Colorado Lawmakers Vote To Give Undocumented Residents College Tuition Break

Legislators voted Thursday to give children of undocumented parents a break on college tuition and allow them to pay in-state rates if the children attended a Colorado high school for three years. Students told lawmakers it is unfair for the state to take tax money from the parents and deny their children an education. Rep. Val Vigil, D-Thornton, said many Hispanic students are being punished because their parents never bothered to apply for permanent status. He said those students are forced to pay out-of-state tuition at Colorado colleges and universities, while their school mates get a break on tuition. "It is intellectually dishonest to deny them for an act over which they had no control," Vigil said. He said his measure (House Bill 1124) will produce graduates who will contribute to society and pay taxes. He said taxpayers have already paid to put those students through public school and deserve a return on their investment. Rep. Keith King, R-Colorado Springs, said the bill did not go far enough to remove the 2,300 out-of-state students who move to Colorado and qualify for in-state tuition. Vigil said the U.S. Supreme Court has barred Colorado from trying to disqualify those students. The measure passed 7-5 and was sent to the appropriations committee. It would currently affect 19 students and cost $143,000 in lost revenue for the fiscal year beginning July 1, but the cost is expected to increase as more students finish high school and go on to college. [more]