wa-law.org > bill > 2025-26 > HB 1492 > Original Bill
The legislature finds that students who have dependents should have priority registration given their demanding schedules and caregiving responsibilities. Giving students with dependents early registration is just one way the legislature can support families and students.
Beginning in the 2025-26 academic year, institutions of higher education that offer an early course registration period for any segment of the student population must have a process in place to offer students who have dependents early course registration as follows:
New students who have dependents and who have completed all of their admission processes must be offered an early course registration period; and
Continuing and returning former students who have dependents and who have met current enrollment requirements must be offered early course registration among continuing students with the same level of class standing or credit as determined by the attending institution and according to institutional policies.
For purposes of this section, "dependents" are: Children 18 years of age or younger who are under the registering student's care; and persons who, because of physical or mental disability or because of extreme advanced age, is dependent upon the registering student to provide the basic necessities of life.