BIll: In-state tuition for undocumented students

FIRST STATE POLITICS


Jon Offredo, The News Journal6:30 p.m. EDT March 27, 2014


(Photo: Special to The News Journal)

A Democratic lawmaker wants to provide in-state college tuition to undocumented immigrants who can establish Delaware residency. Sen. Robert Marshall, D-Wilmington West, is set to introduce legislation in coming days.

The practice, informally in effect for years, Marshall says, would become permanent under the legislation.

"I cannot offer enough praise to our higher education community for taking such an enlightened stance today," Marshall said in a release.

"But we all know that administrations can change, boards of trustees can change and that there is ever-increasing pressure on schools to adjust tuition rates to help provide the high-quality education students and their families expect. Putting this policy into law simply guarantees the promise of a fair tuition rate to future students."

Marshall failed to generate support for his proposed "Tuition Equity Act" in 2012, after schools said their existing policy was to charge in-state tuition to students who met state residency requirements, according to the release.

Under the bill, students could establish residency if they can show they attended a state public or private school for three years, graduated from a state public or private school, are between 18 and 35 years old, and entered the country before they turned 18.

"Delaware has always been a welcoming place, and we want young people who are smart and motivated to thrive here," said Senate

Majority Whip Margaret Rose Henry, D-Wilmington East, co-sponsor of the bill, in the release. "We think making sure that children, who are brought to this country and go to our schools, can pay in-state tuition in our state-supported colleges and universities. It's a question of simple justice."

Contact Jon Offredo at (302) 678-4271 or at joffredo@delawareonline.com. Follow him on Twitter @jonoffredo

http://www.delawareonline.com/story/...ition/6975793/