(1) The state board for community and technical colleges shall administer a program designed to provide higher education opportunities to dislocated forest products workers and their unemployed spouses who are enrolled in a community or technical college for ten or more credit hours per quarter. In administering the program, the college board shall have the following powers and duties:

     (a) With the assistance of an advisory committee, design a procedure for selecting dislocated forest products workers to participate in the program;

     (b) Allocate funding to community and technical colleges attended by participants; and

     (c) Monitor the program and report on participants' progress and outcomes.

     (2) Unemployed spouses of eligible dislocated forest products workers may participate in the program, but tuition and fees may be waived under the program only for the worker or the spouse and not both.

     (3) Subject to the limitations of RCW 28B.15.910, the governing boards of the community and technical colleges may waive all or a portion of tuition and fees for program participants, for a maximum of six quarters within a two-year period.

     (4) During any biennium, the number of full-time equivalent students to be served in this program shall be determined by the applicable omnibus appropriations act, and shall be in addition to the community college enrollment level funded by the applicable omnibus appropriations act.

[1998 c 245 § 21; 1993 sp.s. c 18 § 32; 1992 c 231 § 29; 1991 c 315 § 17.]

NOTES:

     Effective date -- 1993 sp.s. c 18: See note following RCW 28B.12.060.

     Effective date -- 1992 c 231: See note following RCW 28B.10.016.

     Intent -- 1991 c 315: See note following RCW 50.12.270.

     Severability -- Conflict with federal requirements -- Effective date -- 1991 c 315: See RCW 50.70.900 through 50.70.902.