Higher Education: Practical information

Student Legislation Guide

Washington State 

This guide is a list of bills for you to look at and learn about before you meet with your representative(s) and/or senator. Having something specific to talk about will give you some traction when talking to elected officials.  It’s helpful to be specific about what you want to change or what specific bill or part of a bill you want to change or push forward. 

Below are some individual bill numbers, titles and summaries. With the possible exception of the first bill on the list (although college students do drink a lot of coffee), all of the bills here deal with issues related to higher education.

House Bill 1715 “An Act Relating to designating coffee as the state beverage”

Representatives to contact: Bailey, Wilcox, buys, Zeigar, Haler, Fagan, Johnson and Warnick 

Bill summary: This bill would establish coffee as the official state beverage.

House Bill 1795 ”An Act Relating tuition increase relative to state funding”

Representatives to contact: Carlyle, Seaquist, Haler, Reykal, Rolfes, Probst, Morris, Sells, Pedersen, Jacks, Hudgins, Maxwell and Frockt. 

Bill summary: This bill aims to create transparency in regard to state funding of higher education. As the bill states:  “It is the intent of the legislature to: ensure that tuition dollars are spent to improve student access, affordability, and the quality of education; and create a modern and robust higher education financial state that funds outcomes and results rather than input and process.”

House Bill 5334 ”An act relating to requiring lawful presence in the United states for financial aid programs” 

Representatives to contact: Steven, Benton, Morton, Swecker and Roach  

Bill summary: This bill would require people to be legal residents of America to qualify for instate tuition and  financial aid.

Senate Bill 5442 “An act relating to an accelerated baccalaureate degree program” 

Senators to contact: Senator Shin, Tom, Kilmer, White, and Chase 

Bill summary: This bill would authorize the development of accelerated bachelor’s degree programs allowing academically qualified students to obtain said degree in three years instead of four.

Controversy in Washington

House Bill 1715 could change Washington State forever. As the bill states;  "The official designation is a desirable promotional tool that Washington businesses can use when sharing their product with customers through the world."  (HB1715) What is the bill about, you ask? Only the most important cultural characteristic of Washington State.  The amazing taste of coffee.

This bill designates coffee as our state drink, but the tough question is what kind? Is Washington State a black coffee state or a mocha latte or perhaps we are a chi tea type of state. The kind of coffee is very telling about a person and more so a state. What image do we as a state want to portray to the rest of the country?

Without your input key issues like this will be decided. Write or call your legislature today to get in the fight and stand up for your favorite morning pick me up. We can't fix health care or higher education reform this session but we can forever decide the fate of our state drink and the flavor of our future.