in-state tuition

By Daniel C. Vock
Stateline Staff Writer

States this year are passing a slew of immigrant-friendly laws, a major change from the strict enforcement measures Arizona and other states approved just a few years ago.

The November elections that put immigration back on Congress' agenda also prompted the shift at the state level. Pro-immigrant measures that had been stalled for years got new life this spring, while courts have thwarted state efforts to crack down on illegal immigration.

Gov. John Hickenlooper, surrounded by legislative sponsors
and supporters, displays the final ceremonial pen
used to sign the ASSET bill.

By Frank Waterous, Senior Policy Analyst

Fox News Latino website

The wide political backing for a bill in the Colorado legislature to allow undocumented students to pay in-state tuition at public universities appears to assure that the measure will finally pass after six failed attempts.

SB 33, offered by Democratic Sens. Michael Johnston and Angela Giron, was approved this Thursday in the Senate Education Committee by a vote of 6-3.

Senate Bill 33, the proposal that would allow qualified undocumented Colorado high school graduates to pay in-state college tuition, will be heard today before the Senate Education Committee.

The Bell has been a supporter of this effort from the beginning, for a simple reason: We believe all of our state's qualified high school graduates deserve to be able to go to college at an affordable in-state rate.

By now you have probably heard that the board of trustees of Metropolitan State College (soon to be University) voted 7-1 last Thursday to approve a new category of non-resident tuition that will make post-secondary education accessible and affordable for qualified undocumented high school graduates in our state. We are very pleased that Metro has taken this courageous step on behalf of Colorado students and applaud the board for showing leadership on this important issue.

Senate Bill 12-015

Oral Testimony to the House Education Committee
Frank Waterous, Senior Policy Analyst
April 23, 2012

My name is Frank Waterous, and I am a senior policy analyst with the Bell Policy Center. The Bell is a nonpartisan, nonprofit research and policy organization founded on progressive values and dedicated to expanding opportunity for all Coloradans.

The Bell testified in favor of Senate Bill 126 before the Senate Education Committee today. The bill would allow qualified undocumented high school graduates to pay unsubsidized in-state tuition to attend state colleges and universities. Here is our testimony:

My name is Frank Waterous, and I am a senior policy analyst with The Bell Policy Center. The Bell is a nonpartisan, nonprofit research and policy organization dedicated to expanding opportunity for all Coloradans.