KENNEWICK, Wash. - State lawmakers will return to Olympia next week with an agenda full of hot topics. On Wednesday, the Washington Policy Center hosted a legislative preview luncheon to discuss some of those topics with State Representative Kevin Parker and research directors from WPC.
Washington Policy Center is a non-profit think tank.
One popular topic was the proposal from the state's university presidents to freeze tuition rates in exchange for increased funding from the legislature.
"In some cases, it's less expensive in the state of Washington for a student to go to a private college than it is to attend a public university. So, with that being said, the legislature is going to do everything they can to freeze tuition," said Rep. Kevin Parker, (R) 6th District.
The legislature is facing a possible $900 million shortfall in the next budget cycle and heavy pressure from the state supreme court to find $1 billion in new funding for K-12 education.
