SEATTLE — State Senate majority leader Rodney Tom says a measure that would have opened need-base college aid to immigrants living without permission in the country is dead.
Tom told the Yakima-Herald Republic on Sunday that the measure dubbed the Washington Dream Act will not receive a vote on the floor this session, essentially killing its chances until next year.
Tom’s comments are the latest nail in the measure’s coffin. In late March, the Senate Higher Education Committee chairwoman, Republican Sen. Barbara Bailey of Oak Harbor, said the bill would not receive a committee vote.
Bill proponents had held out hope a procedural move would be used to bring the measure to a floor vote. Tom says that’s not going to happen.
A Democrat, Tom became the majority leader after joining the Republicans in the Senate.
