This evening the House Appropriations committee took executive action to advance a proposed biennial operating budget to the House floor.

The committee passed a substitute bill which makes several changes to investments in higher education.  The substitute reallocates funds for Evergreen by reducing the $750,000 appropriated for student success and degree completion appropriations by $300,000 and reallocating these funds to support the computer science program and meet student demand at the College.  The total investment for Evergreen remains $750,000.

The substitute also:

• Corrects enrollment figures for the community and technical colleges and the University of Washington
• Reduces appropriations for computer science and engineering enrollments at the University of Washington
• Increases the amounts for the Family Medical Residency Network
• Increases the appropriation for the State Need Grant by $1.85 million
• Provides funds for the Latino Health Center at the University of Washington, and
• Increases the amount of funding for computer science and engineering at the University of Washington and decreases funding for Washington State University’s medical school.

Finally the substitute bill allows the Department of Corrections to implement postsecondary education degree programs within funding provided in the appropriation for offender change and programming.  Evergreen supported similar policy legislation this session

The House’s proposed operating budget now moves to the floor for further consideration.