The Durango Herald’s Joe Hanel reported earlier this week:
The bill would allow colleges to offer in-state tuition rates to high school graduates, even if they are in the country illegally. Students must have attended a Colorado high school for at least three years to qualify.
However, illegal immigrant students would not get the stipend of about $1,800 that the state gives to every full-time, in-state student…
A similar bill failed in the House Education Committee last year, but since then, the panel’s chairman – Rep. Tom Massey, R-Poncha Springs – has publicly voiced his support for the bill. Supporters are hoping that if Democrats stick together in favor of the bill, Massey will give them the one Republican vote they need, both in committee and on the House floor.
It was announced yesterday that House Speaker Frank McNulty has set the bill for debate in the House Education Committee–raising hopes that the bill might actually pass to the floor, where Rep. Tom Massey and perhaps other Republicans would join it support.
In our 33-32 House, only one Republican is needed.
Assuming the bill makes it through the Education Committee it’s the second stop in the House Appropriations Committee where the bill could very well die–if we were McNulty, who it’s still believed has no desire to see this legislation pass, that’s where we’d take it out.
As an epilogue, Tim Hoover of the Denver paper reported yesterday on GOP-aligned business groups and elder statesmen swinging into action in support of this bill. If Republicans won’t listen to their Democratic colleagues on this legislation, perhaps they’ll listen to Pete Coors, Alex Cranberg, or Dick Monfort. With the growing Hispanic vote looming as a grave long-term threat to Republican political power in Colroado and across the nation, it should be easy to understand why these kingpins are suddenly urgent to pass this modest gesture to them.
A poll follows–do Colorado Republicans have it in them to defy presumptions here?
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I voted ‘no’ – it may get through the Education Committee but Appropriations? That could be the ‘killer’.
accountability, transparency and other appropriate controls. The question is will the Dems accept an appropriate compromise that’s right for Colorado?
There is a larger risk here and that is the state granting illegal aliens certain benefits and benefits that may exceed those for others.
The GOP must protect the state and it’s taxpayers from liabilities and un intended consequences. Also illegal alien recipients must also have a roll in appropriate controls for this proposed program.
There is a very clear path on this and id hope that this weasel reporter Hoover actually breaks a sweat doing his job trying to report it. If he doesn’t maybe others in the media will. Hoover is a 100% slacker and I’m surprised the Post hasn’t cut him for a free lancer that would provide a better value to the reader.
This isn’t about good legislation, it’s about looking mean and nasty enough to satiate the republican base.
ASSET looks too “squishy liberal” to the mob, and every red Congressional Rep is afraid of looking “weak” to their base.
Most republicans don’t care that “them illegals’ kids” would still have to pay in state tuition, don’t qualify for any grants, they just know the Bill’s not mean enough. The mere idea that they’re “bein’ coddled” sticks in joe sixpack’s craw, and inflames his gout.
Never mind they’re spitting in the wind. It never stopped them before.
Colorado Republicans have a goal and will work until that goal is reached. Only two white, males in their 80’s and super rich will be the party. To reach that they will do anything.