The Virginia Senate Education Committee voted down a DREAM Act bill by a narrow margin Thursday.
The Virginia Senate Education Committee defeated a DREAM Act bill put before it today. The bill, which was just yesterday reported out of a legislative committee in the commonwealth for the first time in five years, would have allowed some undocumented students in Virginia to pay in-state tuition at public colleges and universities.
The measure failed by a vote of 8-7, which fell along party lines, with the committee's eight Republicans voting against it. The Senate Education Committee's vote essentially kills the bill for this year because the committee would have to send it to the full Senate for a vote.
Sen. Donald McEachin, who sponsored the Senate version of the DREAM bill, was disappointed after the early morning vote.
January 31, 2013
Armando Trull
wamu.org
"I think it sends a very unfortunate message that Virginia's not yet ready for prime time when it comes to fair treatment of its children," said Sen. Donald McEachin (D) after the vote. "I'm disappointed that it broke down along party lines and I'm sad that the GOP hasn't yet opened up its heart to all of our children."
"I think it sends a very unfortunate message that Virginia's not yet ready for prime time when it comes to fair treatment of its children," said Sen. Donald McEachin (D) after the vote. "I'm disappointed that it broke down along party lines and I'm sad that the GOP hasn't yet opened up its heart to all of our children."
McEachin said that he hopes the failure of the measure will lead to more activism at the polls during the off-year 2013 election than usual.
"Because I think that Virginians need to send a message to our legislators that we're better than this … that we're going to embrace all of our children," McEachin said. "That those children who qualify for admission to our in-state university who live here, pay taxes here or their parents pay taxes here, ought to be eligible for instate tuition. It's only fair. Virginians — and Virginia — are better than this."
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