House delays tuition bill vote

Correction: Because of an editing error, a story in yesterday's City & Region section about a proposed bill to extend in-state tuition rates to undocumented immigrants said that supporters of the measure assert it will cost the state $15 million. That assertion has actually been made by Lieutenant Governor Kerry Healey, an opponent of the bill, and is disputed by supporters.

House Speaker Salvatore F. DiMasi has put off consideration of a controversial bill that would extend in-state tuition rates to undocumented immigrants, but supporters and foes of the measure expect a pitched battle over the proposal early next year.

Yesterday marked the end of this year's formal legislative session, and DiMasi, a supporter of the bill, apparently lacked enough votes to pass the bill with a two-thirds majority, the margin needed to override an expected veto by Governor Mitt Romney.

Opponents, who said they were gratified by the news, said they believe that their argument that the move would be fiscally irresponsible is starting to resonate with the public.

''It's a victory for the Commonwealth and the taxpayer," said Bob Casimiro, executive director of the Massachusetts Coalition for Immigration Reform. ''This will give us a breather. But I know they'll be back, because they have the resources."

The measure would allow undocumented immigrants to attend state colleges for approximately $9,300 annually, the same amount charged state residents. Such a reduction would be a significant discount from the $18,000 that undocumented immigrants are currently charged for tuition and fees at state colleges. Under the proposed law, they would qualify for in-state tuition if they graduate from a Massachusetts high school after attending it for at least three years and if they sign an affidavit affirming that they intend to seek citizenship.

Advocates say that only about 400 students would take advantage of the lower tuition and that the cost to the state would be about $15 million annually.

But Casimiro and other members of the coalition have been lobbying legislators for months, saying that undocumented immigrants have not earned the rights that US citizens enjoy. They also worry that approving in-state tuition would encourage officials to grant driver's licenses and work authorizations to undocumented immigrants, as well.

The issue gained attention two weeks ago during a radio debate between Lieutenant Governor Kerry Healey and Attorney General Thomas F. Reilly, both probable gubernatorial candidates.

Healey was criticized for suggesting that the immigrant students could ''go to private schools" if they were unhappy with tuition rates at state colleges. Healey also argued that the bill will cost the state millions of dollars because it would eventually require the state to offer in-state rates to students from outside Massachusetts.

''The biggest credit you have to give for this is to Governor Romney and Lieutenant Governor Healey," Casimiro said. ''They have been very firm on this and very explicit in their opposition."

The national debate over immigration has also added fervor to the appeals of opponents. And in Massachusetts, changing demographics have made the issue more immediate for residents. One in 5 residents of the Bay State is foreign born.

''These are children of families who have been in Massachusetts for years, and they know of no other home than the Commonwealth," said Ali Noorani, executive director of the Massachusetts Immigrant and Refugee Advocacy Coalition. ''They've been paying taxes, contributing to the economy, and all they want to do is go to college at the same rate as their high school classmates."

Representative Marie J. Parente, a Milford Democrat, said she has received a mountain of mail about the issue, mostly from opponents. She said more debate is needed. Legislators ''might have thought they'd be able to slip the bill through," Parente said. ''I don't think they realized how much it meant to people."

Both sides say they expect the bill to be a key issue in next year's gubernatorial contest.

''This is going to come up in the race for governor," Noorani said. ''. . . It will move forward early in the new year, and in our view, education will triumph over fear."