Senate Bill 5115 was briefed and opened for public testimony in the Senate Higher Education & Workforce Development Committee. The bill would establish a Washington Dream Act Service Incentive Grant program to provide grants to students who do not qualify for federal financial aid because of immigration status but who complete community or volunteer service.

Ben Omdahl, staff counsel, briefed the bill on behalf of committee staff. He said the Office of Student Financial Assistance operates within the Washington Student Achievement Council and currently administers the Washington Application for State Financial Aid (WASFA) for students who cannot file the FAFSA. Under SB 5115 the office would create a grant program that institutions distribute at the start of an academic term. Grants would be calculated from eligible students’ demonstrated financial need and by multiplying service hours per week by weeks in term and an adjusted minimum wage rate from the Department of Labor & Industries. The brief said service cannot exceed 19 hours per week and service “may not be advocacy or political or religious in nature.” Omdahl said a fiscal note estimated costs of about $1,500,000 in the 2026‑27 biennium and $2,600,000 in a four‑year outlook; additional costs depend on program participation and awards.

Senator Valdez, who described meeting with students and advocates, said she had been surprised that undocumented students at Washington public institutions were ineligible for federal work‑study and that the bill would make them "eligible" for a state service incentive program. "It would actually simply make them eligible. I think 'simply' is the right thing to do," Valdez said.

Many students and community organizations testified in support. Students from Everett Community College, Yakima Valley College, South Puget Sound Community College and the University of Washington said lack of eligibility for campus jobs or work study forced them into unstable or non‑professional jobs, limited internship and practicum opportunities, and increased financial strain. Jessica Perez, interim policy associate for the State Board for Community and Technical Colleges, said the program would give undocumented students "a vital opportunity" for financial support tied to community service and network building.

Presenters noted program safeguards and exclusions: participating organizations must be governmental agencies, institutions of higher education, nonprofits, or approved private businesses that provide hours of service beneficial to students' postsecondary pursuits; organizations that direct students to perform work involving religious worship or political activity, or that violate civil‑rights laws, are ineligible. Institutions would not be permitted to use grant awards to offset or replace other sources of grant aid.

Supporters urged attention to student data privacy and to implementation details such as whether awards are treated as taxable income. Testimony also included requests to ensure grant distributions work alongside existing state aid and WASFA processes. The committee did not vote on the bill at the hearing.