The bill amends RCW 28B.15.520 to expand tuition waivers for high school completers at community and technical colleges in Washington. It allows governing boards to waive all or a portion of tuition and fees for students aged 19 or 20 who are eligible for resident tuition rates and are enrolled in programs aimed at completing their high school education. The bill also clarifies that students who are not eligible as defined by RCW 28A.600.405 are no longer excluded from receiving these waivers.

Additionally, the bill mandates that community and technical colleges waive tuition and fees for children and surviving spouses of law enforcement officers and firefighters who have died or become totally disabled in the line of duty, provided that the students begin their studies within ten years of high school graduation. The governing boards are 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. The bill also increases the percentage of students eligible for nonresident tuition fee waivers in specific programs, from 40% to 40%.

Statutes affected:
Original Bill: 28B.15.520