Expanding tuition waivers for high school completers at community and technical colleges.
Senate Bill 5542 expands eligibility for tuition waivers at community and technical colleges in Washington state. The bill removes the current age requirement, which states students must be nineteen years or older, to receive these waivers. This change allows any resident-eligible student enrolled in a program to complete their high school education at a community or technical college to potentially receive a full or partial tuition waiver, regardless of their age.
Bill status
passed
3 of 5 stages cleared
Introduction
Jan 2026
Committee Review
Mar 2025
Senate Passage
Mar 2025
House Passage
Governor
Introduced Jan 12, 2026
Last action Jan 12, 2026
Floor votes · Senate Mar 6, 2025
How they voted
51–0
Passed
Total votes 51
Mar 6, 2025
D
Democratic31
100% Yea
R
Republican20
100% Yea
Vote distribution
All Yea
All Nay
Mixed
No data
Full legislative history
Actions timeline
Total actions
17
Key actions
7
Committee
7
Jan 12, 2026
Introduced
By resolution, reintroduced and retained in present status.
upper
Mar 28, 2025
Committee
Referred to Rules 2 Review.
lower
Mar 26, 2025
Lower · Passed
PEW - Majority; do pass.
lower
Mar 26, 2025
Lower · Passed
Executive action taken in the House Committee on Postsecondary Education & Workforce at 1:30 PM.
lower
Mar 18, 2025
Lower · Passed
Public hearing in the House Committee on Postsecondary Education & Workforce at 1:30 PM.
lower
Mar 6, 2025
Senate · Passed
Senate Vote: pass (51-0)
senate
Feb 10, 2025
Upper · Passed
HEWD - Majority; do pass.
upper
Feb 10, 2025
Upper · Passed
Executive action taken in the Senate Committee on Higher Education & Workforce Development at 10:30 AM.
upper
Feb 6, 2025
Upper · Passed
Public hearing in the Senate Committee on Higher Education & Workforce Development at 1:30 PM.
upper
1 primary · 5 co-sponsors
Sponsors
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