State Senator Gary Siplin (D-Orlando) said on Friday, he plans to file legislation that will allow undocumented students who have graduated from a Florida high school to pay in-state tuition rates for attending colleges and universities within the state. He was speaking from his Pine Hills office where he held a press availability to discuss his priorities during the upcoming Legislative Session.
Siplin said, because the Constitution of Florida requires any student between kindergarden and 12th grade to get an education, it is discriminatory to have undocumened Florida high school graduates pay out-of-state college tuition fees.
“We have invested in those students, documented and undocumented, for 12 years and at the very least, why should we not take advantage of the harvest from our investment and allow them to go on with their higher education, paying the in-state tuition?” Siplin asked rhetorically.
Persons from other states once they are in Florida for at least 6 years, are allowed to become residents and as a result, pay in-state college and university tuition fees. And they have not lived in Florida for as long as those others that the state has invested in.
“So, these are the two reasons why I have filed this bill, ” he said.
Siplin also plans to file a bill that will prevent employers from using a person’s credit history to determine whether that individual is hired or not. Credit histories should not be used to vet potential employees, as being a good plumber, teacher ot electrician has nothing to do with that individuals’ credit score, he said.
“I have heard from many of my constituents who have told me that they are unable to get jobs because of bad credit scores,” he said. “The bill proposes that employers cannot discriminate on the basis of credit history in their hiring decisions.”
Another bill aimed at providing more financial assistance to seniors under the State’s Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP), is in the works, Siplin said.
“There are a lot of seniors that are having to choose between buying food, paying their light bill and purchasing prescription medication,” he said. “If I can make it a little easier in one area — providing more assistance to help with their electric bill, then that’s what I am committed to doing.”
Its hard to imagine Siplin has any priorities beyond getting reelected. He is the kind of Democrat that simply isn’t a Democrat. The 99% shouldn’t expect anything of him.