Washington lawmakers propose cutting, capping college tuition

Wouldn’t it be great if college tuition were cheaper in Washington state?

Sens. Barbara Bailey, R-Oak Harbor, and John Braun, R-Centralia, introduced a bill Thursday, Feb. 12, that could make that happen, but the cutback comes with a more than $220 million price tag that they’re not quite sure how to fund yet.

In a news conference Thursday afternoon, Bailey, chair of the Senate Higher Education Committee, and Braun, deputy majority leader, said Washington’s students are coming out of college with loads of student loan debt, which is causing some of them to put off major life decisions such as buying homes and cars, or starting families.