Washington § 43.79.195 - Workforce education investment account.

(1) The workforce education investment account is created in the state treasury. All revenues from the workforce investment surcharge created in RCW 82.04.299 and those revenues as specified under RCW 82.04.290(2)(c) must be deposited directly into the account. Moneys in the account may be spent only after appropriation. Expenditures from the account may be used only for higher education programs, higher education operations, higher education compensation, state-funded student aid programs, and workforce development including career connected learning as defined by RCW 28C.30.020.

(2) Except in the 2025-2027 fiscal biennium, expenditures from the workforce education investment account must be used to supplement, not supplant, other federal, state, and local funding for higher education. It is the intent of the legislature to continue this policy in the 2027-2029 fiscal biennium.

Effective date—2025 c 424: See note following RCW 9.46.100.

Explanatory note—2025 c 58: See note following RCW 1.16.050.

Conflict with federal requirements—Effective date—2021 c 334: See notes following RCW 43.79.555.

Findings—Intent—2021 c 170: See note following RCW 71.24.887.

Tax preference performance statement exemption—Automatic expiration date exemption—Effective dates—2020 c 2: See notes following RCW 82.04.290.

Findings—Intent—2019 c 406: "The legislature finds it is essential that Washington residents have the opportunity to succeed in a competitive global economy by investing in Washington students for Washington jobs. The legislature finds that Washington state is expected to have seven hundred forty thousand job openings by 2021 and that most of these projected openings will be filled by workers with a postsecondary credential, such as a degree, apprenticeship, or certificate. The legislature finds that the state must focus on educational opportunities with targeted investments to keep tuition low and expand capacity for in-state students. The legislature also finds that currently only forty percent of Washington's high school students earn such a credential by age twenty-six, when seventy percent is the goal set by industry and business leaders intent on hiring Washington-educated workers. The legislature finds that Washington state already has several successful programs that help Washington students train for Washington jobs, including the state need grant, the guided pathways initiative at the community and technical colleges, and degree and apprenticeship programs in high-demand fields, such as computer science, engineering, nursing, and more. The legislature further finds that providing additional resources for workforce investments is critical in maintaining Washington's competitiveness in the global economy by ensuring businesses are able to hire Washington talent. Therefore, the legislature intends to create the new workforce education investment account, supported by professions that depend on higher education, that will expand existing investments to help people earn the credentials essential to obtain family-wage jobs and fill the seven hundred forty thousand jobs of the future." [ 2019 c 406 s 1.]

Findings—Short title—2019 c 406: See notes following RCW 28B.92.200.

Findings—2019 c 406: See note following RCW 28B.94.020.

Findings—Intent—2019 c 406: See note following RCW 28C.30.050.

Findings—Intent—2019 c 406: See note following RCW 43.216.135.