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WILL YOU MAKE YOUR VOICE HEARD THIS MORNING??
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Both bills are in committee this morning.
Education Administration & Planning Committee 9:00am
Please back up these legislators who took a stand and let the committee members know that you OPPOSE these bills.
13. *HB0863 by *White M, *Love, *Powell, *DeBerry, *McCormick, *Ramsey, *McDaniel, *Hazlewood.
(SB1014 by *Gardenhire, *Dickerson.)
Education - As introduced, exempts certain students from payment of out-of-state tuition at state institutions of higher education. - Amends TCA Title 4, Chapter 58; Title 49, Chapter 7; Title 49, Chapter 8 and Title 49, Chapter 9.
Summary for *HB0863
14. *HB0660 by *White M, *Love, *McCormick.
(SB0635 by *Gardenhire.)
Education, Higher - As introduced, authorizes the governing body of each public institution of higher education to determine the qualifications that students must possess to be eligible for payment of in-state tuition. - Amends TCA Title 4; Title 49, Chapter 7; Title 49, Chapter 8 and Title 49, Chapter 9 |
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Conservative Tennessee lawmakers decry in-state tuition for undocumented immigrants
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Kirk A. Bado , USA TODAY NETWORK - Tennessee 5:26 p.m. CT April 10, 2017
A group of conservative Tennessee lawmakers on Monday slammed a bill that would allow undocumented students to pay in-state tuition at the state's public colleges and universities.
Members of the Conservative Majority Caucus held a news conference outside the Tennessee House chamber to announce their opposition.
Flanked by a dozen Republican members of the House, Rep. Judd Matheny, R-Tullahoma, decried the legislation sponsored by Rep. Mark White, R-Memphis, as "unconstitutional" and a drain on Tennessee taxpayers.
"Our state cannot afford to subsidize public college tuition for illegal aliens nor should it," Matheny said.
The Tennessee Board of Regents, the organization that oversees the state's community and technical colleges, has endorsed the Republican legislation because it lowers the barrier to entry of higher education at a time when the state is trying to boost college enrollment. Undocumented students must currently pay out-of-state tuition to attend a public college.
To be eligible, students would have to graduate from a Tennessee high school. Many of the eligible students entered the country illegally as young children and grew up calling Tennessee home.
Matheny does not share the board's beliefs.
"They were brought in by an irresponsible act, and unfortunately they have to pay the inconvenient consequences of that act," he said.
As the lawmakers conducted the news conference, a small group of protesters stood facing them, holding signs saying "We are Watching." When the conference concluded, they began shouting down the lawmakers with chants of "No hate, educate."
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Tennessee Taxpayers To Pay For Illegal Immigrants' College Tuition
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Rep. Brian Terry, MD
NASHVILLE, April 5, 2017- An effort to provide in-state tuition for illegal aliens is advancing through the Tennessee General Assembly. Proponents of the legislation say it doesn't cost our state a dime, but that's not true. If the effort is successful, tax-payers will be on the hook in a major way.
In state tuition for 3 credit hours at MTSU is around $800. Out of state tuition for those same 3 credit hours is around $2800. However, the actual cost for MTSU to provide those 3 credit hours is around $1800.
Taxpayers subsidize around $1000 for each 3 credit hours. In fact, depending upon where a student attends college in TN, taxpayers subsidize in state tuition by covering anywhere between 25-75% of the actual cost of tuition. Folks, if it is subsidized by TN taxpayers, then it is a state benefit as defined by US code 1621.
If making an education more affordable for these students who are caught in a broken system is the goal or intent, then there already is a process. Our Governor has touted Western Governors University as an option for students to receive an education with little or no student debt. In fact, WGU-Tennessee even brags about "Little or no new student debt" on the front page of their website.
Additionally, the state of Tennessee offers an eCampus program. If one looks at the cost for 3 credit hours at MTSU, it costs $1569 which is significantly less than out of state tuition and even less than the actual cost for MTSU to provide 3 credit hours in the classroom
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Guest Commentary: 'Gardenhire Republicans' Want Subsidized Education for Illegal Immigrants and Sanctuary Campuses
By: Karen Lees
The Federation for American Immigration Reform (FAIR) reports that the burden of illegal immigration on taxpayers in Tennessee for both state and local expenditures jumped from $285 million in 2007 to $547 million in 2013, according to a FAIR 2013 study.
To add to that burden, proposed legislation that would grant eligibility for illegal aliens to receive in-state tuition is being considered this session by legislators at the Tennessee State Capitol.
In most cases, the discount for in-state tuition is roughly 50%, leaving Tennessee taxpayers with half the cost of tuition for each illegal student.
Senator Todd Gardenhire's SB 0635 & SB 1014 and Representative Mark White's HB 0660 & HB 0863 seek to abdicate the legislature's delegated authority to a Board of Regents or other un-elected body governing Tennessee's post secondary schools. With slumping attendance rates, the decision left to un-elected boards to fill empty seats in the classroom will take priority over compliance with federal immigration law and public safety.
The summary for SB0635 states:
This bill authorizes the governing body of each public institution of higher education to determine the qualifications that students must possess to be eligible for payment of in-state tuition and fees. All students who are not eligible for in-state tuition must pay the out-of-state tuition and fees set by the governing body.
Go to capitol.tn.gov for details.
To heap even more on the taxpayers' backs, Senator Jim Tracy (R) amended Sen. Gardenhire's similar bill, SB1014 to include students in ALL of Tennessee's eight surrounding states within 100 miles of the TN border. The bill passed the Senate Education Committee last week 7-2 and is now headed for the Finance Ways and Means Committee. The seven "Yes" votes were Crowe (R), Dickerson (R), Gardenhire (R), Gresham (R), Haile (R), Tate (D), and Tracy (R). The two Senators voting "No" were Hensley (R) and Kelsey (R).
The proposed legislation goes against deliberately worded Federal immigration law targeting this exact type of state legislation, signed by President Bill Clinton. It also violates a TN state statute. Such policies encourage illegal immigration, are unfair to American citizens from other states, and will force taxpayers to fund the education of illegal aliens.
1623 of IIRIRA federal law states:
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