BILL ANALYSIS

H.B. 1211

By: Lujan

Higher Education

Committee Report (Unamended)

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

According to the Texas Education Agency (TEA), on any given day, there are roughly 17,000 school-aged students in Texas schools who are in foster care. Under current law, students formerly in foster care who are eligible for a higher education tuition and fee exemption must take advantage of that exemption not later than their 25th birthday, but the author has informed the committee that, due to the difficulties many of these students face, it can take longer for them to use the exemption. In fact, TEA reports that only 33 percent of students formerly in foster care enroll in higher education within seven years of turning 18. H.B. 1211 seeks to remove the deadline for certain students who were formerly in the conservatorship of the Department of Family and Protective Services to enroll in a public institution of higher education or applicable dual credit course in order to be eligible for a tuition and fee exemption.

CRIMINAL JUSTICE IMPACT

It is the committee's opinion that this bill does not expressly create a criminal offense, increase the punishment for an existing criminal offense or category of offenses, or change the eligibility of a person for community supervision, parole, or mandatory supervision.

RULEMAKING AUTHORITY

It is the committee's opinion that this bill does not expressly grant any additional rulemaking authority to a state officer, department, agency, or institution.

ANALYSIS

H.B. 1211 amends the Education Code to remove the requirement that an otherwise eligible student formerly under the conservatorship of the Department of Family and Protective Services enroll in a public institution of higher education as an undergraduate student or in a dual credit course or other course for which a high school student may earn joint high school and college credit not later than the student's 25th birthday in order to be eligible for the exemption from the payment of tuition and fees at such an institution.

H.B. 1211 applies beginning with tuition and fees charged for the 2025 fall semester. Tuition and fees charged for a term or semester before the 2025 fall semester are governed by the law in effect immediately before the bill's effective date, and the former law is continued in effect for that purpose.

EFFECTIVE DATE

On passage, or, if the bill does not receive the necessary vote, September 1, 2025.