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Senate committee advances bill letting local districts verify immigration status, allow tuition for undocumented students
Summary
After hours of testimony and debate, the Senate Education Committee approved an amendment to Senate Bill 836 that would let local school districts require documentation of legal presence and — at their option — charge tuition to students who cannot prove lawful status. The measure passed the committee 5–4 and now moves to the Finance Committee.
Senate Education Committee members on March 5 approved Senate Bill 836 as amended, a measure that would allow local education agencies to verify a student’s immigration status at enrollment and — if a district chooses — charge tuition for students who cannot document lawful presence.
The bill’s sponsor, Senator Watson, told the committee the amendment (drafting code 4412) makes the requirement permissive for local school districts and creates an appeal to the State Department of Education for families who assert lawful presence.
"The amendment changes the state's public school enrollment policies by requiring all public schools, including public charter schools, to verify a student's legal status before enrollment," Senator Watson said in committee. "If a student cannot provide such documentation, local school districts and public charter schools have the option ... to…
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