NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) - Supporters of legislation to make children of people living in the country illegally eligible for in-state tuition said it would benefit the state's economy.
The proposal, called the "Tuition Equality" bill, was scheduled to be heard in the House Education Subcommittee on Tuesday.
Currently, such students pay nearly three times as much for higher education -- the out-of-state rate -- even if they've lived in Tennessee for most of their lives.
Eben Cathey is spokesman for the Tennessee Immigrant and Refugee Rights Coalition. He says making the tuition rate less expensive for those students gives them a better chance to obtain a college degree, which translates into jobs.
Cathey said 19 states have enacted similar legislation.
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