Immigrant tuition bill faces fight

The legislation to allow in-state college tuition for some children of undocumented immigrants may die in committee


By Saul Hubbard

The Register-Guard

Published: (Saturday, May 14, 2011 05:02AM) Today
SALEM — A key Republican lawmaker is adamant that a bill that would allow the non-U.S.-born children of illegal immigrants to pay in-state tuition at Oregon’s public universities will die this year.

Rep. Andy Olson, R-Albany, said Friday that he won’t allow Senate Bill 742 — passed by the Oregon Senate on a 18-11 vote in late March — to get out of the House Rules Committee, which he co-chairs.

Because of the 30-30 split in the House between Republicans and Democrats, each House committee has two co-chairmen instead of a single chairman this year. Both co-chairmen have to agree to schedule a committee work session on a bill, at which point a bill can be voted to the floor.

And that won’t happen with Senate Bill 742 on his watch, Olson said.

“Oregon is not ready for this,â€