SHB 1316
In CommitteeHouse
Postsecondary homelessness
Expanding the scope of programs for postsecondary students experiencing homelessness and former foster youth.
This status may be delayed. See Action History below for the latest updates.
How does a bill become law?
- Introduced: The bill is filed and assigned a number.
- Committee: A subject-matter committee holds hearings, takes public testimony, and decides whether to advance the bill.
- Floor Vote: The full chamber (House or Senate) debates and votes on the bill.
- Opposite Chamber: The bill repeats the committee and floor vote process in the other chamber.
- Governor: The Governor reviews the bill and decides whether to sign or veto it.
- Signed: The bill has been signed into law.
AI Analysis
This bill expands support for students experiencing homelessness and former foster youth at Washington’s public four-year colleges and tribal colleges by requiring access to services like housing, meals, laundry, and case management, and allowing use of surplus property for affordable housing. It also requires annual reporting to the legislature to track progress and guide future policy.
- Requires public four-year universities, their campuses, and tribal colleges to offer support services to students experiencing homelessness and former foster youth, including laundry access, storage, showers, reduced-price meals, food bank access, technology, short-term housing (especially during breaks), and case management.
- Allows institutions to develop affordable housing on surplus property to serve students experiencing homelessness and former foster youth.
- Requires institutions to connect students with existing community resources like local housing authorities, nonprofits, and the Department of Commerce’s Office of Homeless Youth.
- Mandates annual joint reports to the legislature starting December 1, 2023, including data on student counts, services provided, strategies used, and recommendations for improvement.
- Clarifies definitions, including that the program is called the 'students experiencing homelessness and foster youth program' and defines 'tribal college' for purposes of the law.
Who is affected
- Students experiencing homelessness or food insecurity — Students who are currently experiencing homelessness or are food insecure may gain access to critical support services like housing, meals, laundry, technology, and case management at public four-year colleges and universities, as well as tribal colleges in Washington.
- Former foster youth (students who aged out of foster care) — Students who were in Washington’s foster care system at the time of high school graduation may receive targeted support, including housing assistance during school breaks and access to case management, to help them succeed in college.
- Public four-year institutions of higher education and tribal colleges — Public four-year universities, their campuses, and tribal colleges in Washington must develop and implement support programs, report annually to the legislature, and explore using surplus property for student housing.
- Washington State Legislature — State lawmakers and legislative committees will receive annual reports and may use the data and recommendations to shape future policies and funding for student housing and support services.
Pro/Con Analysis
Stronger case for benefits
Potential Benefits (5)
Requires public four-year institutions and tribal colleges to provide critical support services—including laundry, showers, storage, short-term housing, meals, and case management—to students experiencing homelessness and former foster youth, directly addressing unmet basic needs and improving retention and academic success for a highly vulnerable population.
HousingPeopleRef: Sec. 1(1)(a)-(g)Authorizes use of surplus state-owned property to develop affordable housing for students experiencing homelessness, offering a scalable, long-term solution to housing insecurity that leverages underutilized public assets—potentially reducing homelessness among college students and improving equity in higher education access.
HousingPeopleRef: Sec. 1(2)Requires institutions to connect students with community resources—including local housing authorities, nonprofits, and the Department of Commerce’s Office of Homeless Youth—ensuring continuity of care and preventing duplication of services, which strengthens the social safety net around students in crisis.
Public SafetyPeopleRef: Sec. 1(3)Mandates annual joint reporting to the legislature with data on student counts, services provided, and policy recommendations—creating a transparent, evidence-based feedback loop to refine and expand support programs over time, improving accountability and program effectiveness.
EducationPeopleRef: Sec. 1(4)Formally names and defines the program as the 'students experiencing homelessness and foster youth program'—enhancing program visibility, reducing stigma, and affirming the dignity and eligibility of a historically marginalized group in higher education.
Rights & LibertiesPeopleRef: Sec. 1(5)(a)
Potential Concerns (5)
Mandates institutions to provide short-term housing and case management for vulnerable students, which may strain campus security and emergency response resources if not properly funded or integrated with local law enforcement and social services.
Public SafetyPeopleRef: Sec. 1(1), (3), (4)Requires institutions to develop affordable housing on surplus property, but lacks funding mechanisms or clear authority to acquire or repurpose land—potentially leading to delays, legal challenges, or underutilization of the provision without additional legislative or local support.
HousingPeopleRef: Sec. 1(2)Mandates data collection on student homelessness and foster youth status, which may raise privacy concerns and administrative burden on institutions, especially if students are reluctant to self-identify due to stigma or fear of immigration consequences.
EducationPeopleRef: Sec. 1(4)(a)Shifts responsibility for identifying and supporting homeless students to institutions without guaranteeing coordination with local human services agencies—potentially duplicating efforts or creating gaps in care if local housing authorities are not formally integrated into the program.
Local GovernmentLean peopleRef: Sec. 1(1), (4)Bill explicitly depends on funds specifically appropriated by the legislature and provides no automatic funding—meaning success hinges on annual budget decisions, risking underfunding and program inconsistency if the legislature prioritizes other needs.
FinancialLean peopleRef: Fiscal Impact section
Who Is Most Affected
Students experiencing homelessness or food insecurity will directly benefit from access to meals, showers, laundry, short-term housing, and case management—reducing barriers to enrollment and persistence. However, success depends on institutional capacity and funding, and some may be hesitant to self-identify due to privacy or immigration concerns.
Former foster youth—many of whom age out of care without stable support networks—gain targeted housing assistance during breaks and access to case management, which can significantly improve retention and graduation rates. Yet, without robust funding, these services may be inconsistently implemented across institutions.
Public four-year institutions and tribal colleges gain new authority and flexibility to support vulnerable students, but face administrative and financial burdens—including staffing, facility maintenance, and compliance reporting—without guaranteed state funding. Success will depend on interagency coordination and local resource alignment.
The legislature gains a new data-driven accountability mechanism to evaluate and improve student support programs, but must allocate recurring funds to sustain the program—potentially diverting resources from other priorities or creating budget uncertainty if annual appropriations lag.
Local housing authorities, nonprofits, and the Department of Commerce’s Office of Homeless Youth are required to collaborate with institutions, potentially expanding their reach and impact—but also increasing demand on already-stretched community resources without new funding.