Tag: Angela Giron

The economy and the environment “both won” in Colorado's legislative session this year, according to an annual scorecard that a leading state environmental group released Thursday.

DENVER-- In a highly anticipated Senate debate here Friday, Republicans launched early-round attacks against a bill that aims to create a mid-level state-university tuition rate for undocumented students who have graduated from Colorado high schools. Although the bill easily weathered the GOP barbs in the Democrat-controlled chamber, passing on a 20-13 voice vote, the two-hour back-and-forth showcased the lines of argument opponents of the bill will seek to sharpen before it arrives a few weeks from now in the Republican-controlled House.

Denver Mayoral Candidate James Mejia today issued a statement in support of SB 126, the Asset Bill which provides undocumented students access to higher education. He called for quick passage of the bill by the Colorado House of Representatives.

After extensive and energetic debate, a bill which would allow undocumented students who attended high school in Colorado access to in-state tuition, passed second hearing in the Senate in a 20-13 vote. The bill passed on party lines.

Senator Minority Leader Mike Kopp is leading opposition to the so-called Asset legislation that would grant in-state university tuition to students who have attended at least three years of high school in Colorado but who are neither U.S. citizens nor legal residents of the country. The Littleton Republican wrote an op-ed for the Pueblo Chieftan last week making a case that drew fire from conservative Latino group Somos Republicans. In a release Friday, the group said Kopp was demonizing Colorado youth with preposterous arguments based on shoddy research.

DENVER-- When hundreds of Coloradans flocked to the capitol here Monday for the state's fifth-annual Latino Advocacy Day, it was a rare recent instance in the state and around the country where support for policies that embrace immigration, U.S. Latino communities and the rights of undocumented residents stole the spotlight from support for policies that set deporting "illegals" and establishing border security as top priorities.

The bill offering in-state tuition to undocumented immigrants passed out of the Senate Finance Committee Tuesday under intense scrutiny by Republicans of bill sponsors' claims that undocumented alien students would not be subsidized by Colorado tax dollars.

Senate Bill 126, Colorado Asset, passed the Senate Education Committee today on the wings of hope for immigrant students and an infusion of cash into the state economy. The bill passed 5-2.

During a rally Wednesday, Democratic sponsors of a bill allowing undocumented high-school students to pay in-state tuition at public colleges and universities framed their comments around economic prosperity in hopes of garnering Republican support.

State Sens. Michael Johnston, D-Denver, and Angela Giron, D-Pueblo, on Wednesday introduced a bill that would allow undocumented students to pay in-state tuition at Colorado colleges and universities. Dubbed ASSET (Advancing Students for a Stronger Economy Tomorrow), the legislation is similar to a failed 2009 bill. Eleven other states have similar laws on the books, including nearby and neighboring Utah, Nebraska and Texas.