Protest, but play nice: Washington weighs new rules on student aid, campus demos

If you’re a college student in Washington and love a good protest, listen up — your taxpayer funded financial aid could be on the line, but not as much before.

Lawmakers in Olympia debated Wednesday House Bill (HB) 1343, which aims to tweak the rules on when students can lose their financial aid over campus demonstrations.

Right now, if you organize or take part in a protest that disrupts the educational process, you can kiss your financial aid goodbye. No ifs, ands, or buts. However, this new bill, backed by a group of Democratic lawmakers including Representatives Gerry Pollet, Mari Leavitt and Darya Farivar, wants to dial that rule back a notch.

Instead of a blanket ban, students would only lose aid if they cross certain lines — like harassing others, engaging in discriminatory behavior or encouraging violence during a protest. Also, if a student picks up a felony conviction related to the demonstration (think assault, threats or property destruction) their aid could still be revoked.

The big takeaway? Simply protesting — no matter how loud or inconvenient — won’t be enough to get your aid pulled.

The testimony taken during a meeting of the House Postsecondary Education and Workforce Committee on Wednesday overwhelmingly supported the bill.

Representative Jerry Paulette (D-Seattle) said the current law is anachronistic and infringes on students’ civil and constitutional rights.

“It is frankly embarrassing to say that simply participating in a demonstration on campus that ‘disrupts’ is cause for the automatic loss of eligibility for all student financial aid,” he said. “It’s an affront to civil rights, and it has to go.”

Several representatives raised questions about how the bill interacts with existing student conduct rules and whether certain criminal offenses should still affect financial aid eligibility.

Colin Banister, representing the Washington Student Association, told lawmakers, “This will ensure students do not face financial discrimination when there are already current laws and codes of conduct that will punish students for discriminatory or criminal behavior.”

University of Washington Bothell student Sandra Gerard said 60 percent of students at her campus receive some form of financial aid.

“Repealing this RCW is crucial to protecting students’ right to free expression and ensuring that consequences are not based on privilege and the ability to afford their education without aid,” she said.

Why now?

With student activism on the rise, lawmakers are trying to strike a balance between protecting free speech and making sure things don’t spiral into chaos on college campuses.

Universities still get to enforce their codes of conduct but this bill makes it clear: not every protester is a criminal and not every protest should come with financial consequences.

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How does this compare to other states?

Washington isn’t alone in wrestling with this issue.

In Florida, for example, students can lose certain scholarships if they rack up a felony conviction — which, in some cases, could include charges from protest-related activities.

Meanwhile, on the federal level, recent changes to financial aid rules have actually made it easier for students with past drug convictions to qualify for assistance, showing a broader trend of giving people second chances instead of permanent penalties.

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What’s next for Washington bill?

The testimony reflects broad support for the bill, with 123 individuals signing in favor and only one opposing.

The committee is anticipating amendments before it votes on the bill next week

Matt Markovich often covers the state legislature and public policy for KIRO Newsradio. You can read more of Matt’s stories here. Follow him on X, or email him here.

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