Office of Governor Gary Locke
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE - May 7, 2003
Contact:  Kirsten Kendrick, Governor’s Communications Office, 360-902-4136

Gov. Gary Locke Signs Tuition Bill into Law

Gov. Gary Locke today signed a bill into law authorizing in-state tuition for all Washington state high school graduates who have lived in the state for at least three years.

Engrossed House Bill 1079 is intended to help undocumented high school students who are long-term residents of Washington state, have proven academic abilities and have hopes of attending colleges and universities in Washington state. The governor today vetoed an amendment to the bill that would have excluded children of undocumented migrant workers in the new law.

“We are opening the doors of higher education to a group of deserving students who have previously been locked out,” Locke said. “These children have grown up in our state, gone
to school here and have achieved high academic goals. They’re entitled to the same rights as the rest of Washington students when it comes to higher education. We’re simply creating more equity in our education system.”

Rep. Phyllis Gutierrez Kenney, D-Seattle, was the prime sponsor of the bill. “This bill does not provide a special right to a segment of the population but rather it is about fairness and equity,” she said. “These students will strengthen our local and state economy and will enrich the culture and social fabric of our higher education institutions, our state and nation.”

To qualify under the new state law for in-state tuition, undocumented students must prove they have:
· Lived in Washington state for at least three years;
· Completed their full senior year at a public or private high school in Washington state;
· Earned a high school diploma or its equivalent (i.e., GED, home school) in Washington state; and
· Have lived in Washington state continuously after receiving a diploma up to the time they apply for admission to a state college or university.

The new law does not change the legal status of undocumented students. Only the federal government can change legal residency. The new law does require undocumented students to file an affidavit with the state college or university to which they are applying, stating that:
· They will file an application for permanent U.S. residency as soon as they are eligible to do so; and
· They are willing to do what is necessary to acquire citizenship in the U.S., which may include taking citizenship and English language classes.

“This law enriches our state’s high academic standards,” said Ricardo Sanchez, executive director of the Latino/a Education Achievement Program (LEAP) in Seattle. “The benefit as well as the beauty of our higher education system is that it is there to serve those who have demonstrated the commitment to education and have proven academic abilities.”

The new law will go into effect July 1. Information to help students understand how to qualify for in-state tuition will be available from Washington state college and university admissions offices shortly after that date.

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