Legislative session winds down, final supplemental budgets released

Last night the Washington State Legislature adjourned sine die, concluding the 60-Day Legislative Session.  Legislators passed several bills with impact to Western that are likely to be signed into law by the governor in the coming weeks, including the state’s supplemental operating and capital budgets.

Key outcomes from the 2022 session with impact to the Western community are listed below.

Operating budget investments for WWU:

• Compensation: Funding to support the state’s share of a 3.25% COLA for all WWU employees plus lump, as well as payments included in classified employee collective bargaining agreements. The state funded a higher share of the cost for compensation increases, recognizing the limits on higher education’s ability to fund increases through tuition revenues.
• Student Support: $1.26 million for student support services such as outreach and financial aid support, retention initiatives, mental health support, and initiatives to address learning disruption due to the pandemic.
• Master’s in Nursing: $461k to establish a new Master of Science in Nursing (MSN) degree program, with tracks focused on population health, nursing administration, and nursing education. 
• RN to BSN in Nursing: $433k to align tuition rates for WWU’s existing Bachelor of Science in with other state-supported undergraduate degree programs at Western.
• Cyber Range Poulsbo: $769k for equipment upgrades and technical support at WWU’s Cyber Range located at the Olympic College-Poulsbo campus.
• Hazing prevention: $66K for implementation of HB 1751

Capital budget investments:

• Electrical Engineering and Computer Science: $1.5 million in local funds to offset inflationary increases in construction costs
• Classroom and Lab Upgrades: $1.35 million in bonds
• Minor Works Program: $557k in bonds

Other key higher education investments:

• $34.27 million to provide a Bridge Grant of $500 to all maximum Washington College Grant awardees and increases the maximum WCG award for students between 0-60 percent of the median family income. A student is eligible for a grant if the student receives a maximum college grant award and does not receive the college bound scholarship program
• $3.6 million for grants for nursing programs to purchase or upgrade simulation laboratory equipment in FY 2023
• $3 million for the Nursing Educator Loan Repayment program
• $1 million for the WA Student Achievement Council to administer a grant pool to support new and existing career launch programs at public four-year universities

Highlights of policy bills passed by the Legislature include:

• E2SHB 1736 – Establishing a state student loan program.
• 2SHB 1751 – Concerning hazing prevention and reduction at institutions of higher education.
• 2SHB 1835 – Creating outreach and completion initiatives to increase postsecondary enrollment.
• E2SSB 5764 – Concerning apprenticeships and higher education.
• 2SSB 5789 – Creating the Washington career and college pathways innovation challenge program.
• SB 5854 – Concerning ethical performance of faculty duties.
• ESSB 5874 – Concerning residency of students affiliated with the military.

These bills now move to Governor Inslee’s desk to be signed into law or vetoed.