Board Set To Certify Petition On Tuition Bill

ANNAPOLIS, Md. (AP) -- The Maryland State Board of Elections is scheduled to certify that opponents to allowing in-state tuition for certain illegal immigrants have enough signatures to put the measure on next year's ballot.

Board spokeswoman Donna Duncan says certification is set for Friday.

The board has validated 108,923 signatures in the petition drive. Opponents needed 55,736 signatures to the measure on the ballot.

The successful petitioning of the measure to the ballot means the law won't take effect until Maryland voters decide the issue in November 2012, or until a judge rules otherwise.

The bill would allow illegal immigrants to pay in-state tuition at public colleges if they complete three years of high school and can show their parents filed state income tax returns.

(Copyright 2011 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)