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Arkansas Legislator Files In-State Tuition Proposal

An Arkansas lawmaker is proposing extending in-state tuition rates to some students who entered the  U.S. illegally.

Little Rock Democratic Sen. Joyce Elliott filed a bill Monday that would grant in-state tuition rates to anyone who has attended an Arkansas high school for at least three years and has an Arkansas high school diploma or general education diploma in the state.

Monday is the deadline for lawmakers to file legislation.

Supporters say the measure would offer higher education opportunities to students who came to the U.S. illegally as children and who currently have to pay out-of-state rates despite having grown up and gone to school here.

The measure will likely face challenges in the newly Republican-controlled Legislature.

Similar measures on in-state tuition rates failed in 2005 and 2009.