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Arkansas Governor Doesn't Oppose In-state Tuition Bill For Immigrants

Mike Beebe

An Arkansas legislative panel could soon weigh in on a plan to extend less expensive in-state tuition rates to some students who came to the U.S. illegally as children. And the measure may now have a better chance of passing. 

A spokesman for Democratic Governor Mike Beebe says the governor's not opposed to the proposal, despite concerns about it violating federal law. That marks a change for Beebe, who issued a legal opinion as the state's top attorney that helped kill a similar proposal in 2005. Beebe had said the measure violated a 1996 federal law.

Beebe spokesman Matt DeCample said the governor still has concerns about the federal law, but DeCample said Beebe won't be out campaigning against the in-state tuition measure this year.