Pay it forward program

AN ACT Relating to creating the pay it forward program; and 1
adding a new chapter to Title 28B RCW. 2
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON:3
NEW SECTION. Sec. 1. The definitions in this section apply 4
throughout this chapter unless the context clearly requires 5
otherwise.6
(1) "Council" means the student achievement council.7
(2) "Financial aid" means either loans, grants, or both, to 8
students who demonstrate financial need enrolled or accepted for 9
enrollment as a student at institutions of higher education.10
(3) "Institutions of higher education" means the state 11
universities, the regional universities, and The Evergreen State 12
College. 13
(4) "Regional universities" means Western Washington University 14
at Bellingham, Central Washington University at Ellensburg, and 15
Eastern Washington University at Cheney. 16
(5) "State college" means The Evergreen State College in Thurston 17
county. 18
(6) "State universities" means the University of Washington and 19
Washington State University. 20
H-2469.1
HOUSE BILL 2148
State of Washington 69th Legislature 2026 Regular Session
By Representatives Reed, Parshley, Dufault, Ramel, Berry, Cortes,
Zahn, Scott, Goodman, Hill, and Pollet
Prefiled 12/16/25. Read first time 01/12/26. Referred to Committee
on Postsecondary Education & Workforce.
p. 1 HB 2148
NEW SECTION. Sec. 2. (1) The pay it forward program is created 1
to provide greater access to higher education. To be eligible to 2
participate in the program, a student must be enrolled in a graduate 3
degree program at an institution of higher education. Participants 4
shall sign a binding contract to make contributions to the pay it 5
forward program beginning one year following graduation or 6
discontinuation of their graduate degree program.7
(2) In developing and administering the program, the council 8
shall: 9
(a) Provide funds to participants for tuition and fees, less any 10
awards received through state financial aid; 11
(b) Deposit participant contributions into the pay it forward 12
trust fund account created in section 3 of this act. In determining 13
the amount and length of time participants contribute to the program, 14
the council shall apply the following criteria: 15
(i) Participants who attended a state university may not be 16
required to contribute more than five percent of their income;17
(ii) Participants who attended a regional university or state 18
college may not be required to contribute more than 3.5 percent of 19
their income; 20
(iii) Participants must make contributions in proportion to the 21
number of credits for which the participant was registered while 22
participating in the pay it forward program; and 23
(iv) Participants may not be required to make contributions to 24
the pay it forward program for a period longer than 15 years.25
(3) Participants are eligible to receive pay it forward tuition 26
assistance for up to four years, or the credit or clock hour 27
equivalent of four years, or up to 125 percent of the published 28
length of time of their program. 29
NEW SECTION. Sec. 3. (1) The pay it forward trust fund account 30
is created in the custody of the state treasurer. The primary purpose 31
of the account is to ensure that all disbursements from the account 32
are made available to students eligible for the pay it forward 33
program created in section 2 of this act.34
(2) The council shall deposit in the account all money received 35
for the program established under section 2 of this act. The account 36
shall consist of funds appropriated by the legislature for the 37
program, contributions to the pay it forward program by participants, 38
and private contributions, including principal and interest. Moneys 39
p. 2 HB 2148
deposited in the account do not lapse at the close of the fiscal 1
period for which they were appropriated. Both during and after the 2
fiscal period in which moneys were deposited in the account, the 3
council may expend moneys in the account only for the purposes of the 4
pay it forward program. 5
(3) Expenditures from the account shall be used for the pay it 6
forward program according to program rules and policies.7
(4) Only the executive director of the council or the executive 8
director's designee may authorize expenditures from the account.9
(5) Disbursements from the account are exempt from appropriations 10
and the allotment provisions of chapter 43.88 RCW.11
NEW SECTION. Sec. 4. Sections 1 through 3 of this act 12
constitute a new chapter in Title 28B RCW.13
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p. 3 HB 2148