Colorado Senate Passes In-State Tuition For Undocumented Students

The State Senate passed a measure Monday extending some privileges to undocumented Coloradans, but the partisan nature of the vote could spell its doom in the House.

Senate Bill 126 would allow people who immigrate to Colorado illegally to pay in-state tuition at state schools, provided they meet certain criteria. They would have to attend a Colorado high school for at least three years, for example, and graduate from a high school in the state, ABC-7 reports.

But as 9News writes, it passed strictly along party lines, in a 20-13 voice vote. All 20 votes in favor came from Senate Democrats; all 13 votes in opposition were Republican.

"What this bill really does is incentivizing foreigners to come to this country illegally," said Sen. Ted Harvey, R-Highlands Ranch, according to KDVR. "This is an entitlement program for illegal immigrants." Other Republicans echoed that sentiment.

The bill now goes to the State House, where Republicans outnumber Democrats by one vote.

A similar bill died in a Senate committee in 2009, 9News reports. Unlike the current measure, that bill used funds from the College Opportunity Fund and other taxpayer subsidies to help offset tuition for aliens.

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