HB 2063
In CommitteeHouse
HS completers/CTC tuition
Adjusting tuition waivers for high school completers at community and technical colleges.
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 tuition and fee waivers at Washington’s community and technical colleges for two main groups: students aged 19–20 working to finish high school, and children and surviving spouses of fallen or disabled first responders. It also allows waivers of the extra nonresident tuition for certain students.
- Allows (but does not require) community and technical colleges to waive all or part of tuition and fees for students aged 19 or 20 who are working to finish high school (e.g., earn a diploma or certificate).
- Requires colleges to waive all tuition and fees for children of law enforcement officers, firefighters, or Washington State Patrol officers who died or became totally disabled in the line of duty — if the student enrolls within 10 years of high school graduation.
- Requires colleges to waive all tuition and fees for surviving spouses of such officers who died or became totally disabled in the line of duty.
- Allows colleges to waive the nonresident tuition differential for students aged 19 or 20 working toward a high school diploma or certificate.
- Allows colleges to waive the nonresident tuition differential for up to 40% of students in the regional education program for deaf students, if federal funding supports the program.
Who is affected
- High school completers aged 19–20 — Students aged 19 or 20 who are working to finish their high school education (e.g., earning a diploma or certificate) at a community or technical college may qualify for a full or partial tuition and fee waiver.
- Children of fallen or disabled first responders — Children of law enforcement officers, firefighters, or Washington State Patrol officers who died or became totally disabled in the line of duty may receive full tuition and fee waivers if they enroll within 10 years of high school graduation.
- Surviving spouses of fallen or disabled first responders — Surviving spouses of law enforcement officers, firefighters, or Washington State Patrol officers who died or became totally disabled in the line of duty may receive full tuition and fee waivers.
- Nonresident high school completers aged 19–20 — Nonresident students aged 19 or 20 working toward a high school diploma or certificate may receive a waiver of the extra nonresident tuition charge (but not base tuition).
- Students in the regional education program for deaf students — Up to 40% of students in the regional education program for deaf students may receive tuition waivers for nonresident tuition, contingent on federal funding.
Pro/Con Analysis
Potential Benefits (2)
Full tuition and fee waivers for surviving spouses of fallen/disabled first responders directly reduce financial barriers to higher education for a group that often faces economic hardship after losing a primary earner — especially impactful for spouses who left the workforce to support the officer or raise children.
EducationPeopleRef: Sec. 1(2)(a)(ii)Waiving tuition and fees for 19–20-year-olds working to finish high school helps close the gap for young adults who left high school early due to economic necessity, enabling them to earn credentials without debt — a critical pathway for low-income youth who cannot afford traditional adult education.
EducationPeopleRef: Sec. 1(1)
Potential Concerns (3)
The 10-year enrollment window for children of fallen/disabled first responders may exclude students who delay college due to financial hardship, caregiving responsibilities, or other life circumstances — disproportionately affecting lower-income families who lack flexibility to meet rigid deadlines.
EducationPeopleRef: Sec. 1(2)(a)(i)The tuition waiver for students aged 19–20 working to finish high school only applies to *resident* students and only covers *full* tuition/fees for residents, but nonresidents only receive a waiver of the *nonresident differential* — meaning low-income nonresidents (e.g., recently displaced families or students moving for work) still face significant out-of-pocket costs, limiting access.
EducationPeopleRef: Sec. 1(1), (3)(a)The 40% cap on nonresident tuition waivers for deaf students is contingent on federal funding, introducing uncertainty and potential inequity: if federal funds fall short, only 40% of eligible deaf students receive relief, leaving others burdened with high costs — a structural limitation that weakens the policy’s reach.
EducationLean peopleRef: Sec. 1(3)(b)
Who Is Most Affected
Low-income 19–20-year-olds who left high school early gain direct access to no-cost credential pathways, reducing debt and improving long-term earnings potential. However, nonresidents only get partial relief, limiting impact for transient or recently displaced students.
Families of fallen/disabled first responders receive substantial financial relief, but the 10-year enrollment window may exclude those facing delayed college entry due to trauma, childcare, or financial instability — disproportionately affecting lower-income survivors.
Deaf students benefit from partial tuition relief, but the 40% cap and federal funding dependency create access inequities — those outside the cap face full nonresident tuition, worsening affordability for out-of-state deaf students.
Community and technical colleges face increased administrative and fiscal burden to implement waivers, especially for tracking enrollment windows and reporting costs — though state reporting requirement may prompt future budget allocations.
State taxpayers benefit from reduced long-term social costs (e.g., unemployment, social services) due to increased educational attainment, but the bill does not specify funding sources, potentially straining college budgets if enrollment surges.