Senate OKs bill to reduce tuition for students in country illegally

April 15, 2011 7:16 PM


JOHN SCHROYER

THE GAZETTE
16 comments

DENVER -- Senate Democrats overran their Republican counterparts on Friday and gave initial approval to a bill that would grant a level of college in-state tuition to high school graduates who are in the country illegally.

Currently, students in Colorado illegally must pay out-of-state tuition, which often is double the in-state tuition.

The bill’s sponsors, Democratic Senators Mike Johnston of Denver and Angela Giron of Pueblo, said the bill would give law-abiding students a chance to succeed by making college more accessible. They also said doing so would only help Colorado’s economy, by creating a more educated work force.

“These kids are begging to give back,â€