Senate Approves Washington State University Plan

By Chris Mulick, Tri-City Herald, Kennewick, Wash.

Feb. 15–OLYMPIA — If the Legislature does not grant Washington State University Tri-Cities authority to expand to a four-year campus this session, it won’t be because lawmakers think it’s a bad idea.

The Senate approved Senate Bill 6464 48-0 on Tuesday and the House already has approved its own version. The bills use different language and the Senate version would allow the upper-division campus to begin admitting underclassmen this fall instead of next year.

But otherwise the bills largely accomplish the same objective, which both houses of the Legislature have blessed. While lawmakers still have to agree on a final version, it would appear only unforeseen circumstances could derail the expansion plan en route to Gov. Chris Gregoire’s desk for signature.

“This is as good of shape as this bill could have been in,” said WSU lobbyist Larry Ganders.

“My experience throughout my business life is you never take a deep breath,” said Frank Armijo, who led a committee formed by the Tri-City Industrial Development Council that crafted a broad education plan that called for the WSU expansion. “You keep focused on the results.”

So backers will keep pressuring lawmakers to make sure one of the bills gets enacted. The House version is scheduled for a hearing Friday in the Senate Early Learning, K-12 and Higher Education Committee.

“I’m just happy to see two bills are still alive,” said Rep. Larry Haler, R-Richland.

Sen. Jerome Delvin, R-Richland, said he doesn’t foresee any problems, but that now is no time to pop open the bubbly.

“Not until the governor signs it,” Delvin said. “Then we’ll celebrate.”

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