WA House Republicans Elect Leadership

Posted on November 23, 2014 by jgarver

The Washington House Republicans elected their 2015-17 legislative leadership this past week..

House Republicans elected:

Representative Dan Kristiansen, Republican Leader
Representative Joel Kretz, Deputy Leader
Representative Shelly Short, Caucus Chair
Representative J.T. Wilcox, Floor Leader
Representative Paul Harris, Whip
Representative Matt Shea, Assistant Floor Leader
Representative Matt Manweller, Assistant Floor Leader

Additional leadership positions are expected to be announced in the coming weeks.

Hundreds of TRiO Students Convene at Evergreen; Elected Officials Engage Students

Posted on March 20, 2014 by jgarver

Throughout the day high school and college students from across Washington could be seen crossing The Evergreen State College campus to engage with elected officials and workshop speakers at the Washington State TRiO Conference.

The morning opened with a welcome address by President Purce who introduced the opening keynote U.S. Representative Derek Kilmer (WA-6th). Kilmer spoke to his own journey and encouraged the audience to be engaged in their education and communities.

Students spent the remainder of the morning participating in break-out sessions on a range of topics such as civic leadership, selecting and financing the right college, and internships.

The lunch hour was focused on remarks by Washington State Representative Chris Reykdal (22nd District). Reykdal spoke to his personal story and pathway. He encouraged students to speak up and participate in their communities. In addition students heard from Luis Ortega, Founder of Power to Define who spoke of the importance and value of education.The day closed out with a legislative panel of state leaders including Representatives Kathy Haigh (35th District), Hans Zeiger (25th District), Sam Hunt (22nd District) and JT Wilcox (2nd District). The panel addressed the question, As a state representative you have the ability to influence policy and legislation that directly affect the K-12 and higher education system. If you could see into the future what are you greatest hopes and fears for the state of education? How will the students in this audience be affected by either possible outcome? The panelists spoke to the value of engagement by students in the legislative process and the importance of participating at the local, state and national levels. The panel took questions from the audience ranging from internships to concerns about the number of young people in the prison system.

The day concluded with closing remarks from U.S. Representative Denny Heck (WA-10th). Heck spoke of his own commitment to service and expressed the need for young people to find what drives them and to share their passions.

Legislature Sine Die; Final Actions of the 2014 Supplemental Session

Posted on March 13, 2014 by jgarver

The Washington State Legislature ended the 2014 supplemental session this evening. The Legislature formerly sine die around 11:30 p.m.

The Legislature began work this morning and spent a long day moving the budget and a series of bills. Among the bills advanced to the Governor’s desk was legislation to provide in-state tuition for veterans (SB 5318).

Early in the evening the House (85-13) and Senate (48-1) passed the supplemental operating budget.

Despite the passage of an operating budget and several bills the Legislature was unable to reach agreement on a supplemental capital budget.

Legislature Advances Conference Budget

Posted on March 13, 2014 by jgarver

This afternoon the Washington Legislature released a final conference supplemental operating budget.

The final supplemental operating budget would boost the state’s $33.6 billion dollar budget by approximately $155.1 million. Of the $155.1 million over half ($89.2 million) is associated with changes to maintenance level caseloads and adjustments based on current law requirements. This includes $12 million for higher than anticipated College Bound enrollments. The remainder ($65.9 million) is focused on net policy enhancements and increases including $5 million for the State Need Grant due to the passage of the Real Hope Act and approximately $25 million for the Washington State Opportunity Scholarship Program.

Higher Education

The supplemental budget proposed by the Legislature supports the investment made in higher education in the 2013-15 biennial budget.

The budget makes a handful of investments in higher education including $5 million for the State Need Grant which was expanded under the Real Hope Act, $25 million to expand Opportunity Scholarships available and match the additional private contributions received, restores State Need Grants for students attending for-profit institutions and indicates intent in the next biennium to reconsider grant awards for students at private four-year institutions.

In addition the budget includes language for the Washington State Auditor to conduct an audit of the use of dedicated local and operating fee accounts by Washington’s public higher education institutions and the Education Research and Data Center to collect and publish short-term and long-term earnings and employment data for completers of higher education degrees.

The budget also reduces funds for higher education institutions as part of the savings attained through LEAN management strategies. The biennial budget passed last summer required all state agencies, including higher education institutions, to attain LEAN management savings of $30 million. Higher education’s portion of this reduction was approximately $2.1 million. Evergreen’s portion of this reduction was $72,000 in FY15. The conference budget advanced today increases this savings required of agencies to $40 million.

The budget also extends the tuition freeze for the first half of the biennium to the second year of the biennium.

Finally the budget provides for a series of investments to institutions including $2 million to expand enrollments in computer science and engineering for Central Washington and Eastern Washington Universities, $1 million for the University of Washington’s Institute of Protein Design, $410,000 for the MESA community college program, $350,000 for a pilot project to embed the year up model within community college campuses, and $750,000 for Washington State University to pursue Jet Fuels research.

Final Week of Supplemental Session

Posted on March 11, 2014 by jgarver

This week marks the last days of the 2014 supplemental session. Focused on advancing bills to the Governor’s desk and moving forward a conference operating and capital budget, the Legislature is putting in long days and nights.

The 2014 supplemental session is scheduled to end on Thursday, March 13. While as of the writing of this blog there is no final conference budget, the Senate and House are in the process of advancing a handful of higher education related policy bills to the Governor’s desk.

Senate Bill 5969: Requires each public higher education institution to adopt a policy to award academic credit for military training courses or programs and to provide a copy of the policy to enrolled students who have listed prior or present military service in their application. Senate President has signed.
Senate Bill 6358: Ensures that colleges and universities clearly disseminate their financial policies to students. Delivered to the Governor.
Senate Bill 6436: Creates a College Bound Scholarship Work Group consisting of legislators and stakeholders to make recommendations for making the program viable. The Work Group must submit their report to the Governor and the Legislature by December 31 2014. Senate concurred in House amendments.
House Bill 1669: Requires public baccalaureate institutions to provide notification to students prior to changing a degree program that is supported by state funding to a self-supporting, fee-based program and requires the establishment of a committee to evaluate a proposed shift from a state-funded degree program to a self-supporting, fee-based program. Passed Senate.
House Bill 2612: Authorizes the Board to elect to have the Washington State Investment Board invest funds in the scholarship and endowment accounts and requires WASAC to manage the Opportunity Scholarship Match Transfer Account. House concurred in Senate amendments.
House Bill 2613: Changes to business practices resulting in greater efficiency and effectiveness for Washington’s public baccalaureate institutions. House asks Senate to recede amendment.
House Bill 2626: Acknowledges the recommendations in the higher education ten-year Roadmap, the Legislature is encouraged by WSAC’s efforts to meet the following two educational attainment goals in order to meet the societal and economic needs of the future: (1) All adults in Washington ages 25 to 44 will have a high school diploma or equivalent by 2023; and (2) At least 70 percent of Washington adults ages 25 to 44 will have a postsecondary credential by 2023. Passed the Senate.

In addition the Legislature is advancing legislation that impacts higher education in its role as a state agency.

House Bill 1841: Allows for electronic signatures for public works contracts. Delivered to the Governor
House Bill 2105: Requires public agencies with governing bodies to post meeting agendas online at least 24 hours in advance of regular meetings and exempts agencies without websites or that employ fewer than 10 full-time equivalent employees from posting agendas online. Delivered to the Governor.
House Bill 2208: Increases the percent that can be self performed by the GC/CM from 30% to 50% for heavy civil construction projects. Delivered to the Governor.
House Bill 2555: Building performance goals and validation requirements are required in the requests for proposals that the public body issues for Design Build services. Design Build proposals are exempt from disclosure until the highest scoring finalist has been selected, rather than when a contract agreement has been executed. House concurred in Senate amendments.
House Bill 2724: Creates an exemption from the Public Records Act for certain information regarding archeological resources and traditional cultural places obtained by certain agencies, or shared between certain agencies or with tribes. House concurred in Senate amendments.
Senate Bill 5964: Requires training for members of a governing body of a public agency on the requirements of the Open Public Meetings Act,local and statewide elected officials and public records and agency records retention officers on the requirements of the Public Records Act and records retention/destruction procedures. Senate President signed.

Bills and Budgets Move

Posted on February 28, 2014 by jgarver

Yesterday the House and Senate were busy as sine die looms in two weeks.

Senate

In the late afternoon the Senate passed a proposed operating budget off the floor with a vote of 41-8.
Following the vote on the floor, the Senate Higher Education Committee convened for the last time this session. The Committee advanced several gubernatorial appointments to the Senate for confirmation. Held a public hearing on a handful of bills and moved several more bills forward for further consideration.

Among the bills heard by the Committee was legislation requiring higher education institutions to adopt a policy to award academic credit to individuals for certain military training courses and programs as well as share this information with students (HB 1858). Evergreen signed-in to support the bill.

The Committee took action on several additional bills which now advance in the process. Among those bills passed by the Committee:

HB 2546 – Cleans up outdated statutes pertaining to general obligation bonds that were issued for higher education capital projects and that have matured and provides expiration dates and clarifications for certain higher education provisions and programs. Referred to Rules Committee.
HB 2694 – Creates an informational program to increase applications from high-achieving low-income students to selective institutions of higher education. Referred to Ways & Means Committee.
HB 2613 – Changes to business practices resulting in greater efficiency and effectiveness for Washington’s public baccalaureate institutions. It is worth noting that the bill was amended to allow the Washington Higher Education Facilities Authority to increase the allowable bonded indebtedness of the authority from $1 billion to $1.5 billion.
Referred to Ways & Means Committee.
HB 2626 – Acknowledges the recommendations in the higher education ten-year Roadmap, the Legislature is encouraged by WSAC’s efforts to meet the following two educational attainment goals in order to meet the societal and economic needs of the future: (1) All adults in Washington ages 25 to 44 will have a high school diploma or equivalent by 2023; and (2) At least 70 percent of Washington adults ages 25 to 44 will have a postsecondary credential by 2023. Referred to Rules Committee.

House

The House Appropriations Subcommittee on Education advanced several bills forward in the process. Among those bills passed by the Committee:

SB 5969 – Requires each public higher education institution to adopt a policy to award academic credit for military training courses or programs and to provide a copy of the policy to enrolled students who have listed prior or present military service in their application.
SB 6436 – Creates a College Bound Scholarship Work Group consisting of legislators and stakeholders to make recommendations for making the program viable. The Work Group must submit their report to the Governor and the Legislature by December 31 2014.

As Policy Deadline Nears Committees Take Action on Legislation

Posted on February 25, 2014 by jgarver

This weeks marks another major deadline in the legislative process as the Legislature marches forward toward the end of session in mid-March. House policy committees must advance Senate bills forward in the process by the end of Wednesday, February 26; the deadline in the Senate for House bills is Friday.

House Higher Education Committee

This morning the House Higher Education Committee held a series of public hearings on Senate bills that passed the floor last week.

Among the bills considered this morning was legislation that would change business practices resulting in greater efficiency and effectiveness for Washington’s public baccalaureate institutions (SB 6362) and ensure that colleges and universities clearly disseminate their financial policies to students (SB 6358). The Committee also took executive action on bills heard in committee.

The Committee rounded out the meeting with a work session focused on higher education transitions. The Committee heard updates with regard to two programs that focus on easing the transition to higher education: (1) the College Bound Scholarship and (2) MESA Community College Program.

The Committee will meet next on Wednesday afternoon. This will be the last meeting prior to the policy cut-off for bills passed in the Senate to be considered in the House.

Senate Higher Education Committee

This afternoon the Senate Higher Education Committee continued its work to advance gubernatorial appointments to higher education related boards. The Committee heard from nominations who would serve on the boards of Spokane and Spokane Falls Community College, Shoreline Community College, and the Washington Student Achievement Council.

Following the conversation with future Trustees the Committee held a series of public hearings on house bills. The Committee heard proposed legislation that would create an informational program to increase applications from high-achieving low-income students to selective institutions of higher education (HB 2694) and clean up outdated statutes pertaining to general obligation bonds that were issued for higher education capital projects and that have matured and provides expiration dates and clarifications for certain higher education provisions and programs (HB 2546).

The Committee also held a public hearing on House Bill 2613 which changes to business practices resulting in greater efficiency and effectiveness for Washington’s public baccalaureate institutions.

The Committee closed with an executive session. The Committee advanced several pieces of legislation and moved multiple gubernatorial appointments forward. The legislation advanced included amended legislation to require higher education institutions to post department-level, budget unit-level, division-level, school-level, or college-level expenditure information on their respective web site within sixty days of the closing fiscal year (HB 2336) and an amended bill to direct OFM to create a website with accessible information on revenues and expenditures and require all branch campuses to display specific data on the office of financial management’s dashboard for four-year institutions of higher education by December 1, 2014 (HB 2651).

The Committee will meet next on Thursday afternoon. This is the last meeting of the Committee before the Friday cut-off.

Senate Higher Education Committee Holds Public Hearings on House Bills

Posted on February 21, 2014 by jgarver

This week the Senate Higher Education Committee held a series of public hearings on legislation passed by the House. The bills ranged from changing the membership and provisions for the Opportunity Scholarship and its board (HB 1251 & HB 2612) to requiring a review of higher education dual credit coursework policies (HB 2285).

The Committee also heard about legislation (HB 2651) that would require the Washington Education Research and Data Center (ERDC) to include information on revenues and expenditures for each institution of higher education on the public, baccalaureate dashboard.

In addition the Committee heard House Bill 2336 which would require higher education institutions to post via the ERDC department-level budgets within sixty days of an institutions adoption of an annual fiscal budget. Evergreen expressed concerns regarding a proposed substitute to the bill regarding the lack of clarity about the definition of department, unit and division. The public baccalaureate institutions currently provide budget information at the major activity level on the institutional websites in accordance with legislation passed in 2011. Evergreen also posts similar information with regard to our allotments and reporting to the Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS). The College also posts board approved budget policy that recognizes transparency on budgetary changes on the College’s website.

Legislature Meets Major Deadline

Posted on February 19, 2014 by jgarver

On Tuesday by close of business all bills must have passed their respective chambers to be considered viable this session. Legislators put in several hours on the floor moving legislation forward to meet this deadline.

Several higher education related bills have been passed by the either the Senate or House and will be considered by the opposite chamber in the next two weeks. Here is just a sampling:

HB 2486: Allows the Department of Corrections to pay for postsecondary education degree programs and implement a program to provide postsecondary education.Referred to Senate Human Services and Corrections Committee.
HB 2546: Cleans up outdated statutes. In particular the bill decodifies certain statutes pertaining to general obligation bonds that were issued for higher education capital projects and that have matured and provides expiration dates and clarifications for certain higher education provisions and programs. Referred to Senate Higher Education Committee.
HB 2613: Changes to business practices resulting in greater efficiency and effectiveness for Washington’s public baccalaureate institutions. Among the changes proposed is permissive authority to prorate paychecks for faculty on nine-month appointments, to change payroll frequency from semi-monthly to biweekly and changes to existing reporting requirements. Referred to Senate Higher Education Committee.
HB 2694: Requires the Washington Student Achievement Council (WSAC) to design and implement, by the fall of 2015, a program that provides information to high-achieving, low-income high school students with the purpose of increasing the number of applications from this group of students to public baccalaureate institutions and independent, nonprofit baccalaureate degree-granting institutions in Washington. Referred to Senate Higher Education Committee.

SB 5318: Removes the one-year waiting period for veterans or active members of the military for purposes of eligibility for resident tuition. Referred to House Appropriations Committee.
SB 5969: Provides for awarding academic credit for military training. Referred to House Higher Education Committee.
SB 6358: Ensures that colleges and universities clearly disseminate their financial policies to students. Referred to House Higher Education Committee.
SB 6362: Changes to business practices resulting in greater efficiency and effectiveness for Washington’s public baccalaureate institutions. Among the changes proposed is permissive authority to prorate paychecks for faculty on nine-month appointments, to change payroll frequency from semi-monthly to biweekly and changes to existing reporting requirements. Referred to House Higher Education Committee.
SB 6436: Creates a workgroup that will make recommendations to ensure the College Bound Program is viable, productive, and effective. Referred to House Appropriations Subcommittee on Education.

DREAM Act Passes House; Heads to Governor’s Desk