Gov. Martin O'Malley signs in-state tuition bill, opponents continue petition drive
May 10, 2011
ANNAPOLIS, Maryland: Almost a month after Maryland officials voted to approve Senate Bill 167, on May 10 Gov. Martin O'Malley gave the green light and signed the legislative bill.[1]
SB 167 would allow illegal immigrants to pay in-state or in-county tuition at Maryland colleges. in order to qualify students are required to have attended a Maryland high school for three years, as well as prove that their parents or themselves paid taxes. Initially, students that qualify would have to attend a community college. However, after two years, the students can transfer to a four year university. According to reports, the legislation is estimated to cost $3.5 million by 2016.[2][3]
Opponents of the legislation have launched a petition drive for a veto referendum in 2012. In order to qualify a veto referendum on the statewide ballot, a minimum of 55,736 valid petition signatures must be submitted by June 30, 2011. The state's distribution law requires that no more than half of the required signatures be from any one county or the City of Baltimore.[4]
See also
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Footnotes
- ↑ The Washington Post, "O’Malley signs immigrant tuition bill," May 10, 2011
- ↑ The Baltimore Sun, "Delegate to challenge in-state tuition measure," April 18, 2011
- ↑ The Washington Examiner, "Md. law granting illegals reduced tuition to cost millions," April 17, 2011
- ↑ MarylandReporter.com, "Petition Drive to Repeal In-State Tuition For Illegal Immigrants Gets Underway But New Signature Guidelines Needed," April 17, 2011 (dead link)
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