OLYMPIA—Rep. Joe Timmons (D-Bellingham) knows firsthand just how much debt one incurs to attend graduate school—and he wants to create access to higher education and prevent others from taking on too much debt that may prevent them from accomplishing other milestones in their lives.
HB 1823, a bill Timmons introduced just before policy cutoff in mid-February, builds upon the work the Legislature did last year to create a low-interest student loan program. This bill modifies the program by targeting fields of study that address Washington’s workforce shortage or are in high-demand areas, such as healthcare, behavioral and mental health, educators, law enforcement, and public safety professionals. By specifically targeting graduate school study for students with 100 percent or less of the state’s median family income, this bill also helps fill a gap in the state’s financial aid landscape and builds upon the work the state does to improve access to all levels of postsecondary education. It passed off the House floor shortly after midnight today with a vote of 67-29.
If signed into law, HB 1823 will become effective with the 2025-2026 academic year and will have a minimum life cycle of seven years, with an annual report due to the Legislature to review next steps moving forward.
“I’d like to commend the Legislature on making tremendous strides in creating access to higher education in recent years, including through tools like the Washington College Grant (for undergraduates) and establishing the Washington student loan program last session. Washington is a leader in postsecondary financial aid—creating access to thousands of students, improving the quality of life in our state, and strengthening our workforce,” said Timmons.
“This bill is personal to me. My wife and I both earned master’s degrees from the University of Washington. I stayed in Washington for graduate school in part because of the lower costs as an in-state student. But this still meant that I took out tens of thousands of dollars in loans to pay for tuition and living expenses during those two years,” said Timmons.
“This was in addition to qualifying for work study and reducing my educational costs that way. I don’t regret my decision to go to graduate school for one minute but taking on that level of debt pushed back my family’s ability to start a family and purchase a home. This program will help prevent other Washingtonians from facing similar challenges,” added Timmons.