H-3039.1
HOUSE BILL 2617
State of Washington
69th Legislature
2026 Regular Session
By Representatives Pollet, Leavitt, Rule, Ryu, Hall, Timmons, Schmidt, Parshley, Nance, Obras, Goodman, Taylor, Scott, Zahn, Duerr, and Ramel
Read first time 01/22/26. Referred to Committee on Postsecondary Education & Workforce.
AN ACT Relating to enhancing higher education procedures by modifying higher education funding for increases in compensation and central services and identifying essential student services; adding a new section to chapter 28B.10 RCW; creating new sections; and providing an expiration date.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON:
NEW SECTION. Sec. 1. (1)(a) The legislature finds that the current higher education funding methodology relies on a budget assumption, commonly known as the "fund split," which attributes a portion of incremental increases to compensation costs and central services that are paid by appropriated state funds and tuition. This assumption creates structural inequities and financial instability for Washington's public colleges and universities that undermine their ability to provide quality education, retain talented faculty, and serve as economic engines for the state.
(b) The legislature finds that under this fund split methodology, when approving collective bargaining agreements with the employees of higher education institutions, authorizing salary increases for nonrepresented employees, approving changes to benefits costs, including health care, and assigning central service charges between state agencies, the legislature does not fully fund compensation increases for compensation costs paid with appropriated state funds and tuition with state funds. This effectively amounts to repeated budget cuts for the state's institutions of higher education.