INDIANAPOLIS— THE SENATE PASSED AN INITIATIVE ON TUESDAY RESTORING IN-STATE COLLEGE TUITION RATES FOR CHILDREN OF UNDOCUMENTED IMMIGRANTS ENROLLED AT IN-STATE TUITION LEVELS PRIOR TO 2011. SENATE BILL (SB) 207 SEEKS TO MAKE AMENDS FOR A 2011 LAW THAT REMOVED ABOUT 200 COLLEGE STUDENTS AND INDIANA RESIDENTS FROM IN-STATE TUITION ELIGIBILITY. THE LAW REQUIRED STUDENTS TO SHOW PROOF OF CITIZENSHIP IN ORDER TO RECEIVE RESIDENT TUITION RATES. AS A RESULT, STUDENTS WHO CAME TO INDIANA AS CHILDREN BUT LACKED DOCUMENTATION SAW THEIR TUITION RATES MORE THAN TRIPLE FROM THE TIME THEY ENROLLED, AND MANY WERE FORCED TO WITHDRAW. SUPPORTED BY THE STATE’S SEVEN PUBLIC UNIVERSITIES, SB 207 ALLOWS STUDENTS WHO WERE ENROLLED ON OR BEFORE JULY 1, 2011 TO PAY IN-STATE TUITION. SB 207 PASSED OUT OF THE SENATE COMMITTEE ON EDUCATION AND CAREER DEVELOPMENT BY A VOTE OF 8-4 AND THE FULL SENATE, 35-15, BEFORE MOVING TO THE HOUSE FOR FURTHER CONSIDERATION. STATE SENATOR JOHN BRODEN (D-SOUTH BEND) SAYS HE IS HAPPY TO SEE THIS REMEDY FOR CERTAIN STUDENTS SEEKING TO CONTINUE THEIR EDUCATION.

SEN. BRODEN: “I’m very excited that Senate Bill 207 passed, even though it applies to maybe a couple of hundred of students…”
http://www.in.gov/legislative/senate_democrats/files/audio/Broden.SB207Passage.022613.MP3 style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: arial,sans-serif;">
(Length – 00:24)

Sen. Broden represents Senate District 10, which includes the cities of South Bend and Mishawaka, and portions of Portage, Penn, Centre and Clay townships in St. Joseph County. For more information on Sen. Broden, visit www.IN.gov/s10.

###