Monitoring the Session

HB 149

bill letting colleges count Pell grants toward the gap

Filed

Verdict: No flags

No flagsInitial review
Rep. Donna HowardDHouse 48

Initial review · graded Nov 9, 2026 · How we grade

Caption

relating to the Texas Educational Opportunity Grant program.

Caption from analyzed text · version I.

Summary

Pell grants can fill the tuition gap. Loans still can’t. Fall 2028.

This bill changes one rule in the Texas Educational Opportunity Grant program for community and technical college students. Right now a college may fill the gap between the state grant and its actual tuition and fees with other aid, but not with a loan or a federal Pell grant; the bill strikes the Pell grant limit and keeps the loan limit. Starting with grants for the fall 2028 semester, colleges can count a student's Pell grant toward that gap.

Labels

Labels: BACK FROM THE DEAD. Same text as a bill filed before that died: 88R HB 4722 (Did not pass). Filed in 2 sessions, counting this one. Checked against 88R and 89R only.TRY NO. 2. Filed in 2 sessions: 88R and 90R. Checked against 88R and 89R only.

Receipt

The receipt

90R-HB149 · 2026-11-09

SOLD BY

Rep. Donna HowardDHouse 48

ITEM

relating to the Texas Educational Opportunity Grant program.

WHAT IT DOES

Pell grants can fill the tuition gap. Loans still can’t. Fall 2028.

This bill changes one rule in the Texas Educational Opportunity Grant program for community and technical college students. Right now a college may fill the gap between the state grant and its actual tuition and fees with other aid, but not with a loan or a federal Pell grant; the bill strikes the Pell grant limit and keeps the loan limit. Starting with grants for the fall 2028 semester, colleges can count a student's Pell grant toward that gap.

CHARGES

[ ] NONE FOUND

TOTAL

No fiscal note in the loaded record.

HISTORY

  1. Filed
FILED UNDER

No verified beat found.

No flags

THANK YOU FOR CHECKING THE RECEIPT

CAMPAIGN PAID FOR BY

CAMPAIGN PAID FOR BY

Donna Howard

Donors

Texas Trial Lawyers Association PAC$15KTexas Association of Nurse Anesthetists Political Action Committee$8KHDCC Incumbent Protection Fund$7K

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 · Oct 28, 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.

Texas Trial Lawyers Association PAC$15,000.00

Texas Trial Lawyers Association PAC

$15,000.00

Cash
$15,000.00
Paid by others
$0.00
Total
$15,000.00

Also funds 137 other sitting lawmakers.

Derived recipient stock · Jul 24, 2024 to Oct 23, 2026. State data as of Nov 4, 2026.

TEC account match.

Team
Sources

Derived itemized flow · Dec 10, 2024 to Oct 2, 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.

Report IDs: 100985297, 101031291, 101059636, 101070104.

Texas Association of Nurse Anesthetists Political Action Committee$7,500.00

Texas Association of Nurse Anesthetists Political Action Committee

$7,500.00

Cash
$7,500.00
Paid by others
$0.00
Total
$7,500.00

Also funds 38 other sitting lawmakers.

Derived recipient stock · Nov 19, 2024 to Oct 5, 2026. State data as of Nov 4, 2026.

TEC account match.

Team
Sources

Derived itemized flow · Dec 11, 2024 to Sep 12, 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.

Report IDs: 100985297, 101069647.

HDCC Incumbent Protection Fund$7,000.00

HDCC Incumbent Protection Fund

$7,000.00

Cash
$7,000.00
Paid by others
$0.00
Total
$7,000.00

Also funds 8 other sitting lawmakers.

Derived recipient stock · Aug 22, 2025 to May 21, 2026. State data as of Nov 4, 2026.

TEC account match.

Sources

Derived itemized flow · on May 21, 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.

Report IDs: 101059636.

Money

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

×

Texas Trial Lawyers Association PAC

$15,000.00

Cash
$15,000.00
Paid by others
$0.00
Total
$15,000.00

Also funds 137 other sitting lawmakers.

Derived recipient stock · Jul 24, 2024 to Oct 23, 2026. State data as of Nov 4, 2026.

TEC account match.

Team
Sources

Derived itemized flow · Dec 10, 2024 to Oct 2, 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.

Report IDs: 100985297, 101031291, 101059636, 101070104.

×

Texas Association of Nurse Anesthetists Political Action Committee

$7,500.00

Cash
$7,500.00
Paid by others
$0.00
Total
$7,500.00

Also funds 38 other sitting lawmakers.

Derived recipient stock · Nov 19, 2024 to Oct 5, 2026. State data as of Nov 4, 2026.

TEC account match.

Team
Sources

Derived itemized flow · Dec 11, 2024 to Sep 12, 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.

Report IDs: 100985297, 101069647.

×

HDCC Incumbent Protection Fund

$7,000.00

Cash
$7,000.00
Paid by others
$0.00
Total
$7,000.00

Also funds 8 other sitting lawmakers.

Derived recipient stock · Aug 22, 2025 to May 21, 2026. State data as of Nov 4, 2026.

TEC account match.

Sources

Derived itemized flow · on May 21, 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.

Report IDs: 101059636.

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 a super-expensive superintelligence, Nov 9, 2026, against the published rubric.

FILED BEFORE

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

88R HB 4722

by Rep. Howard, same lead author · Did not pass · same text

Introduced text

Last action, May 15, 2023: Referred to s/c on Higher Education by Pres

Relating to the Texas Educational Opportunity Grant program.

Caption, 88R bill history

Sources

Texas House · Filed Nov 9, 2026

11/09/2026 H Filed

Texas Legislature Online · Introduced

Data snapshot Nov 10, 2026 at 2:31 AM CST. Grades, charges, quotes and corrections follow the published record.

Subjects

Education--Higher--Student Financial Aid

Text

The text as introduced · 165 words

By: Howard
H.B. No. 149

A BILL TO BE ENTITLED

AN ACT

relating to the Texas Educational Opportunity Grant program.

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

SECTION 1. Section 56.407(g), Education Code, is amended to

read as follows:

(g) An institution may use other available sources of

financial aid, other than a loan [ or a Pell grant ], to cover any

difference in the amount of a grant under this subchapter and the

actual amount of tuition and required fees at the institution.

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

56.407(g), Education Code, applies beginning with Texas

Educational Opportunity Grants awarded for the 2028 fall semester.

Grants awarded for a semester or term before the 2028 fall semester

are governed by the applicable 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 September 1, 2027.