This highly controversial legislation, HB 1487, which goes into effect July 1st in Washington State, is just another example of a transnational corporation asserting its influence in our local government. This legislation was drawn up inside of Microsoft and sponsored by Representative Ross Hunter, a former manager at Microsoft.

According to this Seattle Times article, this legislation will cost the state hundreds of thousands of dollars in the short term and will continue to cost more in the years to come. While making deep cuts in education, this legislation passed by a wide margin. This clearly shows how Microsoft makes backroom deals with legislators with flawed judgement - and a capacity to ignore the majority they have pledged to serve.

"Rep. Ross Hunter pushed through legislation at Microsoft’s behest to extend in-state tuition rates to white collar professionals who are temporarily stationed at Microsoft on corporate visas –at the same time that Washington State lawmakers removed $1.5 billion from education, laidoff 2500 teachers, [and] slashed health care." - Bright Future Jobs

Bright Future Jobs broke the story of the grassroots campaign - started by techs in Washington state - against Ross Hunter, now running for King County Executive. The campaign is asking everyone to donate $14.87, in protest of HB 1487, to any opponent of Ross Hunter of their choice. You can see the candidates and their websites here. The Primary Election is on August 18.
Internal Microsoft Document

Microsoft Continues to Pursue In-State Tuition Bill (03/18/2008)
The Washington State Senate and House of Representatives Higher Education Committees recently voted on a bill aimed at broadening the definition of resident student xi the state of Washington. This bill would have allowed non-immigrants in L1 L2. H-lB H-4. or E-3 status to pay in-state tuition. While the bill will not become law this session. we believe it has a strong chance of future success.

Origins of The Idea: You?
Microsoft focuses efforts to change state law after receiving suggestions from our employees in our webcast on January 10th Jack Krumhottz and Lydia Tamez promised to pursue this idea, and provide updates on the progress. Our webcasts on immigration issues provide an excellent opportunity not only for us to keep you informed about important policy developments but also for us to understand what issues are central to you and for us to gain the benefit of your ideas This is one example of how your ideas influence the direction of Microsoft’s efforts to change state laws on immigration.

Team Efforts at Microsoft to Pursue The Blll's Passage
Through the strong support of Microsoft’s State Government Relations Team, this bill was drafted and introduced in the state legislature in January 2008. On February fl 2008. Lydia Tamez. the Associate General Counsel for Microsoft Global Migration testified before the Washington State Senate Committee on Higher Education, The bill easily passed the State Senate.. by a vote of 46-1 and then moved to the House of Representatives. On February 21. 2008, Lydia testified again. this time before Washington State House of Representatives Higher Education Committee, This committee passed the bill sending it on to the House Appropriations Committee

Current Status of the Bill and Future Projections
Unfortunately, the bill stalled when the Speaker of the House, Frank Chopp.. determined not to move any bills relating to immigration for the time being. This decision has ended our chances for success this session However, the Washington State House and Senate committees that have heard Lydia’s testimony now understand this important issue more fully. The efforts of Microsoft this year will likely to ensure that this topic will have a high-profile for next year. Already. University of Washington Regent Bill Gates Sr. has expressed his support for the bill, and the Speaker of the House has indicated that he may permit the bill move to a vote in the next session.

Microsoft is committed to pursuing this initiative vigorously. As always, we are grateful for the ideas you contribute, and we will keep you informed as we make progress toward making this in-state tuition idea a reality. A special word of thanks to Delee Shoemaker, Director of State Government Affairs. and Fred Humphries, Managing Director of State Government Affairs for all their efforts in the past two months in moving this bill forward!

Immigration
Microsoft Tuition Reimbursement for Master’s Degree Prevents 1-140 Upgrades (July 2007)
Periodically, in addition to the latest immigration news happenings, MIG highlights issues in our hot news items that are critical to many employees. For individuals considering an upgrade of their EB3 process to EB2 via a master’s degree, please take note of the following:
To qualify for PERM Labor Certification, an employee cannot have received any monetary assistance from the sponsoring employer towards the job’s educational requirements. This means that even if less than 100% of the education or training required for the sponsored job is paid by Microsoft. this would likely result in a denial of the PERM application. Question J23 of ETA-9089 asks: Did the employer pay for any of the alien’s education or training necessary to satisfy any of the employers job requirements for the position”? If the answer to this question is “yes,’ an audit likely will be triggered, and we expect a denial, Prior to using Microsoft’s tuition benefit, employees should contact their immigration attorney to assess whether this Microsoft benefit will potentially negatively impact their green card options — your attorney will advise you of your options.

Immigration Q&A
My spouse is also in F-i status, and we are filing her 1-485 application in July. Once she has her EAD approved, will her college give her in state tuition?
Answer Immigration law does not control the tuition that colleges charge foreign national students. Your spouse should ask his or her Designated School Official about the schools tuition policy for individuals who have pending 1-485 applications.