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Minutes for HB2643 - Committee on Higher Education Budget
Short Title
Modifying postsecondary tuition and fees for aliens to offset moneys used for the Kansas foster child educational assistance act.
Minutes Content for Thu, Feb 15, 2018
Chairman Kevin Jones opened the hearing on HB2643.
Chairman Kevin Jones provided an overview on how HB2643 got to the Higher Education Budget Committee.
Nick Myers, Office of Revisor of Statues provided detailed information on what HB2642 is designed to do. (Attachment 1)
Comments and questions followed his presentation.
Proponents
Kris Kobach, Kansas Secretary of State testified in support of HB2643, providing legal background regarding this bill, the federal statutes that bear on this matter, and the laws governing an illegal alien who is a student at a public post-secondary institution in Kansas. (Attachment 2)
Comments and questions followed his testimony.
Opponents
Representative Ponka-We Victors stated she was against this bill, calling this bill a hateful anti-immigration bill. (Attachment 3)
Comments and questions followed her voicing her opposition.
Vignesh Ganapathy, Policy Director, ACLU testified against this bill. He stated HB2643 would repeal Kansas's in-state tuition law, limiting access to higher education for KS youth solely on the basis of their immigration status and without regard for their scholastic achievement or merit.(Attachment 4)
Comments and questions followed his testimony.
Carolina Hernandez-Arango, Sunflower Community Action testified against HB2643. She talked about her personal experience in being a "DACA" recipient, being a 1st generation college student in her family.(Attachment 5)
Comments followed her testimony.
Representative John Acala expressed his opposition to this bill stating it is an attempt to demean the Kansas dreamers and to strip away any opportunity for the young people.(Attachment 6)
Sister Therese Bangert, Social Justice Officer, Sisters of Charity of Leavenworth. She stated her opposition to HB2643 and why.(Attachment 7)
Written Opposition
Written testimony, in opposition of HB2463, was provided by: Janeth Vazquez (Attachment 8), Academic Advisor, Ana Jimenez (Attachment 9), private citizen, and the Kansas Catholic Conference. (Attachment 10)
Chairman Kevin Jones closed the hearing on HB2463.
Meeting was adjourned at 4:46 pm.
