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Senate approves in‑state tuition for asylum seekers with pending applications
Summary
The Senate approved House Bill 25‑86A to extend in‑state tuition to asylum seekers whose applications are pending, sponsors said the change removes an eligibility gap that left students who grew up in Oregon facing out‑of‑state tuition; some senators urged caution on eligibility rules.
The Oregon Senate on third reading passed House Bill 25‑86A to allow students with pending asylum applications to receive in‑state tuition at Oregon public institutions, sponsors said, closing a gap that previously treated asylum seekers as nonresidents for tuition purposes even if they had grown up and attended school in Oregon.
Senator Campos, carrier of the bill, said the change would align asylum seekers with other noncitizen students (including refugees and special immigrant visa holders) who already qualify for in‑state tuition under prior statutes. "This bill would change that, allowing these students to access in state tuition and financial aid and to continue building a life rooted in stability, opportunity, and contribution," Campos said.
Questioning in the chamber clarified that the bill does not set a specific residency waiting period for asylum seekers; it bases eligibility on having a pending asylum application rather than a defined length of residency. Campos said the bill was intended to fix a statutory exclusion, not to provide special treatment or bypass existing residency rules.
Several senators expressed support after hearing details. Senator Starr said she had changed her position after learning that asylum seekers who have resided in Oregon for an extended period remained ineligible under prior law and that the bill corrects that inequity. Senator Robinson said he remained opposed in committee and in floor debate, citing concerns that permitting eligibility while an application is pending could be politically sensitive and might be used in ways he did not support.
Outcome and implementation: The Senate declared House Bill 25‑86A passed on a roll call. Sponsors said universities and community colleges will need to adjust tuition administration and FAFSA processing rules to treat qualifying asylum seekers as in‑state students; the bill does not itself set up a new state funding stream.
