The bill amends existing college governance law and adds new sections to several higher education chapters to require a student trustee as the sixth member of each community and technical college district board of trustees and to require opportunities for in-person reports by student government representatives at regular board and regent meetings. It changes board composition and appointment procedures by directing the governor to appoint the student trustee from a list of three to five candidates submitted by the associated student governments (or their equivalent), requires a college administration representative to participate only in an advisory role in that nomination process, and gives the student trustee a one-year term beginning July 1, 2026 and each July 1 thereafter through June 30 (or until a successor is appointed and qualified). It also amends RCW 28B.50.100 and 28B.50.102 and adds new sections to chapters 28B.50, 28B.35, 28B.20, 28B.30, and 28B.40, while referencing chapter 42.30 RCW (open public meetings). The bill establishes eligibility and procedural rules for the student trustee: the student must be at least 18 at appointment and enrolled in at least 10 credits (or the equivalent) at a community or technical college at appointment and throughout the term (excluding the summer quarter), and must be a student in good standing; failure to meet enrollment or standing requirements disqualifies the student trustee. Student trustees must recuse themselves from participation or voting on pending litigation, matters related to hiring, discipline, or tenure of faculty and personnel, and collective bargaining matters. The bill restricts use of state funds for student trustee travel to regularly scheduled college board meetings and allows other travel to be paid from student and activities fees, local college funds, or private sources. It also reiterates that a majority of appointed trustees currently serving constitutes a quorum and requires boards to follow open public meetings laws and provide time for public comment. Areas not specified in the provided text include a definition of “associated student governments or their equivalent,” the definition of “student in good standing,” specific procedures, time limits, formats, or agenda placement for required in-person student reports, and how the October 1 trustee appointment commencement date relates to the July 1 student trustee term start date; no changes to criminal penalties are indicated.

If enacted, college boards will have a permanent student trustee and must give student governments and student representatives a regular, in-person opportunity to report at every board or regent meeting, increasing direct student input into board discussions but limiting student trustees from voting on litigation, personnel, tenure, and collective bargaining matters. The governor will pick the student trustee from a 3–5 candidate list put forward by associated student governments, college administrations may advise during nominations but cannot control them, and student trustees must be at least 18 and enrolled for at least 10 credits throughout their one-year terms beginning July 1, 2026. The most affected parties are associated student governments (responsible for producing candidate lists), college administrations and boards (responsible for creating the position, hosting in-person reports, and managing appointments), and students who may serve or fund travel. State funds cannot pay for student trustee travel except to regular board meetings, so travel to other events will likely shift to student activity fees, local college budgets, or private sources, creating modest new budget and administrative duties. Important details left unclear here include how “associated student governments” and “student in good standing” are defined, the exact timing interplay between October 1 appointment commencements and the July 1 student term start, and the format or limits for the in-person reports.