The debate on House Bill 224 was lasting longer than normal.

Extended debate means your bill could be in trouble.

HB 224 would waive the residency requirement for in-State tuition purposes at a public post-secondary institution in the state for an individual who has completed an AmeriCorps Program in the state.

Simply put, as the bill’s opponents were doing, these out-of-state do-gooders would be taking seats in a classroom at College Park or another campus that would otherwise go to your constituents’ children.

This issue came up once before.

Maryland students, regardless of immigration status, pay in-state tuition at Maryland universities if they graduated from a Maryland high school, which they attended for at least 3 years, and if their families paid taxes for at least 3 years.

However, these students are not counted as in-state students and thus do not count against the cap on in-state students, who pay a lower tuition than out-of-staters.

We passed the DREAMERS Act in 2011, and it was approved by the voters on referendum.

Delegate McIntosh sits next to me on the House floor. She chairs the Appropriations Committee. House Bill 224 was reported to the House floor by her committee.

I reminded her about how we handled the in-state issue in the DREAMERS Act.

Despite the extended debate, the bill passed the House today, 86-50.

We may see an amendment on this matter when the Senate considers House Bill 224.