Holy bill helping provide apprenticeship materials to students signed into law

More Running Start students looking to enter a vocational trade can have a better chance to pursue that goal thanks to legislation sponsored by 6th District Sen. Jeff Holy that was signed into law today by Gov. Jay Inslee.

Senate Bill 6374 allows the Dual Enrollment Scholarship pilot program to cover apprenticeship materials for eligible Running Start students. The materials may include course-related material costs and tools that are specific to an occupation being studied. The Dual Enrollment Scholarship pilot program was created in 2019.

“This bill allows people who want to pursue a vocational trade beginning in high school to have access to the help and materials they need,” said Holy, R-Cheney. “Adding the trades to the Running Start scholarship program opens up opportunities for more students. The materials and tools for some vocational trade programs can be too expensive for some students. This new law will help those students who will need some financial help.”

The proposal received near-unanimous support in the Legislature. The Senate passed it by a 47-1 vote on Feb. 18, and the House approved it 96-0 March 3. The 2020 legislative session ended March 12.