Thread: CO - Fight brewing over Illegal-immigrant tuition bill

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Fight brewing over Illegal-immigrant tuition bill
By Tim Hoover

Lawmaker seeks in-state tuition for immigrants
Posted: 03/05/2009 09:21:33 AM MST
Updated: 03/05/2009 09:32:53 AM MST


Sen. Chris Romer's bill to offer in-state tuition to illegal immigrants hasn't even been heard in a Senate committee yet.

But Democrats on the other side of the building may already be dreading it.

The bill would grant in-state tuition to any student who has attended a Colorado high school for three years and graduated — regardless of their immigration status.

The Senate Education Committee is set to hear the bill this afternoon. Romer plans to add language to the bill requiring illegal immigrant students to seek citizenship and to prohibit them from getting college vouchers that are routinely given to resident Colorado students.

And the public hasn't been shy about sharing their opinions on the bill, according to

Post Poll - Tuition
Do you think all graduates from Colorado high schools should receive in-state tuition, regardless of immigration status? (Read the related story.)
Yes
No
I don't know
I don't care


several lawmakers.
The phone hasn't stopped ringing in the Senate Minority Office, where the Republicans are housed, but even Democrats are calling there to say they don't support the measure.

Sen. Keith King, R-Colorado Springs,said he tried to clear some of his e-mails, went to committee and came back to find another 140 e-mails.

Sen. Ken Kester, R-Las Animas, said the bill is unpopular in his sprawling southeastern Colorado district.

"I hate to penalize the kids, but people don't like this bill," he said.

Regardless of the outcome in the Senate, the Bill still faces a tough road, as it has no House sponsor.

"I'm still working with House leadership on who they want" to run the bill in the House, Romer, D-Denver, said, adding that he hoped one could be announced by Monday.

Rep. Karen Middleton, an Aurora Democrat and the House Democratic Caucus Chairwoman, supports the measure, but said it could have a hard slog in the House.

"It's a tough year for that issue to come forward," Middleton said. "I don't know if it would get out of (a House) committee."

Democrats this year have pushed through a $250 million roads bill and are working on a measure to repeal a key limit on the state budget. Republicans already have been slamming Democrats for supporting those two issues.

"No one has signed on as a sponsor (to Romer's bill)," Middleton said. "That tells you something."

Though she favors the idea herself, Middleton said the timing for bringing up the bill, while the economy is down, is bad.

House Majority Leader Paul Weissmann, D-Louisville, also supports the bill but isn't a sponsor.

"It's weird to put a bill like that out there without a House sponsor," said Weissmann, who said his duties as majority leader kept him from sponsoring more than a few bills.

One House Democrat had a more succinct explanation about the lack of a House sponsor, saying, "I think a lot of people are scared (expletive)" about voting on the bill.


Staff writer Lynn Bartels contributed to this report.



http://www.denverpost.com/news/ci_11843131




Poll results

Total Votes = 5627
Yes
49.81 %
No
46.77 %
I don't know
1.919 %
I don't care
1.492


Contact info for Chris Romer

Capitol Phone: 303-866-4852
E-Mail: chris.romer.senate@state.co.us

DO YOU HAVE PHONE NUMBERS?

I'LL BE GLAD TO LEAVE MESSAGES.

THANK YOU.

CO Debates Tuition Break For Illegal Immigrants Save Email Print


Posted: 2:36 PM Mar 5, 2009
Last Updated: 2:36 PM Mar 5, 2009


1 comments


Colorado lawmakers are preparing to debate a bill that would give in-state college tuition to illegal immigrants.

Supporters say the business community is behind the proposal.

The Senate Education Committee takes up the bill sponsored by Democratic Sen. Chris Romer Thursday.

Romer has tweaked the bill to gain support from other lawmakers, adding a requirement that students sign an affidavit saying they are seeking legal status and eliminating a state subsidy of up to $2,700 that other students receive.

This is the fourth time Colorado has tried to give the lower-cost in-state tuition to undocumented immigrants.



http://www.kktv.com/home/headlines/40800567.html

Do you think all graduates from Colorado high schools should receive in-state tuition, regardless of immigration status? (Read the related story.)
Total Votes = 5906
Yes
48.32 %
No
48.37 %
I don't know
1.879 %
I don't care
1.422 %

Do you think all graduates from Colorado high schools should receive in-state tuition, regardless of immigration status? (Read the related story.)
Total Votes = 5917
Yes
48.25 %
No
48.43 %
I don't know
1.875 %
I don't care
1.436 %

Originally Posted by Paidmytaxes

DO YOU HAVE PHONE NUMBERS?
I'LL BE GLAD TO LEAVE MESSAGES.
THANK YOU.

http://www.leg.state.co.us/Clics/CLICS2 ... enframeset

Cap: 303-866-4852
E-mail: chris.romer.senate@state.co.us

State Senate:
http://www.leg.state.co.us/Clics/Clics2 ... enframeset

House of Representatives:
http://www.leg.state.co.us/Clics/Clics2 ... enframeset


Here is our Colorado state campaign thread. Check it out!
http://www.alipac.us/ftopict-146439.html

Colorado tuition break for immigrants gets initial approval

Undocumented immigrants in Colorado are closer to receiving the benefit of in-state tuition

Denver, CO Colorado

DENVER, Colorado — Undocumented immigrants in Colorado are closer to receiving the benefit of in-state tuition, after the proposal to make it happen was approved Thursday by a state Senate committee.

Lawmakers and nearly two dozen Colorado residents discussed the measure (Senate Bill 170) for almost five hours before approving it 5-3 on a party-line vote, with Republicans voting no. The bill, sponsored by Democratic Sen. Chris Romer, now goes to a vote with the full House.

"For me, this is a moral issue, that we should not shackle the future of children because of the sins of their fathers," said Senate President Peter Groff.

One of the Republicans who opposed the bill, Sen. Keith King, said it violates federal regulations barring undocumented immigrants from benefits U.S. citizens can't receive. In other words, according to federal law, if an undocumented immigrant gets in-state tuition, so should any U.S. citizen outside of Colorado.

Similar measures passed in other states, including California, have been met with legal challenges.

This is the fourth time Colorado has tried to give the lower-cost in-state tuition to undocumented immigrants, but supporters say they have a better chance of passing it this time because they have the support of the business community.

Romer has tweaked the bill to gain support from other lawmakers, adding a requirement that students sign an affidavit saying they are seeking legal status and eliminating a state subsidy of up to $2,700 that other students receive.

Depending on the school, in-state tuition in Colorado could cost about $2,340, as opposed to $7,040 for out-of-state students.

To qualify, students must have been in a Colorado high school for three years and sign up for college within five years of graduation or of getting a General Equivalency Diploma.

http://www.vaildaily.com/article/200903 ... 2/1062/rss

IMMEDIATE ACTION NEEDED HERE!!!! PLEASE JOIN IN!!!!

http://www.alipac.us/ftopicp-860332.html#860332

I voted in the poll yesterday. Another back door for illegal aliens to get pathway to citizenship and to use illegal alien children to get this done.

Ephesians 4:32