financial aid by $37.7 million to cover unanticipated activity in the College Bound scholarship program in the Student Achievement Council budget.

The plan assumes no tuition increases for resident, undergraduate students.

Denise Yochum, Pierce College Fort Steilacoom president, and Tim Stokes, South Puget Sound Community College president, testified on behalf of the CTC system. They went above and beyond the call of duty as the hearing began at 3:30 p.m. and they finally got their say about 8:30 p.m.

Yochum began with a message of thanks. “After years of budget cuts, we really appreciate what this budget says about your commitment to, and the priority of, higher education and the role that community and technical colleges play in economic vitality in the state of Washington,” Yochum said. 

Yochum applauded the proposed investments in College Bound and the Student Achievement Initiative, and reminded the committee of the 21,000 eligible CTC students who are unable to receive Need Grants because of insufficient funding.

Stokes focused on the value of STEM training at CTCs, particularly in light of a March 2013 Washington Roundtable report detailing our state’s critical shortage of STEM workers.

“We stand at the ready … to address the Washington Roundtable investments in the areas of advanced manufacturing, pre-engineering, computer science, and allied health to provide living-wage jobs and to increase economic prosperity in all of the communities across our state,” Stokes said.

Link to testimony (begins at 2:44:00).

Apprenticeship work session

The Senate Trade and Economic Development Committee heard an overview of trade apprenticeships in the state.

Marie Bruin, SBCTC policy associate, described how community and technical colleges partner with local apprenticeship training committees to offer related/supplemental instruction (RSI), the theoretical and technical subjects related to an apprentice’s occupation.

She explained that while about two-thirds of the system’s colleges offer apprentice RSI courses, nearly 90 percent are offered at the eight or nine colleges with the largest apprenticeship partners.

“Over last four years, the CTCs have seen decrease due to the economy,” Bruin explained, “because you have to have a job to be an apprentice.”

Sharon Buck, Everett Community College vocational director and dean of business for EvCC North and East County, said colleges partner with apprenticeship councils in different ways to deliver RSI.

“One-size seldom fits everyone,” Buck said. “Multiple pathways to learning helps build a workforce that meets demands.”

She said apprenticeship maximizes the use of scarce training resources. “During the day, we run college programs. In the evening, we have apprentice classes. And we partner with K-12 to use their training equipment.”

Barbara Hins-Turner, Pacific Northwest Center of Excellence for Clean Energy executive director, said apprenticeship is one of the most effective training models. “Journeyman apprentices can pursue further higher education,” she said.

Innovative degree pathways create opportunities for apprentices to earn an Associate in Technical Arts (ATA) or Associate of Applied Science (AAS) in Multi-Occupational Trades. This degree allows individuals to build on their journey-level status and, in some cases, pursue certain applied baccalaureate options.

CTCs help students become college ready

On Wednesday, the House Higher Education Committee heard how community and technical colleges move students through precollege (or “remedial”) courses at a quicker pace.

Jan Yoshiwara, SBCTC education services deputy executive director, described how precollege education at community and technical colleges is based on research showing that the initial student experience determines the likelihood of degree or certificate completion.

“[Precollege] is a small, but very essential part of what we do in the community and technical college system…It’s a very critical starting point for students who come to us without college-level skills,” Yoshiwara said.

Statewide CTC initiatives to accelerate college readiness include multiple assessment measures, I-BEST, participation in Core to College, Achieving the Dream, the Student Achievement Initiative, and competency-based student progression.

David Prince, SBCTC research director, presented data showing student characteristics and completions for two-year colleges over the past few years. “[Our research is] interested in applied research, looking at our students and finding out who they are, what they’re doing within our system and what happens to them after they leave our system. We have several areas that we focus on – transfer education to student issues.”

Rebecca Hartzler, Seattle Central Community College accelerated math initiatives lead, shared how SCCC is using accelerated developmental math courses to better prepare students. The four main challenges students face when taking math courses at SCCC are: the sequences are too long, courses aren’t taken consecutively, there are multiple college readiness levels within classrooms, and the traditional math pathway is mainly STEM focused. SCCC is using a variety of models to address these challenges and increase student success.

Sharon McGavick, Lake Washington Institute for Technology interim president, shared how LWIT is transforming the way students prepare for a competitive job market by combining workforce and academic courses. “We have been challenged with trying to get people trained to go to work… the integration of academic classes in workforce training was far more powerful than academic courses by themselves,” McGavick said.

Hector Valenzuela, LWIT math faculty and Doug Emory, LWIT dean of instruction, testified how curricula has been researched and developed to improve student outcomes. Using the nationally-recognized I-BEST model, LWIT has been able to connect students with basic skills and workforce needs for real-world training.

Link to testimony (begins at 1:00).

Faculty increment bill gets hearing

On Monday, the Senate Commerce and Labor Committee heard testimony on House Bill 1348, which would require community and technical colleges to provide step increases or increments as they are negotiated in local agreements, even when the amount exceeds the compensation provided by the Legislature in the state budget. Under existing law, salary increases cannot exceed the amount set in the state budget.

Rep. Chris Reykdal, D-Tumwater, the bill’s sponsor, characterized the bill as a matter of local control and responsibility. “They (colleges) bargained it; they know their fiscal house better than we do. This idea that they can bargain locally and then send the bill to Olympia has us completely out of balance.”

Several faculty members also testified in favor of the measure: Kevin Asman, South Puget Sound Community College; Carla Naccarato-Sinclair, Community Colleges of Spokane; Kim Sullivan, Clark College; Doug Brown, Bellevue College; and Sharon Mitchler, Centralia College.  

John Boesenberg, SBCTC human resources director, testified that the State Board and colleges strongly support increments and have consistently requested money in the state budget to fund them. However, he said the bill represents another cost-shift from the state to local colleges. With $10 million already negotiated, colleges would be hard-pressed to come up with funding beyond what the Legislature provides, resulting in lost services, fewer sections, and less flexibility to meet the education needs of communities.

“The state board and colleges are strong supporters of improving all our employees’ salaries. They are underpaid. They work hard. They deserve better,” said Boesenberg. “We ask that if you’re supportive of faculty increments and professional development, you support our budget request.”

Link to Rep. Reykdal’s testimony on TVW.

Link to faculty panel and testimony from John Boesenberg on TVW (begins at 1:56:07).

Policy committee cut-off round-up

Wednesday, April 3, was policy committee cut-off. Any bill that did not pass out of policy committees by Wednesday will not move forward this session. Bills in fiscal committees were exempt from this cut-off date.

Bills of interest still in play after Wednesday’s policy committee cut-off include:

·       HB 1109 – requires colleges to have a process by the 2013-14 academic year to offer early registration for eligible students who are veterans or National Guard members.

·       ESHB 1247 – eliminating the dollar for dollar match for small businesses participating in the Job Skills Program.

·       SHB 1472 – expands access to computer science education.

·       SHB 1686 – replaces “general equivalency diploma” with “high school equivalency” to provide flexibility in test options.

·       HB 1736 – providing higher education operating efficiencies.

·       ESHB 1769 – providing higher education capital efficiencies.

·       ESHB 1872 – Governor-request STEM education.

·       SB 5180 – creates a taskforce to improve higher education access for students with disabilities.

·       SSB 5195 – allows nonprofit institutions to be eligible to participate in the State Need Grant program.

·       SB 5318 – removes the one-year waiting period for veterans or active military members to be eligible for resident tuition.

·       2SSB 5624 – creates a high school-to-community and technical college STEM pathway by requiring the further development of STEM-specific applied baccalaureate programs, subject to available funding.

·        SB 5712 – encourages colleges to use multiple student assessment tools.

·        SSB 5774 – allow a permit for alcohol tasting for adults under age 21 (sip and spit).

Bills of interest that did not survive policy committee cut-off include:

·       HB 1043 – eliminating differential tuition.

·       HB 1348 – requires increments for faculty as negotiated in local agreements.

·       SHB 1536 – requires one business and labor representative on boards of trustees.

·       ESHB 1817 – providing eligibility for undocumented immigrant students

·       SHB 1858 – requires that higher education institutions adopt a policy awarding academic credit for prior military service.

The next cut-off date is Tuesday, April 9, when bills in fiscal committees must be voted out to continue this session.