Massachusetts Governor Deval Patrick (D) wants in-state tuition for "illegal immigrants" very badly and is trying to think of ways to bypass the state legislature (which has earlier killed a bill that would grant in-state tuition) so that he can provide in-state tuition. One plan, according to the Boston Globe:

Patrick said his legal team is weighing whether the state could grant the lower rate by passing a regulation, which would require approval by the 11-member Board of Higher Education. Patrick's comments, in response to a question from an audience member, came two years after an in-state tuition bill failed in the Legislature, and amid a debate over illegal immigration in the presidential race.

Paying in-state tuition would save illegal immigrant students thousands of dollars. At the University of Massachusetts-Amherst, out-of-state tuition is close to $10,000 a year, compared with about $1,700 a year for residents. Out-of-state tuition runs as high as $8,430 a year at a community college compared to about $700 a year for residents.

Some members of the legislature are outraged by this plan. This proposal comes in the wake of a new plan Patrick has announced that would further centralize power for education policy in the governor's office.