Tuition Equity Passes Oregon State House

Tuition Equity Passes Oregon State House

Causa joins with allies around the state in praising Oregon State House of Representatives in Passing HB2787

Salem, Ore.—Today an historic vote on Tuition Equity took place in the Oregon State House. An important milestone for Causa, our allies, our movement and students around Oregon, House Bill 2787 passed by 38 to 18 with broad bipartisan support.

House Bill 2787, Oregon’s Tuition Equity Bill, is bi-partisan legislation that allows long-time, high-achieving Oregon high school graduates who have been accepted to an Oregon university to pay in-state tuition, regardless of their documentation status.

On Monday, HB2787 was passed by a 7-2 margin by the Committee on Higher Education with bipartisan support. Those voting “Yes” included Representatives Michael Dembrow, Chair, Chris Harker, Vice-Chair, John Huffman, Vice-Chair, Joe Gallegos, Chris Gorsek, Mitch Greenlick, Mark Johnson. Those voting “Nay” included Representatives Vic Gilliam and Gene Whisnant.

“We applaud State Representatives for passage of this critical legislation for our state”, said Francisco Lopez, Executive Director. “The historic vote today takes us one step towards ensuring there is equal treatment and opportunity for all Oregon students and a boost to the education level of Oregon's workforce. The hard work of all our allies to see this through is a great victory." 

Lopez added, "We now look toward State Senators to immediately take up this legislation, pass it and send it to the Governor's desk for the good of Oregon Students and our State.”

Members of the Oregon State House voting “YES” on HB2787 today included Representatives Kotek (Speaker), Bailey, Barker, Barnhart, Barton, Bentz, Berger, Witt, Parrish, Read, Reardon, Unger,Vega Pederson, Williamson, Keny-Guyer, Komp, Lively, Matthews, McKeown, Nathanson, Greenlick, Harker, Holvey, Hoyle, Huffman, Johnson, Frederick, Gallegos, Garrett, Gelser, Gomberg, Gorsek, Boone, Buckley, Clem, Dembrow, Doherty, and Fagan.

And those voting “NO” included Representatives Cameron, Conger, Davis, Esquivel, Freeman, Gilliam, Richardson, Sprenger, Thompson, Weidner, Whisnant, Whitsett, Hanna, Hicks, Kennemer, Krieger, McLane, and Olson.

After today's House vote, the bill will then move to the State Senate for vote. Causa urges State Senators to take up passage of Oregon’s Tuition Equity bill by no later than the first week of March.

A copy of HB2787 can be found here: http://www.leg.state.or.us/13reg/measpdf/hb2700.dir/hb2787.intro.pdf

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About Causa Oregon

Causa, Oregon's Statewide Immigrant Rights Organization is the largest Latinaand Latino civil and human rights and advocacy organization in the Pacific Northwest. We work to defend and advance immigrant rights through coordination with local, state, and national coalitions and allies. For more information, visit www.causaoregon.org