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.