Last Major Deadline Passes in the Legislature

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The last major legislative deadline prior to the end of the 2011 regular session passed this evening.

Today marked the last day to take action on a bill that started in the opposite chamber. The exception is any legislation deemed necessary to implement the budget (NTIB).

Several bills that would impact higher education are still active in the legislative process after today’s deadline.

  • Senate Bill 5442 allows state and regional universities and TESC may develop accelerated baccalaureate degree programs that will allow academically qualified students to obtain a baccalaureate degree in three years without attending summer classes or enrolling in more than a full-time class load during the regular academic year.
  • Senate Bill 5304 requires the Caseload Forecast Council to provide a forecast of College Bound Scholarship Program recipients who will attend college.
  • House Bill 1663 removes higher education institutions from the requirement to seek an exemption from the Office of Financial Management with regards to purchasing from the Department of Corrections.
  • House Bill 1822 expresses the Legislature’s intent to partner with Washingto Governors University to establish WGU-Washington and provide enhanced access to postsecondary education for all Washington students.

The bills that passed this deadline and were not deemed NTIB will then move back to their origianl chamber if they were changed in the opposite chamber. The original chamber must either concur with any changes or dispute changes. For the bills that cannot be reconciled through this process a conference committee will be established to address the difference between the two chambers and try to find some compromise.

A conference committee is expected on the budget bills but may be needed on some policy bills. A conference committee consists of two House and Senate members from the majority party and one House and Senate member from the minority party. Once the conferees agree on what is in the conference bill the only action in either chamber is a yes or no vote. No further amendments are allowed.