Senate Gives Final Passage to CT DREAM Act
by Nicholas Rondinone | May 24, 2011 10:00pm
(14) Comments | Commenting has expired
Posted to: Education, Town News, State Capitol
The Senate gave final passage to a bill Tuesday that will allow undocumented immigrants to pay in-state tuition rates at Connecticut colleges and universities.
Sen. Beth Bye, D-West Hartford said the bill has a strict threshold compared to states that have already implemented similar legislation and requires undocumented students to attend a Connecticut high school for four years and sign an affidavit stating they are seeking citizenship before receiving in-state tuition.
And unlike four years ago when a similar bill was vetoed by then Gov. M. Jodi Rell, Gov. Dannel P. Malloy said he will sign the legislation.
“This is something that ran on,” Malloy said Tuesday. “I believe that if you have Connecticut high school diploma you should be able to attend a Connecticut public institution at state rates, pretty straightforward.”
“This bill isn’t controversial, it’s common sense,” Malloy said in a statement following nine hours of debate. “At a time when we need to be helping our state’s young men and women prepare for an ever-changing economy and compete with their counterparts in China, Japan and elsewhere, helping to make a college degree more accessible and affordable for those students who choose to pursue one is critically important.”
The undocumented students who came to show their support for legislation agreed.
They stood outside the Senate chamber watching as the Senate debated a bill that will impact their futures and the future of all undocumented students who live in Connecticut.
Hafid Dumet, 25, said he’s been attending Western Connecticut State University for six years as a part-time student because he could never afford to take the full 15 credits at the out-of-state tuition rate.
He said even though he has one more year left before he graduates this legislation will help him spend his last semester as a full time student. But more importantly he said it will help other students, students afraid of coming “out of the shadows” to tell their story.
Lorella Praeli, who is also from Peru, originally came to the States for medical treatment for her right leg, which is amputated above the knee. Praeli graduated this month from Quinnipiac University which she attended on a scholarship. Her family originally came to the States on a tourist visa, then chose to overstay it about 11 years ago and settle down in New Milford. She was 11 years old at the time.
“Our presence is important because you don’t know we exist if you just read about us,” Praeli said. “It’s legislation like this that puts pressure on the federal government to take action and give us a path toward citizenship.”
She said by passing this legislation Connecticut becomes the 13th state to offer in-state tuition rates to undocumented students.
The argument in the Senate was similar to the debate in the House of Representatives with Senators on both sides of the issue saying it’s not fair to legal citizens and could prove more costly to the state.
Several Republican Senators, who spoke out against the bill, believe it would be unfair to individuals in the state who have “followed the rules.”
“There is almost this notion that it is unfair for people who comply with this law to extend it to people who don’t,” said Sen. Kissel, R-Enfield.
The bill’s proponent, Bye, said that it comes down to students who just want access to the education and want to pay tuition, but they cannot afford out-of-state tuition.
Those who supported the bill noted these individuals under most circumstances are undocumented immigrants by no fault of their own, and they should not be held accountable.
“Lets not punish these children, lets give them the opportunity that has little cost to the state,” said Sen. LeBeau, D-East Hartford.
Opponents of the bill argued paying in-state tuition would be a benefit to students that could end up costing the state.
Sen. Scott Frantz, R-Greenwich, noting the inconsistency of financial notes on bills, said this bill may not have a direct cost on the state now but in 10 to 15 years may end up costing the state because the bill may offer an incentive for undocumented immigrants to move to Connecticut in the future.
Bye believes there will be no impact because the students are willing and able to pay in-state tuition but are unwilling and unable to pay out-of-state tuition, so there is no lose in revenue because these undocumented students are not attending higher education in the state.
Earlier in the debate, Bye said in several states with similar legislation there has been increases in revenue, notably $2.3 million in Utah, $2 million in Massachusetts and more than $1 million in Colorado.
Sen. Toni Boucher, R-Wilton, opined that the bill is not a benefit. She used the tuition differences between in-state and out-of-state students at the University of Connecticut as an example saying that by allowing undocumented students to pay in-state tuition would be a nearly $10,000 benefit for those students.
Bye clarified the University of Connecticut noted there would only be two to four individuals a year who would meet the requirements of this bill and noted the Chancellor of the Connecticut State University System said he would not deny access due to space.
Several senators pointed to the issue that with the approximately 200 undocumented immigrants affected by this bill every year it may displace other qualified students.
Frantz said this bill may not affect the best student from the best high school, but the student who works really hard and wants to go to the University of Connecticut or another Connecticut state university but they are displaced by one of the undocumented immigrants.
Boucher noted the number of students could end up costing the state because they will no longer pay out-of-state tuition.
“Though the fiscal note doesn’t reflect this it only makes common sense that two or three hundred students who pay out-of-state tuition and are allowed to pay in-state tuition would cost the state with lost revenue,” Boucher said.
Republicans called 9 amendments and debate last for nine hours.
Christine Stuart contributed to this report.
Tags: Higher Education, tuition, undocumented students, bye
(14) Comments
posted by: DrHunterSThompson | May 25, 2011 7:02am
Ok, so let me get this straight: a kid from Vermont, who’s family has been here for 300 years and fought in every war since the revolution, who decides to go to uconn has to pay out of state rates, yet a kid smuggled across the border who’s family hides in the north end of Hartford, never attempts to become legal gets in state tuition?
How anti- American and discriminatory can this bunch get? This blows my mind.
The next bill will require state employees to pick up the tab!
posted by: ko4478 | May 25, 2011 7:32am
What is “undocumented”? I mean seriously, undocumented might be when a person attempts to return something to a retail store without the receipt, or perhaps you are driving your car without your driver’s license in your possession. The implication being that you have the document (somewhere), or more importantly, the status that document represents is legitimate. You just don’t have the document in your possession.
No, these people are not “undocumented”, they are “illegal aliens”!
Illegal aliens make a joke out of those going threw the proper procedure to become citizens, they make a joke of our laws, and they make a joke out of the elected officials who voted for this legislation.
The problem with this whole illegal immigration issue is that the political right loves the idea of more cheap labor they can exploit and drive down wages in the process, and the political left is looking for votes. either way, guess who pays the bill for the public services like education, healthcare,housing and prisons?
Look, I empathize with poor people who want to come to the United States to make a better life, my grandparents did. But, to follow this open border policy to it’s conclusion,at what point do we as citizens run out of resources for our own kids education, healthcare,housing, etc?
The cynic in me wants to suggest that their parents are charged the fifty thousand dollars or so it cost to send these young people through high school, not give them a discount on state college tuition. NO, FORGET IT, YOU ALREADY PAID FOR IT.
posted by: JusticeCT | May 25, 2011 8:20am
Yes: people who live in CT, work here, pay taxes here, raise their families here, build our communities deserve the in-state tuition discount to help them achieve their potential and contribute their fullest to society. We all benefit from each individual’s achievements—we’re in this together.
posted by: Disgruntled | May 25, 2011 8:57am
What don’t they get about the status of these fine folks?? They are ILLEGAL immigrants.
Sugar-coated euphemisms (“undocumented”) do not alter their reality.
I believe that any legal citizen should have access to a FREE education. FREE.
But the person has to be legal and the path needs to be streamlined.
Put up all the charming youngsters and cripples and tell us countless sob stories but the fact remains—ILLEGAL ALIENS are just that.
Try going to just about any country outside our borders and doing the same thing these folks are doing. Deportation or jail is your likely destination.
posted by: meridenite | May 25, 2011 10:52am
What’s going to happen when they apply for a job and the employer uses e-verify and tells them I can’t hire you your not a citizen???
posted by: DumpMalloy | May 25, 2011 11:04am
Nice! I hope Mexico publishes this info all over Mexico. Laws are not followed in CT. Let’s start a bus run from Mexico City to Hartford. Beth Bye should be voted out ASAP. The problem is we have very poor choices. Far right wing conservatives or far left bleeding heart liberals. Nothing in the middle. Beth Bye is an embarrassment to the intelligent people in this state.
posted by: Ella | May 25, 2011 1:34pm
Shame on Ct. for discriminating against people who are here legally, who are citizens and live in different states and for thumbing your noses at the term “illegal aliens”. Thousands of people have chosen the path to citizenship first, why are these people any different and deserve special treatment? Become a citizen first if you want to enjoy the benefits of citizenship.
posted by: jiddum | May 25, 2011 4:35pm
This is a wonderful, positive step forward toward true equality in CT and, hopefully beyond! This about the American Dream and whether or not we’re going to keep it alive. How can anyone look at these youth, or any human being in the eye and think of them as sub-human as “illegal”? And where is YOUR paperwork? Unless you’re planning to deport anyone who’s not native american then please stop spewing poisonous bigotry and prejudice. CT is better than that. We can be more we can unite across differences to make our state a place where all can thrive. Congratulations and thanks to all who rose to the occassion and had the courage and conviction to Step Up!!
posted by: roko11 | May 25, 2011 9:55pm
How will they get jobs with their “higher education?” You people need to wake up!
posted by: roko11 | May 25, 2011 10:03pm
One more thing, people of CT, you continuously vote for these public officials. EVERY election I vote against the incumbent, D or R . We need TERM LIMITS, We need people who stand up for the taxpayers who are here LEGALLY and have LEGALLY lived here in the US.! I have an idea of what to do with military bases that are closing, perfect housing for illegals. I went through the hoops LEGALLY to get my spouse here and now you people in the capitol want to pander to illegal immigrants. SHAME ON YOU ALL!
posted by: hawkeye | May 26, 2011 9:37am
Another welfare program—is the way Gov. Dannel P. Malloy “and his good to free-loaders” Connecticut Democratic General Assembly gets reelected by the state, big city social benefits—voting crowd.
Isn’t it ironic, that Connecticut leads the country in the best welfare programs—and are also tops in deficit spending, per capita, and bonding indebtedness?
Our elected Democrats (Socialists)—are putting the state into the “poor house!”
posted by: ASTANVET | May 26, 2011 10:53am
Comical! has anyone ever tried to imigrate to another country. Do you know how hard it is to migrate to Mexico? It is nearly impossible to become a Mexican Citizen when you come from the US, same with the other countries in Latin America. We will now give them in state tuition and won’t be able to employ them…and i agree with previous posters, that they are Illegal, they do not have legal citizenship, and are in violation of federal and state imigration laws. What is hard to understand about that??? Law is law… freaking people trying to own the argument by changing the language.