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• Introduced by Rep. Larry Springer, (Kirkland) (D) on January 18, 2012, mandates that institutions of higher education making purchases between ten and one hundred thousand dollars must seek at least three different price quotations for the intended purchase to ensure competition. At least one of the three businesses must be minority-owned and at least one other must be woman-owned. This act gives greater freedom to institutions of higher education in determining compensation levels and paying wages. (Companion Bill: SB 6401).
  • Referred to the House Higher Education Committee on January 18, 2012.
    • Substitute offered in the House on January 26, 2012, requires institutions of higher education to post purchasing and contract opportunities on institution websites for 30 days before making goods and services purchases and personal service contracts of $10,000 to $100,000. For such contracts, institutions must invite at least one quotation each from a certified minority-owned vendor and a certified woman-owned vendor. Dollar thresholds relating to goods and services purchases and personal services contracts are made consistent. A paragraph that provided for biennial adjustments to certain dollar thresholds is deleted. Institutions are exempt from competitive contracting requirements, and may use all appropriate means to make travel arrangements.
  • Referred to the House Education Appropriations & Oversight Committee on January 31, 2012.
    • Substitute offered in the House on February 2, 2012, exempts institutions of higher education from certain competitive contracting requirements for goods and services purchases and personal service contracts of less than $100,000, and travel arrangements. Authorizes institutions of higher education to make advance payments for certain equipment maintenance services, implement compensation changes for certain health care classifications, and require that salaries and wages be paid using direct deposit or alternate methods. Authorizes institutions of higher education to enter into financing contracts for real property without further legislative approval where the contract is payable only from fees and revenues derived from operations of the college or university and that are neither allotted nor subject to appropriation nor "general state revenues" for purposes of the debt limit.
  • Referred to the House Ways & Means Committee on February 6, 2012.
    • Substitute offered in the House on February 6, 2012, exempts institutions of higher education from certain competitive contracting requirements for goods and services purchases, personal service contracts of less than $100,000, and travel arrangements. Authorizes institutions of higher education to make advance payments for certain equipment maintenance services, and require that salaries and wages be paid using direct deposit or alternate methods.
  • Referred to the House Rules Committee on February 8, 2012.
    • Amendment offered by Rep. Glenn Anderson, (R-Fall City) (R) on February 14, 2012, directs the Higher Education Coordinating Board (HECB), or successor agency, to require that institutions of higher education report accountability data in accordance with the standardized methods and protocols that have been developed by the HECB in consultation with the Legislature and other entities. Requires the HECB, or successor agency, to complete studies of the costs of instruction, the costs of degrees in specific fields, the costs of precollege remediation, and the costs of attendance by December 1, 2012 and every four years, and report to the Governor and the Legislature. The amendment failed by voice vote in the House on February 14, 2012.
• Passed 98 to 0 in the House on February 14, 2012, exempts institutions of higher education from certain competitive contracting requirements for goods and services purchases, personal service contracts of less than $100,000, and travel arrangements.
  Who Voted "Yes" and Who Voted "No"
• Received in the Senate on February 16, 2012.
  • Referred to the Senate Higher Education & Workforce Development Committee on February 16, 2012.
    • Amendment offered in the Senate on February 23, 2012, removes the requirement that institutions must post specific information about purchases or contracts between $10,000 and $100,000 on their web sites. A provision allowing institutions of higher education to implement compensation changes for health care special pay classifications and other identified health care classifications is added.
    • The amendment passed by voice vote in the Senate on February 29, 2012.
  • Referred to the Senate Ways & Means Committee on February 23, 2012.
  • Referred to the Senate Rules Committee on February 24, 2012.
    • Amendment offered by Sen. Rodney Tom (D) on February 29, 2012, clarifies that the reporting requirements apply to the entire act. The amendment passed by voice vote in the Senate on February 29, 2012.
• Passed 48 to 0 in the Senate on February 29, 2012.
  Who Voted "Yes" and Who Voted "No"
• Received in the House on March 7, 2012.
• Passed 56 to 41 in the House on March 7, 2012.
  Who Voted "Yes" and Who Voted "No"
• Signed with partial veto by Gov. Christine Gregoire on March 30, 2012, exempts institutions of higher education from certain competitive contracting requirements for goods and services purchases and personal service contracts of less than $100,000, and also for travel arrangements. Authorizes institutions of higher education to make advance payments for certain equipment maintenance services, implement compensation changes for certain health care classifications, and require that salaries and wages be paid using direct deposit or alternate methods. Makes local operating fee accounts subject to allotment procedures, and makes permanent the requirement that institutions of higher education charge certain expenditures in ratios that conserve appropriated funds.