Update on the Opportunity Scholarship

The Opportunity Scholarship is firmly in the hands of the lawmakers. It’s future, however, may be in question.  

During a Senate Finance Committee meeting, three Democratic Senators expressed concerns and criticisms of the proposed Opportunity Scholarship, the second onslaught of such criticism the legislation has received. 

During the meeting, Sen. Jacob Candelaria (D) was the first to criticize the proposed Opportunity Scholarship. Candelaria said he was concerned the Opportunity Scholarship would be abused by higher education institutions like he said the Lottery Scholarship was. 

“We’ve known in the legislature the Lottery Scholarship needed reform for years and could never summon the political will to do so because various of these institutions fought reform because there institutions got more money or didn't get as much money as others,” Candelaria told a busy committee room. 

He also pointed to various student groups he believes were "co-opted by certain special interest to basically fight any reasonable attempts at making the lottery scholarship sustainable.” 

On Jan 27, the Opportunity Scholarship was introduced as House Bill 14. According to Higher Education Department (HED,) the scholarship would affect 55,000 students pay for college. The HED and the governor's office expects the cost of the scholarship to be $35 million.  

The day before legislative session opened, a Legislative Finance Committee analysis said the scholarship would likely cost millions more and would not have the positive effect that HED and the governor expect. Instead, Senators suggested reforming the lottery. 

“Shouldn’t we resolve the lottery problem first before we atognize it with more funding?” Sen. Gorge Muñoz asked HED Secretary Kate O'Neill. 

O'Neill responded and said the Opportunity Scholarship would sure-up the Lottery Scholarship.  

Despite the lengthy discussion, the senate committee could take no action on the house bill. HB 14 was sent to the House Education Committee and had not yet been scheduled for a hearing as of the publication of this article. 

Justin Garcia is the Editor in chief of the Daily Lobo. He can be contacted at editorinchief@dailylobo.com or on Twitter @just516garc