State Lawmaker Says Bill Would Lower College Students' Housing Costs

OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) -- A state lawmaker says he plans to try again this year to pass legislation he says will help reduce housing expenses for college students.<br/><br/>State Representative Mike Reynolds

Tuesday, January 2nd 2007, 8:19 pm

By: News On 6

OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) -- A state lawmaker says he plans to try again this year to pass legislation he says will help reduce housing expenses for college students.

State Representative Mike Reynolds of Oklahoma City says that under his bill, no student at an Oklahoma college would be required to live on campus when they can commute from home. A similar bill died in last year's Legislature.

Some state colleges and universities require students to live on campus. Reynolds says the University of Oklahoma requires freshman students younger than 20 to live on campus.

But he says the cost of college is skyrocketing and many families already struggle to pay higher education bills.

Reynolds says colleges have cut back on exemptions to the rule so a student could live at home.