Circuit Court Judge Ronald Silkworth ruled Friday that a referendum to challenge a new law granting in-state tuition rates to illegal immigrants can go forward on this November’s ballot. The attorney for Casa de Maryland said he will appeal, but the petition leader said the appeals court will uphold the judge's ruling, and the petition will be on the November ballot. [...more]
Casa de Maryland, the lead plaintiff in a lawsuit seeking to halt a state referendum on illegal immigrants receiving in-state college tuition, will no longer challenge the validity or number of petition signatures approved by the State Board of Elections. Instead, it will focus solely on the argument that Dream Act legislation is an appropriations bill, thus disqualifying it from being subject to referendum. [...more]
A Montgomery County Circuit Court judge has thrown out a lawsuit against Montgomery College that tried to stop its policy of granting in-state tuition to county residents who do not have legal immigration status. [...more]
Opponents of in-state tuition for illegal immigrants submitted over 40,000 signatures on petitions to put the measure on the November 2012 ballot, more than twice what they needed for Tuesday’s first deadline. They needed to have at least 18,579 by Tuesday and Washington County Republican Del. Neil Parrott said, “We know that some of them are going to be thrown out.” [...more]
With a week to go, the group leading the effort to repeal in-state tuition for illegal immigrants said they have enough valid signatures to meet the first benchmark of 18,579 signatures by May 31. Plus there are 10,000 to 15,000 more where it is asking voters to fix minor problems with the petitions. [...more]
The lead sponsor who objects to efforts to overturn his bill granting in-state college tuition to illegal immigrants said referendum efforts by opponents could cost the state millions and the drive is being funded by outside Tea Party interests. But state officials say the cost of putting the issue on the ballot is fairly minimal, and some organizers say there is little evidence of out-of-state funding for the petition drive. [...more]
Opponents of just passed legislation allowing illegal immigrants to receive in-state tuition met on Saturday in Annapolis to organize a petition drive for the issue. But the elections board has yet to revise signature guidelines for the process or approve wording on the petition. [...more]
After a midday Senate filibuster temporarily delayed its passage, the bill granting in-state tuition for illegal immigrants was sent to Gov. Martin O’Malley for his promised signature Monday night. As the House of Delegates approved the final negotiated version of the bill on Monday night with a vote of 74-65, the student lobbyists sitting in the galleries on either side of the chamber burst into cheers. The finalized bill had passed the Senate with a vote of 27-19 less than an hour earlier. [...more]
In a close vote, the House of Delegates passed a bill on Friday that would give in-state college tuition to illegal immigrants, following an emotional debate fraught with tears, personal stories, anger and applause. The vote tally was 74-66, with 23 Democrats joining all 43 Republicans in opposing the measure. [...more]
After a marathon 2½ hours of sometimes acrimonious debate and a dozen failed amendments, the House of Delegates Thursday afternoon gave preliminary approval to a bill giving illegal immigrants in-state tuition at community colleges and state universities. The bill, which passed the Senate on a close vote three weeks ago, allows young illegal immigrants who graduated from Maryland high schools to get tuition at in-state rates. [...more]
