This week committees transitioned from work sessions to public hearings, even advancing some bills to the next step in the legislative process.

The Senate Higher Education Committee spent the week listening to testimony on a range of bills and moving forward trustee appointments. The Committee held public hearings on bills focusing on tuition policy, student veterans, and sexual assault prevention. Evergreen weighed in supporting bills to align state policy impacting student veterans with federal policy, provide support for sexual assault prevention, and eliminate tuition-setting authority for public baccalaureate institutions.

The Senate Higher Education also took action and advanced Nick Wootan, Student Trustee for The Evergreen State College to the full Senate for confirmation.

The House Higher Education Committee also spent the week taking public testimony on a range of bills.  Legislation before the committee focused on student veterans, transparency and accountability, performance funding and tuition policy.  Evergreen echoed testimony the College provided in the Senate to support legislation that would align state policy with federal policy for student veterans and eliminate tuition-setting authority for public baccalaureate institutions.

Evergreen also  testified on a variety of bills that focused on transparency and accountability.  The College asked the committee to not duplicate current reporting efforts and to clarify responsibilities within the legislation. Among the bills was legislation to create a performance incentive funding policy for the comprehensive institutions and Evergreen.

Finally, Evergreen testified in support of the Governor’s biennial capital budget before the Senate Ways & Means Committee.  Evergreen asked the Committee to support funding for Evergreen’s capital priorities and to provide funding to maintain and preserve existing facilities.

Next week both the House and Senate Higher Education Committees will continue to hold public hearings.  Bills will focus on financial aid policy and higher education funding.