A bipartisan proposal to waive tuition and fees for Oregon's public universities, community colleges and the Oregon health and science University for former or current children in foster care which is estimated to cost about $1 million was approved on Wednesday.
"I’m uncomfortable, to say the least, about passing anything without a complete fiscal [impact statement],” said Rep. Betty Komp, D-Woodburn.
"I certainly haven’t had any time to study this bill or have communication with my colleagues, much less any of the advocates,” she said. “This is like walking into a tunnel blind."
Portland Democratic Representative Michael Dembrowwho is one of the sponsors of the bill's has asked that the fiscal impact statement be removed so that the bill would not have to go to the Ways and Means committee.
the house subcommittee on higher education has already approved the fee waiver and it has to be passed by the house is full education committee before it could proceed to the legislature.
to be honest... I have mixed feelings over this.
Dembrow claims that there are "so few children" that would qualify for this that it would be hypocritical not to offer them this type of education break.
I would think that trying to pass this type of bill without a financial impact statement sounds like trying to sell snake oil. e.g. somebody has to pay for it.
The other concern is that parents might consider sending their children to foster care who can't afford to send their children to college to get a good education.
Rep. Julie Parrish commented that in order for the colleges and universities to "absorb" the tuition costs that other students are going to have to pay for it.
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