Tennessee Senate passes Gardenhire's in-state tuition bill for undocumented students

April 16, 2015

The state Senate passed a bill allowing "lawfully present" undocumented Tennesseans to attend public colleges at in-state tuition rates.
Members approved the bill, sponsored by Sen. Todd Gardenhire, R-Chattanooga, on a 21-12 vote.

The measure now goes to the House.
Undocumented students deemed lawfully present in the U.S. under the federal Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals applies to people brought to the U.S. under age 16, have been in the country at least five years, who have passed a criminal background check and have applied for U.S. citizenship.

http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/b...udents/299089/

Shame on Tennessee Senators who betrayed the state and citizen voters. The TIRRC is relentless in their pursuit to see illegal aliens given all they can squeeze out of the state.


Contact Information for House Members

http://www.capitol.tn.gov/house/members/

http://www.alipac.us/f12/tn-state-tu...mented-318719/

Senate Approves In-State Tuition for Immigrant Students

April 16, 2015

Dave Boucher

A bill to allow undocumented immigrant students in Tennessee pay in-state tuition rates at Tennessee colleges and universities passed the Senate Thursday.

The 21-12 vote is a significant push for advocates, who have fought for the change over the course of several years.

"A lot of times I sit around and think why am I in the state senate," said Sen. Steve Dickerson, R-Nashville, in support of the bill.

"The reason I am here is to expand the American dream…the number one road to the American dream is education."

Right now even if students have lived in Tennessee for years, they must pay out-of-state tuition at Tennessee colleges if they are not a U.S. citizen. The difference in price is substantial; advocates see it as a barrier to students trying to better themselves in Tennessee.

Sen. Todd Gardenhire, R-Chattanooga, led the effort to pass the bill in the Senate. He pointed to the economic impact of the bill, arguing the bill will help students and the state economy.

The bill allows certain undocumented students to pay in-state tuition. The students must have received "deferred action" on their immigrant status; it's a federal designation typically provided to some children of immigrant parents in the United States after an application process.

There are about 25,000 students who could be eligible for the in-state tuition with the deferred action change, according to the Tennessee Immigrant and Refugee Rights Coalition. About 7,700 are eligible now, 8,000 who could be eligible once they are old enough to apply for deferred action and another 7,000 who need to complete the application process once the meet educational requirements, according to TIRRC.
The students aren't eligible for any state financial aid, like the Tennessee Promise or HOPE scholarships, and can't receive federal aid.

Lawmakers have been hesitant to support the plan.

"They're here illegally...We are rewarding people that have broken the law," said Sen. Joey Hensley.

But recently, several conservative Republican lawmakers who previously opposed the bill had a change of heart.

"I look at these young men and women, and this is not their fault," said Rep. Rick Womick, R-Rockvale, during a recent House discussion.

"This has become their home, they've grown up here, and who are we to say they cannot go on to college?"

The House version of the bill is still in the House Finance, Ways and Means Committee. As of Thursday morning it was not yet set for discussion.

Gov. Bill Haslam hasn't said if he'll sign the bill if it makes it to his desk, but he's repeatedly said he thinks the idea has "merit."
Reporter Adam Tamburin contributed to this report.

http://www.tennessean.com/story/inse...ents/25874597/

The Vote Breakdown:

Yes Votes

Bowling, Briggs, Crowe, Dickerson, Gardenhire, Green, Gresham, Haile, Harper, Harris, Jackson, Kelsey,
Kyle, Massey, McNally, Niceley, Overbey, Southerland, Tate, Yarbro, The Speaker Ron Ramsey

No Votes

Bailey, Beavers, Bell, Hensley, Johnson, Ketron, Norris, Roberts, Stevens, Tracy, Watson, Yager

Pertinent post by Alipac with Video:

http://www.alipac.us/f8/video-us-col...2/#post1459668

Lets hope the House shows more common sense and at least some loyalty to the citizen voters of the United States and defeats this outrageous in-state tuition bill. It's disconcerting that while a States lawsuit is under court review against deferred action for illegal aliens, states like Tennessee trying to pass in-state tuition bills and North Carolina trying to pass drivers license bills for illegal aliens, because such actions by these state legislatures contradict the basis of the lawsuit. I suppose this stupidity is to be expected these days. Perhaps the TN House can show some smarts and kill this bill and perhaps one or both the chambers of the NC General Assembly will kill the drivers license bill that just passed out of committee. These state politicians need to remember that when the kitchen heats up, they won't be able to blame Democrats or Obama for the consequences of these bills, these will burn right where they were set with Republican members of state legislatures.