Vega will graduate from the University of Utah next spring and plans to enroll in law school after that, but without a Utah law that allows certain undocumented students to pay resident tuition rates - instead of nonresident rates that are four times higher - her life would be much different.

"I wouldn't have gone to school," said Vega, whose application for legal residency has been accepted.

She is among those who fear the future of the four-year-old law may be at risk now that David Ure, its most devoted champion, has lost his bid to remain in the Legislature. In last week's Republican primary, Vernal banker Kevin Van Tassel defeated Ure in the race for Senate District 26.

Ure, the law's original sponsor, expects his legislative colleagues to repeal the law next year. "I would say a lot falls in the governor's hands," the Kamas Republican said.

In 2002, Ure pushed the tuition exemption as a way to assimilate the children of Utah's undocumented immigrants. But since then, public sentiment - and political will - have turned. A recent Salt Lake Tribune poll found 71 percent of Utahns want the bill repealed.

During the past three legislative sessions, North Ogden Republican Rep. Glenn Donnelson has tried to repeal the tuition benefit. More than 160 undocumented college students used the exemption to pay in-state tuition last year, and Donnelson's 2006 version would have allowed those already enrolled to maintain the benefit. But none of the bills seeking the law's repeal ever made it out of the House Rules Committee, of which Ure is a member. This year, Donnelson's effort to pull his legislation out of Rules failed by two votes.

Ure acknowledges using "parliamentary procedures" to hold off a repeal. He still believes the law provides more benefits than costs to Utah taxpayers. "I don't know of a cheaper way of fighting crime or the welfare system or gangs or guns. And on top of that, we increase the amount of taxes people pay by giving them an education," he said.

Salt Lake City Democratic Rep. Jackie Biskupski said Ure's veteran status may have protected the law. "He was the guardian angel, so to speak," she said. "He was very passionate about it and people were respectful of that because of his seniority."

Tribune poll results notwithstanding, the in-state tuition program for undocumented students has support in prominent circles, such as the Utah Board of Regents and the Salt Lake Chamber. Lane Beattie, Salt Lake Chamber chief executive, believes the law would be more popular if it were better understood.

"What we support is in-state tuition for [undocumented] students who go through our public education system, attend three full years of high school and graduate with a degree," Beattie said.

The parents of such students pay taxes, Beattie said, and the students must meet eligibility standards.

"It isn't about running to Utah to get a free education," Beattie said. "It's not free - it's in-state tuition."

Richard Kendell, Utah commissioner of higher education, said that under Utah's current law, undocumented students must meet the same residency requirements as other students to be eligible for in-state tuition. Undocumented students can't apply for scholarships and federal grants, so the tuition reduction for living in Utah is the only help available.

Kendell believes Utah's economy will benefit from efforts to address disparities between minority and other students in the areas of school achievement, graduation rates and the number of students going on to college.

"We would like [undocumented students] to continue to contribute to the economy, not just take from it," he said.

Donnelson plans to sponsor a bill to repeal the in-state tuition benefit again next year. He says it's unfair to ask taxpayers to subsidize the education of undocumented students. And it's unfair to the students, who work four years for a degree they can't use without legal work documents.

"Why are we selling these kids this bill of goods? Why give them an education they can't use after graduation?," Donnelson asked. "We're giving them false hopes. We're taking advantage of them."

Enrique Aleman, a professor in the University of Utah's college of education, disagrees.

"Instead of saying they can't get jobs, we should make it easier for them to get jobs," Aleman said. "What Rep. Ure did was a good start. We should build upon that. If we go backwards, it will continue to hurt the parts of our society that need the most help."

If a future repeal bill passes both Houses, it will end up on Gov. Jon Huntsman's desk. So far, the governor hasn't been persuaded that the law should be repealed. In May, he said he would not sign Donnelson's bill. "The governor's position hasn't changed," Huntsman spokesman Mike Mower said again Wednesday.

Vega believes , the tuition benefit law will survive. "Especially with the new compromises at the national level, these students are here to stay," Vega said. "They are not going anywhere. And as long as they are denied an education, they are denied opportunity. There are people at the Legislature who see that. We still have allies up there, and we'll be fighting every year."

Tuition debate

The issue: Whether undocumented residents who graduate from Utah high schools will be allowed to continue to pay resident tuition rates to attend state colleges and universities.

What's new: David Ure, sponsor of the bill that created the law enabling undocumented students to pay resident tuition rates, lost his state Senate bid in last week's Republican primary. Proponents of the law fear it will be repealed without Ure in the Legislature to protect it.

What's next: Rep. Glenn Donnelson, R-North Ogden, already has said he will revive his legislation to repeal the law.