A floor vote and the democratic process need to take place in the Florida state Senate regarding a bill that would permit undocumented youth to qualify for in-state tuition fees, the Florida Immigrant Coalition (FLIC) said Friday.
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SB 1400 could help up to 175,000 students in Florida qualify for “Tuition Equity” or lower costs for colleges and universities in the state, supporters said. Immigration reform advocates are calling for a vote after statements released Thursday by state Senate President Don Gaetz and state Sen. Joe Negron opposing the legislation.
FLIC and other supporters are working to have the bill heard before the legislative session ends on May 2.
“For over a decade, Florida’s students and teachers have frustratingly seen how Florida has been left behind while nearly 20 other states have passed similar bills to promote access to education for all youth regardless of their immigration status and thus, the future of their workforce,” Maria Rodriguez, FLIC executive director, said in a statement.
Higher education benefits all young people – regardless of their background – as well as the state economy, supporters said.
“These kids have had to overcome poverty, racism and exclusion to succeed in this country. They can’t sit idle allowing a single voice stop their dreams,” Rodriguez said.
The effort for “Tuition Equity” in the state Senate “appears all but dead,” CBS Miami, a television station, reported on Thursday. Negron, the television station added, is the chair of the state Senate Appropriations Committee, which will not consider SB 1400.
“In-state tuition discounts should, in my view, be reserved for legal residents of Florida,” Negron told CBS Miami.
In addition, Gaetz is not interested in bringing SB 1400 to the Senate floor for a vote, FLIC said.
In March, a companion bill, HB 851, was approved in the Florida state House of Representatives. The issue of in-state tuition for undocumented students has grown in prominence recently with several states considering bills to address the topic.
Also, immigration reform remains a hotly-contested issue among Democratic and Republican lawmakers in states and Congress, as well as immigrant families and various community groups.
Rodriguez believes that debate and a vote in the Florida state Senate is in order. “It is the fair and moral thing to do,” she said.
Founded in 1998, the Florida Immigrant Coalition works on human rights and social policy issues. More than 50 organizations are members of FLIC.