Some undocumented students can now pay in-state college tuition, after Governor O’Malley signed the Maryland DREAM Act into law May 10.

The law requires any undocumented student interested in pursuing higher education to have attended a public or non-public institution for at least three years and join the selective service program before in-state funding is given. Additionally, the law requires the parents of any undocumented student to pay Maryland income taxes for the three years that the student attended high school.

State Republicans are seeking to overturn the act by circulating a petition that would prevent the new law from going into effect. House Minority Leader Anthony O’Donnell and Delegates Neil Parrott, Patrick McDonough and Justin Ready held a press conference in Annapolis April 26 to announce their petition to block the bill. The petition needs roughly 18,500 signatures by the end of this month and about 56,000 by the end of June to prevent the statute from going into effect.

If delegates receive all of the required signatures, the DREAM Act will be pushed to a ballot referendum in the fall of 2012.

“This effort is certainly disappointing,” said Adam Fogel, chief of staff to Senator Richard Madaleno, who sponsored the bill. “So many young people in Maryland deserve the chance to continue their education.”