CERTIFICATION OF ENROLLMENT
ENGROSSED SUBSTITUTE HOUSE BILL 2019
Chapter 203, Laws of 2024
68th Legislature
2024 Regular Session
NATIVE AMERICAN APPRENTICE ASSISTANCE PROGRAM
EFFECTIVE DATE: June 6, 2024
Passed by the House February 9, 2024 CERTIFICATE
Yeas 97 Nays 0
I, Bernard Dean, Chief Clerk of the
House of Representatives of the
LAURIE JINKINS State of Washington, do hereby
Speaker of the House of certify that the attached is
Representatives ENGROSSED SUBSTITUTE HOUSE BILL
2019 as passed by the House of
Representatives and the Senate on
the dates hereon set forth.
Passed by the Senate February 28,
2024
Yeas 48 Nays 0 BERNARD DEAN
Chief Clerk
DENNY HECK
President of the Senate
Approved March 19, 2024 3:01 PM FILED
March 21, 2024
Secretary of State
JAY INSLEE State of Washington
Governor of the State of Washington
 ENGROSSED SUBSTITUTE HOUSE BILL 2019
Passed Legislature - 2024 Regular Session
State of Washington 68th Legislature 2024 Regular Session
By House Appropriations (originally sponsored by Representatives
Stearns, Fosse, Berry, Ryu, Ramos, Ramel, Cortes, Morgan, Simmons,
Reed, Ormsby, Peterson, Callan, Timmons, Kloba, Street, Donaghy,
Gregerson, Orwall, Goodman, Ortiz-Self, Lekanoff, Riccelli, Reeves,
Santos, Hackney, Pollet, and Davis)
READ FIRST TIME 02/05/24.
1 AN ACT Relating to establishing a Native American apprentice
2 assistance program; adding a new chapter to Title 28B RCW; creating
3 new sections; and providing an expiration date.
4 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON:
5 NEW SECTION. Sec. 1. The legislature recognizes that Native
6 American people have faced historical traumas that have had a lasting
7 impact in many facets of life, including educational attainment.
8 Historically, education was used as a reformation tactic to strip
9 away Native identity and culture to whitewash the indigenous
10 population and destroy a nation's own first people by separating
11 Native children from their families. The legislature acknowledges the
12 historical use of education as a weapon and the opportunity to
13 partner with federally recognized Indian tribes to establish truth
14 and reconciliation regarding boarding school traumas in order to
15 facilitate change and remove stigmas of how Native Americans view
16 education.
17 Native Americans face additional challenges in attaining higher
18 education, such as high rates of poverty and lack of postsecondary
19 educational access near reservations. When the state invests in an
20 educated Native workforce, Native communities become more
21 economically resilient, stronger, healthier, and empowered. Robust
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1 Native communities help make a more resilient and vigorous Washington
2 state and contribute to alleviating workforce demand by tapping into
3 historically underutilized talent. Therefore, the legislature intends
4 to establish the Native American apprentice assistance program with
5 the recognition that indigenous populations need additional
6 assistance to pursue postsecondary education because of historical
7 actions that have left lasting impacts.
8 NEW SECTION. Sec. 2. The definitions in this section apply
9 throughout this chapter unless the context clearly requires
10 otherwise.
11 (1) "Eligible participant" means a member of a federally
12 recognized Indian tribe as defined in RCW 43.376.010 who files a
13 financial aid application approved by the office and enrolls in a
14 state-registered apprenticeship program.
15 (2) "Gift aid" has the same definition as in RCW 28B.145.010.
16 (3) "Office" means the office of student financial assistance
17 within the student achievement council.
18 (4) "State-registered apprenticeship program" means an approved
19 apprenticeship program under chapter 49.04 RCW that has been approved
20 to participate in state financial aid programs.
21 NEW SECTION. Sec. 3. (1) Subject to the availability of amounts
22 appropriated for this specific purpose, the Native American
23 apprentice assistance program is established and shall be
24 administered by the office. In administering the program, the office
25 has the following duties:
26 (a) Publicize the program;
27 (b) Award assistance to eligible participants according to rules
28 and guidelines adopted beginning with the year 2025; and
29 (c) Adopt any necessary rules and guidelines for the program in
30 consultation with tribes and state-registered apprenticeship
31 programs.
32 (2) The office shall determine apprenticeship assistance awarding
33 priorities and award amounts for eligible participants in
34 collaboration with the tribes and state-registered apprenticeship
35 programs.
36 (a) For eligible participants attending a state-registered
37 apprenticeship program, the office shall prioritize funding to cover
38 any tuition costs for related supplemental instruction. Additional
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1 funding may be used to provide a grant to cover required supplies,
2 tools, materials, work clothing, and living expenses.
3 (b) The office may also prioritize funding that secures an
4 eligible participant's grant for the entire length of the
5 participant's program.
6 NEW SECTION. Sec. 4. (1) The office of student financial
7 assistance shall submit annual reports to the governor and the
8 appropriate committees of the legislature in accordance with RCW
9 43.01.036 on the Native American apprentice assistance program by
10 December 1st of each year until 2025. The report must include:
11 (a) The total number of eligible participants and the number of
12 eligible participants who received an assistance grant;
13 (b) The amount that the office determined the assistance award to
14 be;
15 (c) How the office determined what the assistance award should
16 be; and
17 (d) How many members of federally recognized Indian tribes in
18 Washington received assistance versus members of federally recognized
19 Indian tribes from other states.
20 (2) This section expires December 31, 2025.
21 NEW SECTION. Sec. 5. Sections 1 through 3 of this act
22 constitute a new chapter in Title 28B RCW.
23 NEW SECTION. Sec. 6. If specific funding for the purposes of
24 this act, referencing this act by bill or chapter number, is not
25 provided by June 30, 2024, in the omnibus appropriations act, this
26 act is null and void.
Passed by the House February 9, 2024.
Passed by the Senate February 28, 2024.
Approved by the Governor March 19, 2024.
Filed in Office of Secretary of State March 21, 2024.
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