Word coming down from Trenton NJ is that S1036 was withdrawn for lack of support, falling 3 votes short of what was needed for passage.
Not too surprising, considering a Republican governor takes the helm next week and lawmakers seem to lose their balls come time for a changing of the guard.
Was a battle won by one side and lost by the other? Not at all, although over at ALIPAC,the lemmings are celebrating something they had very little to do with. This was only a minor skirmish in the overall fight for Immigration Reform looming on the horizon.
This was a state issue, and any person not living and voting within the State of New Jersey had no right nor business trying to jam the phone lines to express their xenophobic opinion, or quote their ignorance of the law and the Constitution to those who make the law. This was a New Jersey issue and nothing more.
As the report below states, New Jersey colleges and universities are at capacity with folks paying the in state rates. But it also states that NJ institutes of learning could possibly hold more spaces for those paying out of state rates to bolster their revenue.
The withdrawal of this bill DOES NOT deny undocumented students a chance at a college education. To the contrary, it will open up seats that might be denied to them otherwise. And these enterprising students, with motivation and determination to gain an education and succeed in life, will find some manner, through private scholarships and hard work, to succeed, where lesser students will say to hell with it.
No, it’s not a loss for those of us on the pro reform side, a disappointment for some perhaps, but not a loss. And at the same time, it is not a win, as ALIPAC’s William Gheen will claim in the self promoting press release, destined for the round files around the country. that he is sure to send out later today or tomorrow. Especially with the underhanded and deceitful manner he directed his handful of faithful lemmings to act.
Once again, the anti immigrant hate mongers of ALIPAC have lied to America
If you can’t blind them with brilliance, then baffle them with bullshit has never held truer meaning than when ALIPAC’s William Gheen goes into battle, with nothing but his buffoonish lines of crap to sustain his agenda. Truth be damned. If Willy doesn’t believe it, it must be a lie.
Gheen and others on the side of intolerance and hate, piously claim that they are doing the will of the American people. And in fighting New Jersey’s S-1036, which would grant undocumented students in New Jersey, In State Tuition, they are saving taxpayers from higher taxes and being forced to subsidize the education of those they feel shouldn’t be here.
A Legislative Fiscal Estimate released today by the Budget and Finance office, was again, debunks the lies and exaggerations of right wing of hate:
Read up folks!
LEGISLATIVE FISCAL ESTIMATE
SENATE, No. 1036
STATE OF NEW JERSEY
213th LEGISLATUREDATED: DECEMBER 11, 2009
SUMMARY
Synopsis:
Allows certain undocumented aliens to qualify for in-state tuition rates at public institutions of higher education.Type of Impact:
No impact on State revenues or expenditures.Agencies Affected:
Public institutions of higher education.Office of Legislative Services Estimate
Fiscal Impact State Cost
Year 1 No impact
Year 2 No impact
Year 3 No impact· This bill will have no direct impact on State revenues or expenditures as higher education tuition revenues are not a part of State budgeted expenditures.
· Information on the number of undocumented aliens enrolled in public institutions of higher education is not collected on a Statewide basis. Consequently, the Office of Legislative Services (OLS) is not able to determine the current numbers of such students who may be enrolled and the potential reduction in tuition revenue if these students were paying in-state rather than out-of-state tuition rates. While the bill may increase the in-State tuition applicant pool, how the bill’s provisions would affect the institutions’ admission policies and tuition revenue is unknown.
BILL DESCRIPTION
Senate Bill No. 1036 of 2008 allows a student who is also an undocumented alien to pay in-state tuition at the State’s public institutions of higher education if he meets the following criteria:
(1) attended a high school in the State for three or more years;
(2) graduated from a high school in this State or received the equivalent of a high school diploma in this State;
(3) registers as an entering student or is currently enrolled in a public institution of higher education not earlier than the fall semester of the 2008-2009 academic year; and
(4) files an affidavit with the institution of higher education stating that he has filed an application to legalize his immigration status or will file an application as soon as he is eligible to do so.The bill’s provisions do not apply to persons defined as “nonimmigrant aliens” within the meaning of section 101 (a)(15) of the federal “Immigration and Nationality Act.” In very general terms, a “nonimmigrant alien” is a person who has been admitted to the United States on a temporary basis for employment, educational, or personal reasons and who maintains his permanent residence outside of this country. The bill’s provisions would, however, extend in-state undergraduate tuition rates to undocumented aliens who meet the conditions outlined in the bill.
It should be noted that this bill was initially introduced in January of 2008 prior to the start of the 2008-2009 academic year. Section 1 of the bill provides that an individual who “registers as an entering student or is currently enrolled in a public institution of higher education not earlier than the fall semester of the 2008-09 academic year” would be exempt from non-resident tuition rates. The 2008-2009 academic year would presumably be updated.
FISCAL ANALYSIS
EXECUTIVE BRANCH
None received.
OFFICE OF LEGISLATIVE SERVICES
The OLS estimates that this bill will have no direct effect on State revenues or expenditures as higher education tuition revenues are not part of State budgeted expenditures. Currently, undocumented aliens who meet the conditions outlined in the bill are required to pay out-of-State tuition when they enroll at a New Jersey public institution of higher education. Any cost impact associated with the bill’s provisions would be a reduction in tuition paid to public institutions of higher education.
Information on the number of undocumented aliens enrolled in public institutions of higher education is not collected on a Statewide basis so OLS is not able to determine the current numbers of such students who may be enrolled and the potential reduction in tuition revenue if these students were paying in-State rather than out-of-State tuition rates. This bill’s provisions would most likely increase the number of undocumented aliens who apply for admission to the public institutions. However, the number of students each institution can admit is limited by its capacity. The public institutions have reported being at capacity with the number of student applications continuing to grow each year. Additionally, the institutions may make adjustments to their admission policies to offset any potential reduction in revenue that may result from the bill’s enactment. For example, an institution may determine to admit a greater number of out-of-State students to realize increased tuition revenues.While the bill’s enactment will have no fiscal impact on State revenues or expenditures, the OLS is not able to estimate its impact on the public institutions’ tuition revenue and admission policies.
Section:
Education
Analyst:
Osomo Thomas
Senior Fiscal Analyst
Approved:
David J. Rosen
Legislative Budget and Finance Officer
This fiscal estimate has been prepared pursuant to P.L. 1980, c.67 (C. 52:13B-6 et seq.).
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