wa-law.org > bill > 2025-26 > SB 5963 > Original Bill
The state financial aid account is created in the custody of the state treasurer. The primary purpose of the account is to ensure that all appropriations designated for financial aid through statewide student financial aid programs are made available to eligible students. The account shall be a nontreasury account.
The office shall deposit in the account all money received for the Washington college grant program established under chapter 28B.92 RCW, the state work-study program established under chapter 28B.12 RCW, the Washington scholars program established under RCW 28A.600.110, the Washington award for vocational excellence program established under RCW 28C.04.525, the educational opportunity grant program established under chapter 28B.101 RCW, and the passport to careers program established under chapter 28B.117 RCW. The account shall consist of funds appropriated by the legislature for the programs listed in this subsection and private contributions to the programs. Moneys deposited in the account do not lapse at the close of the fiscal period for which they were appropriated. Both during and after the fiscal period in which moneys were deposited in the account, the office may expend moneys in the account only for the purposes for which they were appropriated, and the expenditures are subject to any other conditions or limitations placed on the appropriations.
Expenditures from the account shall be used for scholarships to students eligible for the programs according to program rules and policies. For the 2019-2021 fiscal biennium, expenditures may also be used for scholarship awards in the passport to career program established under chapter 28B.117 RCW. It is the intent of the legislature that this policy will be continued in subsequent fiscal biennia.
Disbursements from the account are exempt from appropriations and the allotment provisions of chapter 43.88 RCW.
Only the director of the office or the director's designee may authorize expenditures from the account.
During the 2025-2027 fiscal biennium, the legislature may direct the state treasurer to transfer money in the state financial aid account to the state general fund.
(1) The Washington college grant program is created to provide a statewide free college program for eligible participants and greater access to postsecondary education for Washington residents. The Washington college grant program is intended to increase the number of high school graduates and adults that can attain a postsecondary credential and provide them with the qualifications needed to compete for job opportunities in Washington.
The definitions in this section apply throughout this chapter unless the context clearly requires otherwise.
"Apprentice" means a person enrolled in a state-approved, federally registered, or reciprocally recognized apprenticeship program.
"Apprenticeship" means an apprenticeship training program approved or recognized by the state apprenticeship council or similar federal entity.
"Cost of attendance" means the cost associated with attending a particular institution of higher education as determined by the office, including but not limited to tuition, fees, room, board, books, personal expenses, and transportation, plus the cost of reasonable additional expenses incurred by an eligible student and approved by a financial aid administrator at the student's school of attendance.
"Federal foster care system" means the foster care program under the federal unaccompanied refugee minors program, Title 8 U.S.C. Sec. 1522 of the immigration and nationality act of 1965, as amended.
"Financial need" means the difference between a student's cost of attendance and the student's total student aid index as determined by the method prescribed by the United States department of education.
"Homeless" or "homelessness" means without a fixed, regular, and adequate nighttime residence as set forth in the federal McKinney-Vento homeless assistance act, 42 U.S.C. Sec. 11301 et seq.
"Independent college or university" means a private, nonprofit institution of higher education, open to residents of the state, providing programs of education beyond the high school level leading to at least the baccalaureate degree, and accredited by the Northwest association of schools and colleges, and other institutions as may be developed that are approved by the student achievement council as meeting equivalent standards as those institutions accredited under this section.
"Institution of higher education" means any institution eligible to and participating in the Washington college grant program.
"Occupational-specific costs" means the costs associated with entering an apprenticeship or preapprenticeship, including but not limited to fees, tuition for classes, work clothes, rain gear, boots, occupation-specific tools.
"Office" means the office of student financial assistance.
"Preapprenticeship" means an apprenticeship preparation program recognized by the state apprenticeship council and as defined in RCW 28C.18.162.
"Program" means the passport to careers program created in this chapter.
"State foster care system" means out-of-home care pursuant to a dependency and includes the placement of dependents from other states who are placed in Washington pursuant to orders issued under the interstate compact on the placement of children, chapter 26.34 RCW.
"Tribal court" has the same meaning as defined in RCW 13.38.040.
"Tribal foster care system" means an out-of-home placement under a dependency order from a tribal court.
"Unaccompanied" means a youth or young adult experiencing homelessness while not in the physical custody of a parent or guardian.