SB 5828: Bill Tracker Update

During this legislative session, our community has shown up in a big way. On January 15, during the public hearing for Senate Bill 5828, over 3,000 people signed in “Pro” and 23 individuals—including President Belton and eight courageous PLU students—testified to protect student aid.

Because of your voice, the bill successfully passed the Higher Education and Workforce Development Committee on January 22.

But the work isn’t done yet.

SB 5828 is now headed to the Senate Ways and Means Committee. We have until February 9 to get it scheduled for a hearing and voted out of committee. If it doesn’t move by then, the progress we’ve made could stall.

We need the Senate Ways and Means Committee to prioritize a hearing for SB 5828. Please take two minutes to email these key legislators today.

Dear Senator [Legislator’s Last Name],

As a proud [Alumni/Supporter] of Pacific Lutheran University and a constituent in Washington, I am writing to urge you to schedule a hearing for Senate Bill 5828 in the Ways and Means Committee as soon as possible.

PLU has a long-standing tradition of preparing students for lives of service and leadership in our state. However, the significant cuts made during the 2025 legislative session have created an unnecessary barrier for the next generation of Lutes. Specifically, the decision to cut funding for College Bound students at private, nonprofit institutions in half was a devastating blow to our most vulnerable scholars—many of whom are low-income, first-generation students of color.

Why this matters to the community:

• The Math Doesn’t Add Up: The Legislature could have achieved the same budgetary goals by reducing aid by a manageable $200 per student across the board. Instead, the burden was placed disproportionately on students at private, nonprofit schools.
• A Broken Promise: These students chose PLU based on a commitment from the state. [Optional: Insert a brief sentence about how financial aid or your PLU education shaped your own career/pathway]. To pull the rug out from under them mid-degree causes irreparable harm to their career trajectories and our state’s workforce.
• Available Resources: We do not have to choose between public and private sectors. The Washington Education Investment Account (WEIA) has grown significantly and is intended for exactly this purpose: ensuring the state keeps its promises through the Washington College Grant and College Bound programs.

Investing in PLU students is an investment in Washington’s future teachers, nurses, and civic leaders. I respectfully ask that you move SB 5828 forward to correct this inequity before the damage to these students’ futures becomes permanent.

Thank you for your time and your service to our state.

Sincerely,

[Your Name] [Your Class Year, if applicable] [Your Address/District]

We still have a long way to go to fix these funding cuts, but if the first milestone taught us anything, it’s that the voices of Washingtonians are the most powerful tool we have. Legislators need to hear from the people living in their districts to understand that these aren’t just line items on a budget—they are the dreams and futures of our students.

Thank you for your continued time, energy, and commitment to the PLU community. Whether you are a student sharing your story, an alum giving back, or a supporter standing in solidarity, you are the reason we can keep fighting for fairness in student aid.

Let’s get SB 5828 across the finish line together.