Today marked the first major deadline of the 2015 legislative session. All policy bills, unless they are deemed necessary to implement the budget (NTIB), must have moved from their respective policy committees to either an appropriation committee or rules.

Both the Senate and House higher education committees have spent the last two weeks advancing bills to the next stage in the process.

Below is a brief glimpse of some of the bills that have advanced past today’s deadline.

• HB 1500: Requires the Joint Higher Education Committee to conduct a study of higher education costs at the state universities, regional universities, and The Evergreen State College – House Appropriations
• HB 1696: Returns tuition-setting authority for resident undergraduate students to the operating budget – House Appropriations
• HB 1973: Establishes the Washington Open Education Pilot Program at Eastern Washington University beginning in the 2015-16 academic year – House Appropriations
• SB 5638: Students who are enrolled or accepted for enrollment for at least three quarter credits, or the equivalent semester hours, in a qualifying higher education program are eligible for the State Need Grant – Senate Rules
• SB 5318: Establishes a wildlife college student loan program – Senate Rules
• SB 5547: SNG recipients must maintain a 2.5 grade point average to be eligible for renewal, unless the student attends The Evergreen State College. Students enrolled at Evergreen must meet the requirements of the college’s satisfactory academic progress policy to remain eligible for the State Need Grant program – Senate Ways & Means

The bills that advanced this week from the policy committees, if moved to an appropriation committee, must move from committee to the floor by the end of the day on March 27.  Stay tuned!