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HB2070 • 2026
Providing state funding parity for Western Washington University.
This bill passed both chambers and reached final enrollment, even if later executive action is not shown here.
Using official source text because the generated explanation was unavailable or could not be confirmed against the official bill text.
WWU state funding parity
By resolution, reintroduced and retained in present status.
WWU state funding parity
AN ACT Relating to state funding parity for Western Washington 1 University; adding a new section to chapter 28B.35 RCW; and creating 2 a new section. 3 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON:4 NEW SECTION. Sec. 1. The legislature recognizes that Western 5 Washington University has received the lowest funding on a per-6 student basis for much of the last three decades. Despite strong 7 enrollment, retention, and graduation rates, students at Western 8 Washington University bear the greatest cost of their education 9 compared with students at other public universities and community and 10 technical colleges in Washington. The legislature finds that 11 Washington has a postsecondary educational attainment crisis, with 12 less than half of graduating high school seniors participating in 13 postsecondary education. The majority, 70 percent, of family-wage 14 jobs in Washington require a bachelor's degree and this trend is 15 projected to continue. Over the next decade, Washington will need 16 nearly 300,000 more workers with bachelor's degrees. The legislature 17 recognizes the important role of regional comprehensive universities 18 in supporting the education of Washington residents and seeks to 19 rectify the historical per-student funding disparity.20 H-2115.1 HOUSE BILL 2070 State of Washington 69th Legislature 2025 Regular Session By Representatives Timmons, Lekanoff, Ramel, Rule, Parshley, Scott, and Pollet Read first time 04/04/25. Referred to Committee on Postsecondary Education & Workforce. p. 1 HB 2070 NEW SECTION. Sec. 2. A new section is added to chapter 28B.35 1 RCW to read as follows: 2 (1) Beginning with the 2029-2031 biennium omnibus appropriations 3 act, the legislature shall appropriate to Western Washington 4 University an amount for state funding parity, according to the 5 methodology calculated in subsection (2) of this section.6 (2)(a) The carryforward level funding average from near general 7 fund outlook accounts must be divided by the number of full-time 8 equivalent students from state-supported academic programs for the 9 prior fiscal year for each regional university and state college. The 10 legislature must calculate this ratio at the beginning of every odd-11 numbered year. 12 (b) If Western Washington University has the lowest calculated 13 ratio, an appropriation in the omnibus appropriations act must be 14 made that is at least equal to the difference from Western Washington 15 University's ratio and the next lowest regional university or state 16 college. 17 (c) If the Western Washington University ratio is not the lowest 18 of the regional universities and state college, no appropriation will 19 be made in accordance with this section. 20 (3) For purposes of this section, the following definitions 21 apply: 22 (a) "Carryforward level" means a projected expenditure level for 23 each biennial budget before maintenance level changes are made, which 24 is mechanically calculated after each session in an even-numbered 25 year by adjusting current appropriations to be ongoing or one-time 26 based on the previous biennium's enacted budget; 27 (b) "Regional universities" are those designated in RCW 28 28B.35.010; and 29 (c) "State college" means The Evergreen State College in Thurston 30 county. 31 --- END --- p. 2 HB 2070