A Democratic lawmaker has been quietly lining up support for his upcoming proposal to allow undocumented students to pay in-state college tuition.
Rep. Joe Miklosi of Denver said he often points out that a majority of states that have OK’d in-state tuition to children whose parents illegally entered the country are conservative states.
“We’re talking Texas, Oklahoma, Kansas,” Miklosi said. “These are states where the Republican business leaders go to the Senate president and Speaker of the House and say, ‘We need a more educated workforce. Can you please pass this bill?’ “
Miklosi declined to say which community leaders are on board to support a bill he plans to introduce next year called the Workforce Development and Unsubsidized Tuition Act.”
“I wish I could tell you more now,” he said. “I’m not going to say anything except to say that we’re building a broad bipartisan coalition to show what support there is for this.”
Miklosi was the House sponsor of a bill in this year’s legislative session that would have allowed students who had attended a Colorado high school for at least three years and graduated to attend public colleges and universities at the in-state tuition rate, regardless of their immigration status. Currently those students must pay out-of-state tuition to attend a Colorado college.
The bill never made it to the House. It died in the Senate after a fierce debate, with five of the 21 Democrats joining the 14 Republicans in voting “no.”
Asked what the difference was between this year’s bill and the one he plans to introduce next year, Miklosi said both the title and the broad swath of support.
House Minority Leader Mike May, R-Parker, predicted the proposed bill would die for the same reason this year’s measure was killed.
“We’ve got enough budget trouble without this,” May said. “I know they make claims it doesn’t cost any extra, but it does.”
But Miklosi said an analysis by the nonpartisan Legislative Council’s fiscal staff shows colleges would receive $3.3 million in tuition in the first year.
The 2010 measure will begin in the House, Miklosi said, and the Senate sponsors will be Chris Romer and Paula Sandoval, both Denver Democrats.
“I love the line that Chris Romer once said: ‘Hopeless people do hopeless things,’ ” Miklosi said. “I believe in creating educational opportunities. I don’t believe in creating a second-class citizenship that leads to hopelessness.
“Some of these kids are going to end up in prison, and we’re going to spend $28,000 a year to incarcerate them.”
Miklosi cited the case of a 15-year-old girl considered a mathematical genius by every teacher who has taught her.
“She is revered,” Miklosi said. “She is writing a powerful essay for us titled, ‘I’ve never met a mathematical equation I could not solve except for the last nine numbers.’ It will rip your heart out.”
The student does not have a Social Security number because her parents entered the country illegally when she was very young, he said.
“She is the poster child for the situation,” Miklosi said. “She has gone to school here her entire life. She’s never been to Mexico. She’s got a great grade-point average. She volunteers at her church. She has stayed out of trouble.
“Do you know what I want? I want to give her an opportunity. Not a handout, an opportunity.”
Lynn Bartels: 303-954-5327 or lbartels@denverpost.com
