Never before have I had difficulty responding to a roll call.

            I knew how I was going to vote all along.  I didn’t know if my emotions would allow me to say “yes.”

            Senate Bill 167 would allow students whose parents are not American citizens to pay the lower in-state tuition at a public university if they meet certain conditions. 

            They must be graduates of a Maryland high school and  community college.  They must also have documentation that the student or the student’s family has filed a state income tax return since the individual graduated from high school.  

            The norm in Annapolis is the debate we had on the capital budget on the House floor this morning. 

            Republicans spoke in favor of their amendments, Democratic members of the Appropriations Committee responded, and the rest of the members worked on their email, occasionally listening to the debate, before killing the amendments along party lines.

             SB 167, on the other hand, prompted a discussion of public policy and personal experiences – stories of success and discrimination, from nearly every member of the Ways and Means Committee. 

            Everyone listened.  Email went unnoticed. 

           “This makes me very proud to serve on the committee,” a senior member whispered to me. 

             Soon after that, a freshman delegate said to everyone, “This is the best discussion we have had during my time here.”

            There were tears in my eyes, and I’m sure many others, when the roll was called. 

            The bill passed, 14-7. 

 April 5