SB 5953 — Concerning financial aid grants for incarcerated students.

S-4351.1S-3774.1 SUBSTITUTE SENATE BILL 5953 State of Washington 68th Legislature 2024 Regular Session By Senate Human Services (originally sponsored by Senators C.

Wilson, Frame, Hasegawa, Kuderer, Lovelett, Nguyen, Nobles, Salomon, Trudeau, and Valdez)Valdez READPrefiled FIRST01/03/24. TIME 01/26/24.

Read first time 01/08/24.

Referred to Committee on Human Services.

1 SSBSB 5953 (3) The legislature recognizes more incarcerated individuals may agree to participate in education and work programs than are available.

(ii) For financial aid eligible postsecondary programming provided pursuant to (a)(i) through (iii) of this subsection, the department may require the individual to apply for and utilize any federal and state financial aid grants available to the individual as a condition of participation in such programming.

TheIf individualthe maycost electof toattendance useexceeds availablethe financialgrant aidaward, grants,or self-pay,the orperson anyis othernot availableeligible third-partyfor funding,federal or usestate afinancial combinationaid ofgrants, thesethe methodsdepartment toshall coverpay the cost of attendance fornot financialotherwise aidcovered eligibleby postsecondarythird-party programmingfunding. provided under this subsection (4)(b)(ii).

IfAll anregulations individualand electsrequirements toset self-payforth orby utilizethe third-partyUnited funding,States the p.

2 SSBSB 5953 individualdepartment isof noteducation subjectfor tofederal thepell postawardgrants formulafor describedprison ineducation (c)programs ofapply thisto subsection.financial aid eligible postsecondary programming.

If the cost of attendance exceeds any financial grant awards that may be available to the individual, or the person is not eligible for federal or state financial aid grants, the department shall pay the cost of attendance not otherwise covered by third-party funding.

All regulations and requirements set forth by the United States department of education for federal pell grants for prison education programs apply to financial aid eligible postsecondary programming.

The individual may apply for and utilize federal and state financial aid grants available to the individual.

Any postaward formula offsets and funds paid for by the department for educational programming shall not result in the reduction of any gift aid.

(d) AllThe incarcerateddepartment individualsmay shallaccept receiveany financialand aidall donations and academicgrants advisingof money, equipment, supplies, materials, and services from anany accreditedthird institutionparty, ofincluding higherbut educationnot priorlimited to enrollmentnonprofit inentities aand financialcommunity- aidbased eligible postsecondary education program.programs, and may receive, utilize, and dispose of same to complete the purposes of this section.

Eligible(e) individualsAny whofunds choosecollected notby tothe participatedepartment orunder choose(c) toand cease(d) participationof inthis asubsection financialand aidsubsections eligible(11) p.and (12) of this section shall be used solely for the creation, maintenance, or expansion of incarcerated individual educational and vocational programs.

3 SSB 5953 postsecondary education program shall not result in a loss of privileges.

(e) The department may accept any and all donations and grants of money, equipment, supplies, materials, and services from any third party, including but not limited to nonprofit entities and community- based postsecondary education programs, and may receive, utilize, and dispose of same to complete the purposes of this section.

(((e))) (f) Any funds collected by the department under (c) and (((d))) (e) of this subsection and subsections (11) and (12) of this section shall be used solely for the creation, maintenance, or expansion of incarcerated individual educational and vocational programs.

The program of education established by the department and education provider under RCWp. 28A.193.020 for incarcerated individuals under the age of eighteen must provide each incarcerated individual a choice of curriculum that will assist the incarcerated individual in achieving a high school diploma or high school equivalency certificate.

3 SB 5953 RCW 28A.193.020 for incarcerated individuals under the age of eighteen must provide each incarcerated individual a choice of curriculum that will assist the incarcerated individual in achieving a high school diploma or high school equivalency certificate.

p.(ii) An incarcerated individual's education history and basic academic skills;

4 SSB 5953 (ii) An incarcerated individual's education history and basic academic skills;

(7) Eligible incarcerated individuals who refuse to participate in available education or work programs available at no charge to the incarceratedp. individuals shall lose privileges according to the system established under RCW 72.09.130.

4 SB 5953 incarcerated individuals shall lose privileges according to the system established under RCW 72.09.130.

p.(10) The department shall establish, by rule, objective medical standards to determine when an incarcerated individual is physically or mentally unable to participate in available education or work programs.

5 SSB 5953 (10) The department shall establish, by rule, objective medical standards to determine when an incarcerated individual is physically or mentally unable to participate in available education or work programs.

(11) The department shall establish policies requiring an incarcerated individual to pay all or a portion of the costs and tuitionp. for any vocational training or postsecondary education program if the incarcerated individual previously abandoned coursework related to postsecondary degree or certificate education or vocational training without excuse as defined in rule by the department.

5 SB 5953 tuition for any vocational training or postsecondary education program if the incarcerated individual previously abandoned coursework related to postsecondary degree or certificate education or vocational training without excuse as defined in rule by the department.

p.(b) May not participate in a postsecondary degree education program offered by the department or its contracted providers, unless the incarcerated individual's participation in the program is paid for by a third party or by the individual;

6 SSB 5953 (b) May not participate in a postsecondary degree education program offered by the department or its contracted providers, unless the incarcerated individual's participation in the program is paid for by a third party or by the individual;

This requirement applies regardless of whether the incarcerated individual became ineligiblep. to participate in or abandoned a postsecondary education program.

6 SB 5953 ineligible to participate in or abandoned a postsecondary education program.

Any postaward formula offsets and funds paid for by the department for educational programming shall not result in the reduction of any gift aid.

(2) Incarcerated individuals not meeting the department's priority criteria for the ((state-funded)) postsecondary degree p.education program offered by the department or its contracted providers shall be required to pay the costs for participation in a postsecondary education degree program if ((he or she elects)) they elect to participate through self-pay, including costs of books, fees, tuition, or any other appropriate ancillary costs, by one or more of the following means:

7 SSB 5953 education program offered by the department or its contracted providers shall be required to pay the costs for participation in a postsecondary education degree program if ((he or she elects)) they elect to participate through self-pay, including costs of books, fees, tuition, or any other appropriate ancillary costs, by one or more of the following means:

or (c)p. A third party ((shall)) may provide the required payment or payments directly to the department on behalf of an incarcerated individual, and such payments shall not be subject to any of the deductions as provided in this chapter.

7 SB 5953 (c) A third party ((shall)) may provide the required payment or payments directly to the department on behalf of an incarcerated individual, and such payments shall not be subject to any of the deductions as provided in this chapter.

(5) The department shall work with the college board as defined in RCW 28B.50.030 to develop a plan to assist incarcerated p.individuals selected to participate in postsecondary degree or certificate programs with filing a free application for federal student aid or the Washington application for state financial aid.

8 SSB 5953 individuals selected to participate in postsecondary degree or certificate programs with filing a free application for federal student aid or the Washington application for state financial aid.

98 SSBSB 5953