Monitoring the Session

SB 364

bill drops the 2009 cutoff for foster youth tuition exemption

Died in committee

Verdict: No flags

No flagsInitial review
Sen. Sarah EckhardtDSenate 14

Initial review · graded Oct 20, 2026 · Headline, summary and grade are analysis of the bill text, not a finding about any person · How we grade

Caption

relating to eligibility for tuition and fee exemptions at public institutions of higher education for certain students who were under the conservatorship of the Department of Family and Protective Services.

Caption from analyzed text · version I.

Summary

The September 1, 2009 cutoff goes for adopted former foster youth.

The bill removes the September 1, 2009 cutoff that limited the state college tuition and fee exemption for former foster youth who were adopted or placed with a non-parent permanent guardian. Students who left state foster care through adoption or permanent conservatorship before that 2009 date now qualify the same as those who left after it, as long as they enroll by age 25. Public colleges must waive tuition and fees for these newly eligible students starting with the fall 2025 semester.

Labels

Labels: ZOMBIE BILL. Died 2 times: 88R SB 937 (Did not pass) and this bill (Died in committee). Checked against 88R only.BACK FROM THE DEAD. Same text as a bill filed before that died: 88R SB 937 (Did not pass). Filed in 2 sessions, counting this one. Checked against 88R only.TRY NO. 2. Filed in 2 sessions: 88R and 89R. Checked against 88R only.NEVER GOT A HEARING. Filed Nov 14, 2024 and referred to the Senate Education K-16 committee. No public hearing. The bill died.

Receipt

The receipt

89R-SB364 · 2024-11-14

SOLD BY

Sen. Sarah EckhardtDSenate 14

ITEM

relating to eligibility for tuition and fee exemptions at public institutions of higher education for certain students who were under the conservatorship of the Department of Family and Protective Services.

WHAT IT DOES

The September 1, 2009 cutoff goes for adopted former foster youth.

The bill removes the September 1, 2009 cutoff that limited the state college tuition and fee exemption for former foster youth who were adopted or placed with a non-parent permanent guardian. Students who left state foster care through adoption or permanent conservatorship before that 2009 date now qualify the same as those who left after it, as long as they enroll by age 25. Public colleges must waive tuition and fees for these newly eligible students starting with the fall 2025 semester.

CHARGES

[ ] NONE FOUND

TOTAL

No fiscal note in the loaded record.

HISTORY

  1. Received by the Secretary of the Senate
  2. Filed
  3. Read first time
  4. Referred to Education K-16
FILED UNDER

No verified beat found.

No flags

THANK YOU FOR CHECKING THE RECEIPT

CAMPAIGN PAID FOR BY

CAMPAIGN PAID FOR BY

Sarah Eckhardt

Donors

Donald Henley$117,500Dale Linebarger$38,769Stephen McNally$24,000

Not tied to this bill.

Sources

The author's campaign account only. Own money and internal transfers are separate on the member page.

Derived itemized flow · Jul 1, 2024 to Oct 24, 2026. State data as of Nov 4, 2026.

Derived itemized contributions on live regular reports and uncovered special-session dates. Internal account transfers and daily reports are excluded.

Donald Henley$117,500.00
Dale Linebarger$38,769.25
Stephen McNally$24,000.00
Money

Missing data does not establish zero giving. Display amounts are rounded.

Votes

No floor vote loaded for this bill.

Fiscal

No fiscal note in the loaded record.

How this was graded

Analysis of text version I by claude-opus-5-5, Oct 20, 2026, against the published rubric.

FILED BEFORE

Filed 2 times: 88R and 89R. Checked against 88R only.

88R SB 937

by Sen. Eckhardt, same lead author · Did not pass · same text

Introduced text

Last action, Mar 3, 2023: Referred to s/c on Higher Education by Pres

Relating to eligibility for tuition and fee exemptions at public institutions of higher education for certain students who were under the conservatorship of the Department of Family and Protective Services.

Caption, 88R bill history

Sources

Texas Senate · Filed Nov 14, 2024

02/03/2025 S Referred to Education K-16

Texas Legislature Online · Introduced

Data snapshot Oct 26, 2026 at 4:20 AM CDT. Grades, charges, quotes and corrections follow the published record.

Senate committee · Education K-16 · Final status: Died in committee

Companion

HB 1083 by Curry (very similar)

HB 2834 by Plesa (identical)

Subjects

Education--Higher--Student Financial Aid

Family--Child Protection

FOSTER CARE

Text

The text as introduced · 434 words

89R4289 RDR-D

By: Eckhardt
S.B. No. 364

A BILL TO BE ENTITLED

AN ACT

relating to eligibility for tuition and fee exemptions at public

institutions of higher education for certain students who were

under the conservatorship of the Department of Family and

Protective Services.

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

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

read as follows:

(a) A student is exempt from the payment of tuition and fees

authorized in this chapter, including tuition and fees charged by

an institution of higher education for a dual credit course or other

course for which a high school student may earn joint high school

and college credit, if the student:

(1) was under the conservatorship of the Department of

Family and Protective Services:

(A) on the day preceding the student's 18th

birthday;

(B) on or after the day of the student's 14th

birthday, if the student was also eligible for adoption on or after

that day;

(C) on the day the student graduated from high

school or received the equivalent of a high school diploma;

(D) on the day preceding:

(i) the date the student is adopted[ , if

that date is on or after September 1, 2009 ]; or

(ii) the date permanent managing

conservatorship of the student is awarded to a person other than the

student's parent[ , if that date is on or after September 1, 2009 ];

or

(E) during an academic term in which the student

was enrolled in a dual credit course or other course for which a

high school student may earn joint high school and college credit;

and

(2) enrolls in an 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.

SECTION 2. The changes in law made by this Act to Section

54.366, Education Code, apply 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 effective date of this Act, and

the former law is continued in effect for that purpose.

SECTION 3. 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.