Undocumented graduates of Texas High Schools who meet the 3 year residency requirement and apply for citizenship....would pay what a legal resident of Texas pays.
My TX friends tell me it was pushed by the Legislature and both Houses passed it ...one unanimous & the other with 4 dissenting votes. As for in state tuition it is a STATE issue to be decided by State legislatures and in the case of Texas the measure passed overwhelmingly.
So it was veto proof and he signed it because Texans wanted it! Nine other states also allow similar resident tuition to illegals.
The in-state tuition for UT is very hefty so most illegals go to Community Colleges. TX is very Hispanic....about 40%. These students are 1% of the college population, about 16,000 and are not preventing a legal Texan from attending.
Perry is on record opposing the federal DREAM Act. And Perry has pumped over a half billion dollars of Texas tax payer money combating a Federal problem, illegal immigration. He has put both the national guard and Texas Rangers on the border.
Perry also joined Arizona in its lawsuit against the Federal government on their Illegal Imigration lae.
More here:
Please read this: http://ricochet.com/main-feed/WSJ-Texas-In-State-Tution-for-Illegals-Makes-Economic-Sense