The California State Assembly voted last Wednesday to pass the second half of the state’s DREAM Act and would provide state grants and financial aid to undocumented students attending college in California.
Assembly members approved AB 131 — authored by Assemblymember Gilbert Cedillo, D-Los Angeles — in a 46-25 party-line vote. The bill will now move to the state Senate for consideration.
The bill was suspended by the Assembly Committee on Appropriations in mid-April due to concerns regarding the financial impact it would have on the state. The suspension was lifted and the committee approved the bill May 27.
Under AB 540, undocumented students qualify for in-state tuition by attending for three years and graduating from a California high school, among other requirements, but are not eligible for financial aid.
The bill’s counterpart, AB 130, was passed by the state Assembly May 5 and would allow the UC, CSU and California Community Colleges to provide financial aid to undocumented students from their financial aid reserves.
AB 131 would allow undocumented students at California colleges and universities to be eligible for state financial aid such as Cal Grants.
Though former governor Arnold Schwarzenegger vetoed versions of the act last year, Gov. Jerry Brown has said he would approve the act. UC President Mark Yudof and UC Berkeley Chancellor Robert Birgeneau have also expressed their support for the act.
“The outstanding accomplishments of these leaders of tomorrow should not be disregarded, nor their future jeopardized, simply because of their legal status,” Yudof said in a statement.
Opponents of the act have said that providing state aid to undocumented students would be fiscally irresponsible when the state is facing a nearly $10 billion deficit. Additionally, current immigration laws, they argue, would prevent employers from hiring the students that would benefit from the act.
But supporters have argued there is still time for immigration reform and there are economic reasons to support the act — that it is crucial for students to be educated so they can contribute to the economy as tax-paying workers.
“I stand here today on behalf of the high school students that I taught … I taught them the values of freedom, justice, equality and opportunity,” said Assemblymember Susan Bonilla, D-Concord, at a May 5 Assembly meeting. “It is a great honor today to stand on this floor for those same values. I stand here on behalf of the undocumented students and the documented students because the lesson is the same.”
Allie Bidwell is the news editor.
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Does anyone have any idea how to stop our CA. politicians from using Gut an Amend sneaky tactics to put anythin they want on a bill?
governor Brown,needs to veto ab131 and ab130. It is time to put Americans first.
Also most democratic leaders in Sacramento should be voted out of office.
Who would agree with arresting those whom wrote or voted for these bills? It should be called subversion!
University of California Berkeley ranked #70 Forbes dream act for instate Californians applying to Cal.
University
of California Berkeley Chancellor Birgeneau
($500,000 salary) displaces qualified for public university at Cal Californians
with $50,600 FOREIGN students
Public University of California
Berkeley is not
increasing enrollment. $50,600 FOREIGN students at UC Berkeley are getting into
Cal at the
expense of instate students.
Yours is the opinion that can make the difference email UC
Board of Regents [email protected]
Where’s the money coming from?
From the Cal Grant fund (tax money). Resident aliens would compete for the money against California natives.
Cal Chancellor on the rocks: wage concessions.
The 10 University of California (UC) campuses, UCOP
are not untouchable: Californians fund UC.
Californians face foreclosure, unemployment, depressed wages, loss of
medical, unemployment benefits, higher taxes: UC Board of Regents Regent Lansing,
President Yudof demonstrated leadership by curbing wages, benefits. As a
Californian, I don’t care what others earn at private, public universities. If wages
better elsewhere, chancellors, vice chancellors, tenured, non tenured faculty, UCOP
should apply for the positions. If wages commit employees to UC, leave for
better paying position. The sky above UC will not fall.
California suffers from the
greatest deficit modern times. UC wages, benefits must reflect California’s ability to
pay, not what others paid elsewhere. Campus chancellors, vice chancellors,
tenured & non-tenured faculty, UCOP are replaceable by the more talented.
UC faculty, chancellor vice chancellor concessions:
No furloughs
18 percent reduction in UCOP salaries & $50
million cut.
18 percent prune of campus chancellors’, vice chancellors’ salaries.
15 percent trim of tenured faculty salaries, increased teaching load
10 percent decrease in non-tenured faculty salaries, as well as increase research,
teaching load
100%
elimination of all Academic Senate, Academic Council costs, wages.
Rose
bushes bloom after pruning.
UC Board of Regents Sherry Lansing, President Yudof can bridge
the public trust gap by offering reassurances that UC salaries reflect depressed
wages in California.
The sky will not fall on UC
Californians are reasonable people. Levy no new taxes until
an approved balanced budget: let the Governor/Legislature lead – make the
tough-minded (not cold hearted) decisions of elected leadership. Afterwards
come to public for continuing, specified
taxes.
Thank
you for advocating for all Californians, University of California
Give dinero to illegals. Cali is a sewer of corrupt Sacto Libs.
Give dinero to illegals. Cali is a sewer of corrupt Sacto Libs.
only a few days ago you said the immigrants would be viewed by SCOTUS as not having standing to bring the case
flat out wrong, or simply irrelevant?
once again all you bring is instigation,
another insincere attempt to make things acrimonious