This bill amends RCW 28B.15.520 to expand tuition waiver provisions for community and technical colleges in Washington. It allows governing boards to waive all or a portion of tuition and fees for students who are completing their high school education and obtaining a diploma or certificate, specifically removing the age restriction that previously applied to students. Additionally, the bill mandates that tuition and fees be fully waived for children and surviving spouses of law enforcement officers, firefighters, or Washington state patrol officers who have died or become totally disabled in the line of duty, provided that these individuals begin their studies within ten years of high school graduation.

Furthermore, the bill includes provisions for waiving nonresident tuition fees for students enrolled in programs aimed at completing high school education, as well as for a limited percentage of students in the regional education program for deaf students, contingent on federal funding. The governing boards are also required to report the annual costs of these waivers to the state board for community and technical colleges, which will then consolidate the reports and present them to the legislature's fiscal and policy committees.

Statutes affected:
Original Bill: 28B.15.520
Bill as Passed Legislature: 28B.15.520
Session Law: 28B.15.520