Thread: MI House passes bills to stop scholarships for illegals

http://www.mlive.com/newsflash/michigan ... wsmichigan

House passes bills to stop scholarships for illegal immigrants
4/25/2006, 7:55 p.m. ET
The Associated Press


LANSING, Mich. (AP) — The state House on Tuesday passed a series of bills that would prevent students who are illegal immigrants from getting certain scholarships and grants paid for by state taxpayers.

The 11-bill package would affect eligibility for the Michigan Merit Award Scholarship, state-paid nursing scholarships and certain other tuition grants.

The bills would require students getting certain state-paid grants to be a U.S. citizen or permanent resident, or otherwise be eligible to receive assistance under federal law. That generally would include students who plan to become a permanent resident or citizen, according to an analysis by the nonpartisan House Fiscal Agency.

"We shouldn't be in the business of rewarding law breakers," Rep. Robert Gosselin, R-Troy, said in a statement. "This measure ensures that the state cannot implicitly support those who refuse to follow its rules."

The bills now go to the Senate for its consideration.

Some scholarships and grants awarded to Michigan citizens already require citizenship or residency as a condition, according to the House Fiscal Agency. Other types of financial aid do not have those requirements.

Another bill would require that someone getting a loan through the Michigan State Housing Development Authority Act be a U.S. citizen or a legal immigrant.

All the bills gained at least 93 votes in the House, which now has 107 members. Some of the bills got as many as 99 votes in support.

The bill that got the most support was related to the Michigan Nursing Scholarship Act. The seven representatives voting against that bill were all Democrats: George Cushingberry of Detroit, Morris Hood III of Detroit, Chris Kolb of Ann Arbor, Alexander Lipsey of Kalamazoo, Alma Wheeler Smith of Ypsilanti, Virgil Smith of Detroit and Steve Tobocman of Detroit.

LaMar Lemmons III, a Detroit Democrat, did not vote.

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The bills are House Bills 5300-5310.

GOOD DEAL!!