This bill reenacts and amends RCW 28B.92.200 to (re)establish and describe the Washington college grant program as a statewide program to provide free college for eligible Washington residents. It directs an unspecified "office" to implement and administer the program and allows that office and the Student Achievement Council to adopt rules for implementation and satisfactory academic progress. The Legislature must appropriate funding, and awards are to be made to eligible students beginning in the 2020-21 academic year. Eligibility rules in the amendment tie awards to financial need (per RCW 28B.92.205), receipt of certain public assistance programs, residency, filing an annual financial aid application, not holding a baccalaureate degree, minimum enrollment (at least three quarter credits or equivalent), participation in registered apprenticeship programs, and, beginning in 2027-28, enrollment in eligible postsecondary nondegree credential programs as determined by the State Board for Community and Technical Colleges in consultation with the Student Achievement Council. The bill limits eligibility to six years or 150% of a program’s published length, requires institutions to award all need‑based aid for which a student qualifies, prorates part‑time grants, and provides that unused grant portions are returned to the state educational grant fund under institutional refund policies. Beginning in 2025-26, the bill adds Washington high school students in grades 10–12 who are in households receiving certain basic food or food assistance benefits to the eligible population. Institutional aid administrators may continue eligibility if a student’s family income increases by no more than 3%. The bill also creates a temporary procedural requirement: the Student Achievement Council must work with the State Board for Community and Technical Colleges to propose a maximum grant amount for students in approved nondegree credential programs and report that proposal to legislative committees by December 1, 2026; that reporting requirement expires January 31, 2027. The act reenacts and amends existing law rather than creating a criminal offense or changing penalties. Important details are missing from the extracted text: the specific office that will administer the program is not identified, the criteria and definitions for "eligible postsecondary nondegree credential program" are not provided, the specific rules to be adopted (including the satisfactory academic progress standard) are not included, and the maximum grant amount is not specified.

If implemented, the law would mean eligible Washington residents who meet income and enrollment rules can have tuition and related costs covered by a statewide grant starting in the 2020–21 academic year, with part‑time students getting smaller prorated awards, apprentices and certain apprenticeship enrollments eligible immediately, high school students on state food assistance added in 2025–26, and students in approved nondegree credential programs added in 2027–28. Grants are time‑limited to six years or 150% of program length, institutions must apply all need‑based aid the student qualifies for, unused grant amounts when students drop out are returned to the state fund under institutional refund policies, and aid administrators will handle renewals and small income increases (up to 3%) that might otherwise end eligibility. The legislature must provide the money and allocations will be set by estimated eligible enrollments, so colleges and apprenticeship programs should expect changes in funding flows and administrative workload to verify eligibility, award and refund grants, and track academic progress under rules to be adopted. The Student Achievement Council and the State Board for Community and Technical Colleges will decide which nondegree programs qualify and must jointly propose a maximum award for those programs by December 1, 2026, but the bill does not say which office will run the program or what the award amounts and specific progress standards will be, leaving key implementation and cost details uncertain.