Signed by Governor Jay Inslee

Vote Smart's Synopsis:

Vote to concur with Senate amendments and pass a bill that establishes a workforce education investment program to train Washington students for Washington jobs.

Highlights:

• Establishes the workforce education investment account to fund programs of higher education and specifies that the revenue for the account will come from the sources detailed in section 74 (Sec. 2).

• Establishes the workforce education investment accountability and oversight board to ensure that funds are properly used and that the account produces its intended results of increasing student success (Sec. 3). 

• Specifies that the oversight board will consist of 17 members that represent the legislature, businesses, labor organizations, students, and institutions of higher education (Sec. 3). 

• Appropriates $39.73 million from the account to the Washington college grant program for students with financial need (Sec. 4).

• Appropriates $21.22 million from the account to expand the income eligibility threshold for the Washington college grant program (Sec. 4).

• Appropriates $1 million from the account to the future teachers conditional scholarship and loan repayment program (Sec. 4).

• Appropriates $2 million for the 2020 fiscal year, and $30.12 million for the 2021 fiscal year to a guided pathways program for community college students (Sec. 5).

• Appropriates additional funds from the account to establishments of higher education for the general purposes of operating costs, employee compensation, academic programs, educator salaries, and career launch programs (Sec. 5-11).

• Appropriates $2.45 million for the 2020 fiscal year, and $2.95 million for the 2021 fiscal year from the account to the employment security department for the career connected learning program (Sec. 12). 

• Appropriates $4.24 million from the account to eliminate the work requirement for single parents who are pursuing a vocational education full-time (Sec. 15). 

• Establishes the Washington state opportunity scholarship, which allows municipalities and American Indian tribes to contribute money which will be earmarked for use by members of that municipality or tribe (Sec. 62). 

• Establishes an additional surcharge on all business activities that is equal to the existing payable tax multiplied by 20 percent (Sec. 74). 

• Establishes an additional surcharge on business activities for companies with a gross revenue of between $25-$100 billion that is equal to the existing payable tax multiplied by 33.33 percent (Sec. 74). 

• Establishes an additional surcharge on business activities for companies with a gross revenue of more than $100 billion that is equal to the existing payable tax multiplied by 66.66 percent (Sec. 74).

Full Bill Text

Vote Smart's Synopsis:

Vote to pass with amendment a bill that establishes a workforce education investment program to train Washington students for Washington jobs.

Highlights:

• Establishes the workforce education investment account to fund programs of higher education and specifies that the revenue for the account will come from the sources detailed in section 74 (Sec. 2).

• Establishes the workforce education investment accountability and oversight board to ensure that funds are properly used and that the account produces its intended results of increasing student success (Sec. 3). 

• Specifies that the oversight board will consist of 17 members that represent the legislature, businesses, labor organizations, students, and institutions of higher education (Sec. 3). 

• Appropriates $39.73 million from the account to the Washington college grant program for students with financial need (Sec. 4).

• Appropriates $21.22 million from the account to expand the income eligibility threshold for the Washington college grant program (Sec. 4).

• Appropriates $1 million from the account to the future teachers conditional scholarship and loan repayment program (Sec. 4).

• Appropriates $2 million for the 2020 fiscal year, and $30.12 million for the 2021 fiscal year to a guided pathways program for community college students (Sec. 5).

• Appropriates additional funds from the account to establishments of higher education for the general purposes of operating costs, employee compensation, academic programs, educator salaries, and career launch programs (Sec. 5-11).

• Appropriates $2.45 million for the 2020 fiscal year, and $2.95 million for the 2021 fiscal year from the account to the employment security department for the career connected learning program (Sec. 12). 

• Appropriates $4.24 million from the account to eliminate the work requirement for single parents who are pursuing a vocational education full-time (Sec. 15). 

• Establishes the Washington state opportunity scholarship, which allows municipalities and American Indian tribes to contribute money which will be earmarked for use by members of that municipality or tribe (Sec. 62). 

• Establishes an additional surcharge on all business activities that is equal to the existing payable tax multiplied by 20 percent (Sec. 74). 

• Establishes an additional surcharge on business activities for companies with a gross revenue of between $25-$100 billion that is equal to the existing payable tax multiplied by 33.33 percent (Sec. 74). 

• Establishes an additional surcharge on business activities for companies with a gross revenue of more than $100 billion that is equal to the existing payable tax multiplied by 66.66 percent (Sec. 74).

Full Bill Text