Topeka ? A bill lowering the cost of higher education for some illegal immigrants or their children won Senate approval Thursday after inspiring a passionate debate.

The measure would permit qualified immigrants or their children to attend a state university, community college or vocational college and pay the lower tuition rates set for Kansas residents. It would require a student to have lived in Kansas at least three years and to be seeking citizenship or legal resident status.

The Senate’s vote was 25-15 and returned the measure to the House, which passed its own, less restrictive version of the bill last year. House members can accept the Senate’s version or force negotiations.

During Senate debate Wednesday, critics predicted passage of the bill would anger many Kansans who view it as rewarding lawbreakers.

“I want to tell you the political reality of this,” said Sen. Ed Pugh, R-Wamego. “You’ve got an issue that every John Doe in the street is going to understand come election time.”

Supporters acknowledged the bill probably is unpopular. However, Sen. Susan Wagle, R-Wichita, said she couldn’t vote against the measure after attending Ash Wednesday services in a church near the Statehouse with a multiracial congregation.

“I’m going to vote for this bill because I think this is the right thing to do,” she said. “I think we’re called to help other people.”

Supporters said the bill would make higher education accessible to immigrants or their children.

“The alternative, if we don’t give them a right to an education, is that they will become a drain, if not a threat, to society,” said Sen. John Vratil, R-Leawood. “This bill is about education and the opportunity each one of us wants for each of our children.”

They also said preventing the children of illegal immigrants from attending college would be like preventing children from enrolling if their parents are in prison.

“When did we punish the children for the sins of the fathers?” said Sen. Jean Schodorf, R-Wichita. “America is a compassionate nation. We have to give these children a chance.”

But opponents countered that the bill is unfair to immigrants who make sacrifices to enter the United States legally or become citizens.

“There are a lot of people in the Hispanic community who do not want this bill to pass,” said Sen. Phil Journey, R-Haysville. “They will resent the fact that others don’t have to follow the law.”

Other opponents of the bill said their constituents see the issue in economic terms.

“An illegal alien comes in, works at a lower wage and takes a job away from our Kansas workers and then wants to go to school at the expense of the taxpayers,” said Sen. Robert Tyson, R-Parker. “That’s offensive to the people in my district.”

Immigrant tuition bill is HB 2008

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