Financial aid eligibility

AN ACT Relating to modifying financial aid eligibility; amending 1
RCW 28B.92.205; and adding a new section to chapter 28B.92 RCW.2
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON:3
Sec. 1. RCW 28B.92.205 and 2023 c 475 s 923 are each amended to 4
read as follows: 5
(1) In addition to other eligibility requirements outlined in 6
this chapter, students who demonstrate financial need are eligible to 7
receive the Washington college grant. 8
(2) Financial need is as follows: 9
(((1) Until academic year 2020-21, students with family incomes 10
between zero and fifty percent of the state median family income, 11
adjusted for family size, shall receive the maximum Washington 12
college grant as defined in RCW 28B.92.030. Grants for students with 13
incomes between fifty-one and seventy percent of the state median 14
family income, adjusted for family size, shall be prorated at the 15
following percentages of the maximum Washington college grant amount:16
(a) Seventy percent for students with family incomes between 17
fifty-one and fifty-five percent of the state median family income;18
(b) Sixty-five percent for students with family incomes between 19
fifty-six and sixty percent of the state median family income;20
H-0731.1
HOUSE BILL 1568
State of Washington 69th Legislature 2025 Regular Session
By Representatives Paul, Leavitt, Macri, Shavers, Cortes, Parshley,
Timmons, Doglio, Pollet, Salahuddin, Reed, and Nance
Read first time 01/24/25. Referred to Committee on Postsecondary
Education & Workforce.
p. 1 HB 1568
(c) Sixty percent for students with family incomes between sixty-1
one and sixty-five percent of the state median family income; and2
(d) Fifty percent for students with family incomes between sixty-3
six and seventy percent of the state median family income.4
(2) Beginning with academic year 2020-21, except during the 5
2022-23, 2023-24, and 2024-25 academic years, students))6
(a) Students with family incomes between zero and ((fifty-five)) 7
70 percent of the state median family income, adjusted for family 8
size, shall receive the maximum Washington college grant as defined 9
in RCW 28B.92.030((. During the 2022-23, 2023-24, and 2024-25 10
academic years, students with family incomes between zero and sixty 11
percent of the state median family income, adjusted for family size, 12
shall receive the maximum Washington college grant.)); and13
(b) Grants for students with incomes between ((fifty-six)) 71 and 14
((one hundred )) 100 percent of the state median family income, 15
adjusted for family size, shall be prorated at the following 16
percentages of the maximum Washington college grant amount:17
(((a) Seventy)) (i) 50 percent for students with family incomes 18
between ((fifty-six)) 71 and ((sixty)) 80 percent of the state median 19
family income ((, except during the 2022-23, 2023-24, and 2024-25 20
academic years)); 21
(((b) Sixty)) (ii) 25 percent for students with family incomes 22
between ((sixty-one)) 81 and ((sixty-five)) 90 percent of the state 23
median family income ((, except during the 2023-24 and 2024-25 24
academic years when student grant award shall not be prorated and 25
students shall receive the maximum award;26
(c) Fifty percent for students with family incomes between sixty-27
six and seventy percent of the state median family income;28
(d) Twenty-four and one-half percent for students with family 29
incomes between seventy-one and seventy-five percent of the state 30
median family income)); and 31
(((e) Ten)) (iii) 10 percent for students with family incomes 32
between ((seventy-six)) 91 and ((one hundred )) 100 percent of the 33
state median family income. 34
NEW SECTION. Sec. 2. A new section is added to chapter 28B.92 35
RCW to read as follows: 36
(1) As part of the Washington college grant program, all 37
Washington college grant recipients who qualify for the maximum 38
Washington college grant, but who are not recipients of the college 39
p. 2 HB 1568
bound scholarship program under chapter 28B.118 RCW are entitled to 1
also receive an annual bridge grant of $500. 2
(2) The office shall award bridge grants to eligible students 3
beginning with the 2025-26 academic year. 4
(3) To receive the full bridge grant for which the student 5
qualifies, the student needs to be enrolled in an institution of 6
higher education on at least a half-time basis. Students enrolled 7
less than half-time must receive a prorated bridge grant.8
(4) The bridge grant must be applied to a student's financial aid 9
package after all other gift aid has been awarded to the student.10
(5) As used in this section, "bridge grant" means an annual 11
stipend provided in addition to the Washington college grant to 12
provide supplementary financial support to low-income students to 13
cover higher education expenses beyond tuition and fees, such as 14
books, lab fees, supplies, technology, transportation, housing, and 15
child care. 16
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p. 3 HB 1568