NWAOnline’s Legislative Coverage

The bill to grant the in-state tuition discount to college students who are not documented residents of the United States failed Monday in a 13 to 21 vote in the Senate, with one not voting. Sponsor Sen. Joyce Elliott, D-Little Rock, did succeed in getting the vote tally expunged, which means she will be allowed to bring the bill up again if she wants to. However, the prospects for the bill look faint. Senate Bill 799 needs 18 votes to pass, which means Elliot would have to convince five senators — one out of every four who voted against the measure — to change their vote.

The governor, a former attorney general, opposes the bill. Federal law says that any such benefit to an undocumented resident would have to be extended to all legal U.S. residents. Elliott argues that a state law very similar to her bill has been in effect in Texas since 2001 with no such consequences.

Elliott took strong exception to calling these students “illegal immigrants” since they, in a large number of cases, were children brought here by their parents. Legally, they are not considered in violation of U.S. immigration statutes until they are at least 18 and a half years old, and can take steps to establish legal residency.

No member of Benton County’s Senate delegation voted for the measure. The only Washington County senator to vote for the bill was Sen. Sue Madison, D-Fayetteville.