Leaders in the state House of Representatives on Monday rolled out their operating budget proposal, setting the stage for final budget negotiations with the governor and Senate. The House was scheduled to hear its proposal in the Appropriations Committee this afternoon and evening. Both chambers will approve their plans in their respective budget committees and […]
The Senate capital budget released this morning fully funds most of WSU’s streamlined capital budget request. The following requests are fully funded under the proposal: $40 million for minor works preservation projects to address deferred maintenance needs across the WSU system. $13 million for minor works program projects across the WSU system — essentially small […]
The state’s K-12 coordinating entity, the Office of the Superintendent of Public Instruction (OSPI), and public institutions of higher education would be required to enter into data sharing agreements to help inform Washington high school students about postsecondary educational opportunities, according to a bill passed by the Senate with a vote of 40-8 late Friday. […]
A bill that would extend the number of years a student can receive the Washington College Grant was moved out of the Senate with a vote of 48-1 on Thursday afternoon. If passed, SB 5711 would make a student eligible to receive six years or up to 150 percent of the length of the student’s […]
Senate Bill 5702, which would make permanent a state pilot program that offers support services to students facing homelessness and foster youth, cleared the Senate on Thursday with a 46-3 vote. The Students Experiencing Homelessness and Foster Youth Pilot Program was first established by the Legislature in 2019 under SB 5800, which made available certain […]
A bill that seeks to facilitate the use and production of alternative jet fuels passed off the Senate floor Wednesday evening with a vote of 46-2. Among preferential tax adjustments, SB 5447 would also codify a work group convened by Washington State University. Initially convened in 2012, the Sustainable Aviation Biofuels Work Group is tasked […]
Collections did not deviate far from the November revenue forecast, according to a monthly Economic and Revenue update released by the state Economic and Revenue Forecast Council. The February report showed tax collections marginally higher than expected, up $5.2 million or 0.2 percent. Including the other monthly reports since the November forecast, tax collections are […]
Legislation that would provide Washington’s public universities the ability to set tuition sooner was voted off the Senate floor with unanimous support Wednesday afternoon. Senate Bill 5079 would require the Office of Financial Management (OFM) to communicate the maximum allowable increase in tuition under state law to public higher education institutions by October 1 for […]
This legislative session, WSU is asking state lawmakers to support construction of a new engineering student services building on the Pullman campus which touches all three pillars of the university-wide capital budget request: It represents a high university priority found on a streamlined and disciplined list of requests It supports the elimination of deferred maintenance […]
Legislation that would establish a Native American Scholarship Program was voted out of the House Committee on Postsecondary Education and Workforce on Friday. If funded, House Bill 1399 would provide funds equal to resident tuition and fees to eligible applicants who: Are members of a federally recognized Indian tribe Have filled out a financial aid […]