The Legislature released a conference agreement on a biennial capital budget.
The conference capital budget provides for $1.1 billion in bond-supported capital budget capacity for the state.
The conference capital budget provides $496.5 million for higher education facilities. Over half of the funds go to the four-year institutions. This includes funding for Evergreen’s Communications Building (partial funding) and science lab renovation.
The Washington House passed a bill – with a vote of 89 to 7- that would make changes to Washington’s current Guaranteed Education Tuition (GET) program, in particular changes to the Committee on Advanced Tuition Payment.
The bill now goes to the Governor.
This morning the Washington House and Senate announced a conference operating budget for the 2011-13 biennium. By this afternoon the House had voted 54-42 to move the budget to the Senate. The Senate is expected to take up the budget tomorrow.
2011-2103 Operating Budget
The conference biennial budget addresses a $4.9 billion shortfall, making approximately $4.5 billion in policy level reductions. The budget reduces funding for higher education institutions by $535 million. The Evergreen State College is reduced by $12.152 million and authorized to increase tuition by 14% per year for the biennium.
In addition the budget maintains the state need grant to offset budgeted tuition increases to students and reduces, but does not eliminate , state work study.
In addition to the reductions to higher education the proposed budget makes the following reductions.
This afternoon the Washington Senate concurred on legislation – with a vote of 47-0 – to eliminate the Higher Education Coordinating Board and create the Office of Student Financial Assistance and the Council for Higher Education by July 1, 2012.
Senate Bill 5182 eliminates the Higher Education Coordinating Board on July 1, 2012, and establishes a Council for Higher Education subject to recommendations of a Steering Committee on Higher Education and legislation enacted in 2012.
The Steering Committee on Higher Education will be chaired by the Governor or her designee and include four legislators and equal representation from higher education sectors in the state.
Between now and July 1, 2012 the Higher Education Coordinating Board will continue several of its current responsibilities but not all. Senate Bill 5182 eliminates several Higher Education Coordinating Board functions to reflect the reduction in state funding for the agency. The areas eliminated include reporting on state support received by students, the costs of higher education, gender equity, capital budget prioritization, technology degree production, costs and benefits of tuition and fee reciprocity with Oregon, Idaho, and British Columbia, and transmitting undergraduate and graduate educational costs to boards of regents.
The bill now goes to the Governor for her consideration.
This afternoon the Washington House passed legislation – with a vote of 59-28 – to eliminate the Higher Education Coordinating Board and create the Office of Student Financial Assistance and the Council for Higher Education by July 1, 2012.
Senate Bill 5182 eliminates the Higher Education Coordinating Board on July 1, 2012, and establishes a Council for Higher Education subject to recommendations of a Steering Committee on Higher Education and legislation enacted in 2012.
The Steering Committee on Higher Education will be chaired by the Governor or her designee and include four legislators and equal representation from higher education sectors in the state.
Between now and July 1, 2012 the Higher Education Coordinating Board will continue several of its current responsibilities but not all. Senate Bill 5182 eliminates several Higher Education Coordinating Board functions to reflect the reduction in state funding for the agency. The areas eliminated include reporting on state support received by students, the costs of higher education, gender equity, capital budget prioritization, technology degree production, costs and benefits of tuition and fee reciprocity with Oregon, Idaho, and British Columbia, and transmitting undergraduate and graduate educational costs to boards of regents.
The bill now goes back to the Senate for concurrence.
The Washington Senate passed a bill – with a vote of 41 to 3- that would make changes to Washington’s current Guaranteed Education Tuition (GET) program, in particular changes to the Committee on Advanced Tuition Payment.
Senate Bill 5749, as passed by the Senate, would:
The bill now goes to the House for further consideration.
This afternoon Senate Ways & Means Committee took action on legislation that would establish an endowment for students studying in high-demand fields.
HB 2088 creates the Opportunity Scholarship Program and the Opportunity Expansion Program to mitigate the impact of tuition increases, increase the number of baccalaureate degrees in high employer demand and other programs, and invest in programs and students to meet market demand fields of study while filling middleincome jobs with a sufficient supply of skilled workers.
The Committee amended the bill as follows:
House Bill 2088 now goes to the floor for further consideration.
This afternoon the Senate Ways & Means Committee held a public hearing on legislation that would establish an endowment for students studying in high-demand fields.
HB 2088 creates the Opportunity Scholarship Program and the Opportunity Expansion Program to mitigate the impact of tuition increases, increase the number of baccalaureate degrees in high employer demand and other programs, and invest in programs and students to meet market demand fields of study while filling middleincome jobs with a sufficient supply of skilled workers.
Senators asked several questions ranging from how this endowment will interact with existing state financial aid programs, the state matching requirement, and the potential size of the endowment.
This afternoon the Washington House passed – with a vote of 84-8- legislation that would establish an endowment for students studying in high-demand fields.
HB 2088 creates the Opportunity Scholarship Program and the Opportunity Expansion Program to mitigate the impact of tuition increases, increase the number of baccalaureate degrees in high employer demand and other programs, and invest in programs and students to meet market demand fields of study while filling middleincome jobs with a sufficient supply of skilled workers.
The House passed a single technical amendment to the bill to: (1) Provide that the Opportunity Scholarship Board’s oversight and guidance must be consistent with legislative priorities, (2) Ensure that references are consistent and refer to “eligible education programs”, (3) Clarify a reference to the state need grant in light of an earlier amendment that struck provisions that would have renamed the state need grant the opportunity award program, and (4) Make clear that all annual reports from the Opportunity Scholarship Board and the program administrator are due no later than December 1st.
House Bill 2088 now goes to the Senate for further consideration.
This morning the House Ways & Means Committee took action on legislation that would establish an endowment for students studying in high-demand fields.
HB 2088 creates the Opportunity Scholarship Program and the Opportunity Expansion Program to mitigate the impact of tuition increases, increase the number of baccalaureate degrees in high employer demand and other programs, and invest in programs and students to meet market demand fields of study while filling middleincome jobs with a sufficient supply of skilled workers.
The Committee amended the bill as follows:
House Bill 2088 now goes to the floor for further consideration.