Bill
SB 5904
Extends eligibility for Washington need-based aid (WCG, CBS, Passport) to 6 years/150% of program length, helping low-income students complete credentials with less debt.
Extends eligibility terms for Washington need‑based financial aid programs
Status & timeline
- Enacted by the 68th Legislature; delivered to Governor 3/8/2024; signed into law 3/28/2024 (Chapter 323).
- Effective date: June 6, 2024.
- Bill was requested by the Washington Student Achievement Council.
Purpose / intent
- To increase the allowable time low‑income and vulnerable students can receive state financial aid so more students can complete credentials without exhausting state aid and incurring debt. The change aligns state program time limits more closely with federal Pell Grant lifetime limits.
Key provisions
- Extends maximum eligibility for awards under these programs from the prior caps to:
- Washington College Grant (WCG) — from 5 years / 125% of program length to 6 years / 150% of program length (or credit/clock‑hour equivalent). (Amends RCW 28B.92.200.)
- Washington College Bound Scholarship (CBS) — same extension to 6 years / 150% of program length. (Amends RCW 28B.118.010 and related sections.)
- Passport to Careers (both Passport to College Promise and Passport to Apprenticeship) — eligibility extended to 6 years / 150% of program length; the prior requirement that Passport awards be used before age 26 is eliminated.
- Continues existing eligibility rules (financial‑need demonstration, residency, enrollment minimums, satisfactory academic progress, non‑possession of a baccalaureate for some awards, prorated awards for part‑time enrollment, institutional refund rules, etc.).
- Requires the Education Research and Data Center (ERDC) to report annually to the Legislature beginning December 1, 2024, on impacts of the extended eligibility on degree completion outcomes and any increase in students using the extended eligibility.
- Includes a null‑and‑void clause: the act is void unless funded in the state budget (added by Appropriations).
Who is affected
- Primary: low‑income students receiving WCG or CBS; former foster youth and unaccompanied homeless youth served by Passport programs; apprenticeship participants receiving state aid.
- Secondary: public and private Washington institutions (financial aid offices), Student Achievement Council/OSFA, and state budget/planners.
Anticipated impacts and fiscal notes
- Supporters (Student Achievement Council and higher‑ed stakeholders) testified the change will modestly increase state costs for WCG (estimated ~1–2% increase) while improving degree completion and equity (especially for Black, Hispanic, Native American, first‑generation, and English‑learner students).
- A fiscal note is available; final implementation depends on budget appropriation because of the null‑and‑void clause.
Statutory changes
- Amends RCW 28B.92.200, 28B.118.010, 28B.118.005, and 28B.117.030 (and creates a new reporting section for ERDC).
Compiled from official sources — confirm details with the bill’s official record.
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