TALLAHASSEE — The Florida House continues to advance a bill offering in-state tuition to certain undocumented students, and some Gators are in Tallahassee hoping to watch it go all the way.
The bill, HB851, would allow students, including undocumented immigrants, to qualify for in-state tuition if they attend a Florida high school and enroll in college within 24 months of graduation.
On Wednesday, Republicans offered an amendment to create new restrictions on the bill, mandating that students seeking in-state tuition attend Florida high schools for four consecutive years instead of the originally suggested three years.
Rep. Jeanette Nuñez, who sponsored the amendment, said on the floor the change was necessary.
“This bill will ensure not one legal student of Florida is displaced by an undocumented student,” Nuñez said.
Many pro-immigrant organizations feel this new amendment places unfair requirements, including Gators for Tuition Equity.
“I agree with the representatives that spoke against the amendment and stated, ‘What difference is 12 months going to make?’” said Joselin Padron-Rasines, a UF student senator and a member of Gators for Tuition Equity. “This is just another restriction that waters down the bill.”
The group will continue to put pressure on the Florida House and especially the Senate, where the bill is in committee, said the 19-year-old UF political science and international studies sophomore.
A rally is planned today on the steps of the Old Florida Capitol, where elected officials, UF administration and students from across the state will urge all members of the Legislature to support a fair bill.
“Our message at the rally is to remind legislators why we are pushing this bill, which is to eliminate barriers to higher education and even the playing field for all Florida graduates,” said Liana Guerra, a 21-year-old UF economics junior.
Final vote on the bill is scheduled for 3:30 p.m. today.
[A version of this story ran on page 5 on 3/20/2014 under the headline "Gators lobby Tallahassee to support tuition equality bill"]
