Senate committee advances bill allowing schools to require immigration documentation and charge tuition during appeal

The Senate Finance, Ways and Means Committee on April 1 recommended Senate Bill 836 as amended for passage to the calendar committee, advancing legislation that would allow local education agencies (LEAs) and public charter schools to require documentation of U.S. citizenship or lawful immigration status for student enrollment and to charge tuition if families cannot produce acceptable documentation after an appeal.

Sponsor Jeremy Watson, Chairman of the Senate Education committee, told the Finance committee that the bill sets out documentation requirements and an appeal process: “There is a 21 day period, for the appeal. During that 21 days, the student is allowed to enroll in the school,” Watson said, describing an expedited hearing that determines whether the documentation meets the bill’s criteria. He added that if the appeal is denied, “the student may be charged tuition,” and that tuition must be paid in full before enrollment if the…