bill spreading the word on free tuition for foster students

The text as introduced · 540 words

89R3798 CXP-D

By: Talarico
H.B. No. 277

A BILL TO BE ENTITLED

AN ACT

relating to the measures to encourage eligible students to claim

certain tuition and fee exemptions at public institutions of higher

education for students who are or have been in foster or other

residential care.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:

SECTION 1. Section 54.366(b), Education Code, is amended to

read as follows:

(b) The Texas Education Agency and the Texas Higher

Education Coordinating Board shall develop outreach programs to

ensure that students in the conservatorship of the Department of

Family and Protective Services and in grades 9 through 12 [ 9-12 ] are

aware of the availability of the exemption from the payment of

tuition and fees provided by this section. The outreach programs

must include the provision of informational materials regarding the

exemption to each:

(1) residential child-care facility as defined by

Section 42.002, Human Resources Code;

(2) foster parent or relative or other designated

caregiver for a student enrolled in grade 9 through 12; and

(3) school district, open-enrollment charter school,

and private school offering grade nine or above.

SECTION 2. Section 54.367(b), Education Code, is amended to

read as follows:

(b) The Texas Education Agency and the Texas Higher

Education Coordinating Board shall develop outreach programs to

ensure that adopted students in grades 9 through 12 [ 9-12 ] formerly

in foster or other residential care are aware of the availability of

the exemption from the payment of tuition and fees provided by this

section. The outreach programs must include the provision of

informational materials regarding the exemption to each:

(1) residential child-care facility as defined by

Section 42.002, Human Resources Code;

(2) adoptive parent of a student in grade 9 through 12

who was formerly in foster or other residential care; and

(3) school district, open-enrollment charter school,

and private school offering grade nine or above.

SECTION 3. Subchapter D, Chapter 54, Education Code, is

amended by adding Section 54.3671 to read as follows:

Sec. 54.3671. STREAMLINED ELIGIBILITY DETERMINATION AND

APPLICATION PROCESS FOR CERTAIN STUDENTS. The Texas Higher

Education Coordinating Board, in consultation with the Department

of Family and Protective Services, shall design and implement a

streamlined eligibility determination and application process for

the tuition and fee exemptions provided by Sections 54.366 and

54.367. The streamlined process must:

(1) be designed to decrease the administrative burden

on the department and students in determining exemption eligibility

by reducing data collection, data entry, and the copying and

recopying of applications;

(2) include a system through which a student may apply

for an exemption electronically through the department's Internet

website; and

(3) for a student determined by the department to be

eligible for an exemption, provide for the automatic submission by

the department to the institution of higher education indicated by

the student of the tuition waiver letter or other documentation

required by the institution to verify the student's eligibility.

SECTION 4. This Act takes effect immediately if it receives

a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as

provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution. If this

Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this

Act takes effect September 1, 2025.