Topeka ? Gov. Kathleen Sebelius on Thursday called on House leaders to allow in-state tuition for undocumented immigrants.

Sebelius said making higher education more accessible was “a benefit for all of the state.”

“They need to step up to the plate” and approve the bill, Sebelius said.

But House Speaker Doug Mays, R-Topeka, opposed the measure.

On Wednesday, Mays removed state Rep. Tom Sloan, R-Lawrence, from a conference committee after Sloan placed the immigration-higher education measure in another bill.

The proposal would allow students who are in the country illegally but have lived in Kansas at least five years to be charged the lower resident tuition rate at public universities, community colleges and vocational colleges. The students also would have to prove they are seeking citizenship or legal resident status.