HB 2324
In CommitteeHouse
Child of veteran/tuition
Concerning tuition waivers for children of eligible veterans.
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 for children and surviving spouses or domestic partners of veterans or national guard members who died or became 100% disabled due to federal service, and allows institutions to offer discretionary waivers for other eligible veterans. It also adds a $500-per-year textbook stipend for qualifying recipients and sets strict eligibility and usage rules.
- Requires public higher education institutions to waive all tuition and fees for children and surviving spouses/domestic partners of eligible veterans or national guard members who died or became 100% disabled due to federal service, if the recipient is a Washington resident and meets age/eligibility rules.
- Allows (but does not require) institutions to waive tuition/fees for veterans or national guard members who are Washington residents but do not meet the strict eligibility criteria for full waivers — these waivers must be funded without state general fund support.
- Sets eligibility rules: children must be Washington residents aged 17–26; surviving spouses/partners must be Washington residents and cannot remarry or register a new domestic partnership; recipients must make satisfactory academic progress; maximum benefit is 250 quarter credits (or equivalent).
- Provides a $500-per-year textbook and course materials stipend (prorated for part-time enrollment) to recipients of full waivers under subsection (4), subject to appropriation.
- Adds definitions for key terms like 'child', 'eligible veteran or national guard member', 'totally disabled', and 'Washington domiciliary' to clarify eligibility.
Who is affected
- Children of eligible veterans or national guard members — Children of eligible veterans or national guard members who died or became 100% disabled due to federal service may receive full tuition and fee waivers, plus a $500/year textbook stipend, if they are Washington residents aged 17–26.
- Surviving spouses or domestic partners of eligible veterans or national guard members — Surviving spouses or domestic partners of eligible veterans or national guard members who died or became 100% disabled due to federal service may receive full tuition and fee waivers, plus a $500/year textbook stipend, if they are Washington residents; benefits end if they remarry or enter a new domestic partnership.
- Veterans and national guard members (non-qualifying for full waiver) — Veterans or national guard members who are Washington residents but do not meet the strict eligibility criteria for full waivers may still receive partial or full tuition/fee waivers at institutions’ discretion, though no state general fund money supports these waivers.
- Public higher education institutions in Washington — Public higher education institutions (state universities, regional universities, The Evergreen State College, and community/technical colleges) must implement and report on the waiver program, and may offer additional discretionary waivers.
Pro/Con Analysis
Stronger case for benefits
Potential Benefits (5)
The mandatory full tuition and fee waiver for children and surviving spouses/partners of deceased or 100% disabled veterans significantly reduces financial barriers to higher education, enabling access to degrees or credentials that can lift families out of intergenerational economic hardship.
EducationPeopleRef: Sec. 1(4), (5)(f)The $500-per-year textbook and course materials stipend directly offsets a major out-of-pocket cost for students, particularly benefiting low-income and first-generation students who often delay enrollment or reduce course loads due to textbook affordability.
FinancialPeopleRef: Sec. 1(5)(f)By enabling education for children and survivors of fallen or severely disabled service members, the bill supports long-term community stability and economic self-sufficiency, reducing reliance on social safety nets and associated public costs.
Public SafetyPeopleRef: Sec. 1(4)(a)-(b), (5)(a)(iii)Encouraging private institutions to adopt similar waivers expands access beyond public systems, potentially benefiting students in private vocational or higher education programs — though participation is voluntary and not funded.
EducationPeopleRef: Sec. 1(7)The 10-year window to use benefits (from death/disability determination) provides flexibility for survivors to re-enter education at a time of their choosing, supporting delayed educational pathways common among caregivers and older adults.
EducationPeopleRef: Sec. 1(5)(b)(ii)(A)
Potential Concerns (5)
The $500-per-year textbook stipend is subject to appropriation and may not be funded in full in any given biennium, creating uncertainty for recipients and potentially leaving many eligible students without the intended support despite meeting all other criteria.
FinancialPeopleRef: Sec. 1(5)(f)The 250-quarter-credit cap (≈167 semester credits) may limit degree completion for students pursuing graduate degrees or double majors, disproportionately affecting first-generation and low-income students who may need more time to complete degrees due to work or caregiving responsibilities.
EducationPeopleRef: Sec. 1(4)(a)-(b), (5)(a)(iii)The automatic termination of benefits upon remarriage or new domestic partnership discriminates against surviving spouses/partners by imposing a marital status condition not applied to children or veterans, reinforcing gendered assumptions about dependency and reducing autonomy.
Rights & LibertiesLean peopleRef: Sec. 1(5)(b)(ii)(B)The discretionary waivers for non-qualifying veterans must be funded without state general fund support, potentially straining institutional budgets and leading to inconsistent or underfunded programs across institutions, especially community/technical colleges with tighter margins.
Business & EmploymentRef: Sec. 1(3)The reliance on RCW 28B.15.013 to determine Washington domicile may disadvantage students experiencing housing instability (e.g., couch-surfing, shelter stays, or unincorporated housing) who lack formal documentation of residency, even if they meet the legal definition of domiciliary.
HousingPeopleRef: Sec. 1(5)(a)(i), (b)(i)
Who Is Most Affected
Children and surviving spouses/partners of deceased or 100% disabled veterans are the primary beneficiaries — they gain direct, substantial financial support for higher education. However, the stipend's appropriation dependency and marital-status restrictions create uncertainty and inequity.
Non-qualifying veterans may receive discretionary waivers at institutional discretion, but without state funding, these programs are likely inconsistent and under-resourced — especially at community/technical colleges.
Public institutions must implement the required waivers using tuition revenue (not state funds), potentially diverting funds from other student services or affordability initiatives. Reporting requirements add administrative burden.
Surviving spouses/partners who remarry or register a new domestic partnership lose benefits entirely — disproportionately affecting women (who are more likely to be survivors in this program) and reinforcing outdated assumptions about marital dependency.
Low-income and first-generation students within the eligible group benefit most from reduced tuition and textbook costs, but may face additional barriers (e.g., documentation of domicile, time limits) that reduce actual access.