Birdwell Tries, Fails to Hike Tuition for Undocumented

by Becca Aaronson
9 hours ago
7 Comments


An effort by Sen. Brian Birdwell, R-Granbury, to require undocumented Texas students to pay out-of-state tuition rates sparked emotional debate in the Senate today, and forced Birdwell to pull the measure down.

Birdwell tacked the amendment, which would have required undocumented students to pay much higher out-of-state tuition rates, onto an education finance bill. Those currently paying in-state tuition would have been grandfathered in under the measure, but the amendment could have affected some 16,000 students.

“You’re putting a dagger in the hearts and the hopes of these students,â€