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Signed Into Law
Signed June 20, 2025Effective 2025-06-20
HB1211

Regular Session

Relating to 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.

Government Affairs & Regulatory Compliance Analysis

HB1211: Government Affairs Overview

Texas public institutions of higher education must immediately update financial aid and billing protocols to comply with HB1211, which expands the tuition exemption eligibility for former foster care students. Effective for the Fall 2025 semester, the statutory age limit for enrollment extends from 25 to 27, requiring immediate modification of student information systems to prevent unlawful billing.

Rep. John Lujan·House Bill·Regular Session

Moderate
Low Cost
Effective:2025-06-20
Enforcing Agencies

Public Institutions of Higher Education (Registrars/Financial Aid Offices) • Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board (THECB)

Business Impact

Who HB1211 Affects

This legislation has regulatory implications for the following Texas businesses and organizations:

Regulatory Priority: moderate

Notable regulatory updates (effective 2025-06-20). Consider how these changes may affect your operations.

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Education

Affected business types:

  • School districts
  • Charter schools
  • Private schools
  • Education service providers
View all education legislation

Key Operational Considerations

  • 1Third-Party Servicers: If you outsource billing or financial aid verification, you must amend the Service Level Agreement (SLA) or change order immediately to reflect the new age logic (27 vs. 25).
  • 2Software Vendors: Contact SIS providers (e.g., Ellucian, Oracle, Workday) to ensure the "age-out" parameter in your tuition calculation module is updated.
  • 3Financial Aid Officers: Retrain staff to accept DFPS verification letters for applicants aged 25 and 26. Staff must stop automatically rejecting these applicants based on prior training.
  • 4Admissions Staff: Brief recruitment teams. Former students who stopped attending due to "aging out" at 25 are now valid prospects for re-enrollment if they are under 27.

Estimated Cost Impact

lowMinimal cost impact anticipated.

Enforcing Agencies

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HB1211
Relating to tuition and fee exemptions at public institutions of higher education for certain students who were under the conservatorship of the Depar...
Moderate Urgency
Heavily Contested
House Vote114 - 26
YEA
NAY
81% in favor140 voting
Senate Vote27 - 4
YEA
87% in favor31 voting
30
Total Opposition Votes
Cost Impact
Low
Effective
2025-06-20
Enforcing Agencies
Public Institutions of Higher Ed...THECB
Primary Author: Rep. John Lujan
89th Texas Legislature
jdkey.com
01

Compliance Analysis

Key implementation requirements and action items for compliance with this legislation

Implementation Timeline

  • Effective Date: June 20, 2025 (Effective immediately upon signature).
  • Compliance Deadline: Fall 2025 Billing Cycle. Systems must be updated before Fall tuition bills are generated (typically July/August 2025) to avoid issuing refunds.
  • Agency Rulemaking: The Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board (THECB) may issue guidance on "gap" students (those who previously aged out but are now re-eligible). Institutions must monitor THECB memos closely through August 2025.

Immediate Action Plan

  • 1. Direct IT/Bursar: Immediately modify the automated billing logic in your Student Information System to move the exemption cap to the 27th birthday effective Fall 2025.
  • 2. Scrub Data: Run a query for students aged 25-26 who were previously coded as "aged out" foster care exemptions. Proactively contact them regarding their regained eligibility.
  • 3. Update Public Assets: Revise website FAQs, financial aid pages, and PDF forms to reflect the age 27 limit before Fall registration peaks.
  • 4. Notify Legal: Prepare a standard response for students who turn 27 mid-semester to ensure consistent application of the "enrollment" definition across the institution.

Operational Changes Required

Contracts

  • Third-Party Servicers: If you outsource billing or financial aid verification, you must amend the Service Level Agreement (SLA) or change order immediately to reflect the new age logic (27 vs. 25).
  • Software Vendors: Contact SIS providers (e.g., Ellucian, Oracle, Workday) to ensure the "age-out" parameter in your tuition calculation module is updated.

Hiring/Training

  • Financial Aid Officers: Retrain staff to accept DFPS verification letters for applicants aged 25 and 26. Staff must stop automatically rejecting these applicants based on prior training.
  • Admissions Staff: Brief recruitment teams. Former students who stopped attending due to "aging out" at 25 are now valid prospects for re-enrollment if they are under 27.

Reporting & Record-Keeping

  • Form Revision: Audit all physical and digital "Tuition Exemption Request" forms. Replace text stating "under age 25" with "under age 27" immediately.
  • Audit Trails: Flag the 25-27 age cohort in your database. You must retain specific proof of age and DFPS status for this group to satisfy future THECB compliance audits.

Fees & Costs

  • Revenue Impact: Institutions must absorb the cost of waived tuition for this expanded demographic. There is no immediate state reimbursement mechanism attached to this bill.
  • System Costs: Minimal one-time administrative cost to update billing rules.

Strategic Ambiguities & Considerations

  • Definition of "Enroll": The statute requires a student to "enroll" not later than their 27th birthday. It is unclear if "enroll" refers to the date of course registration, the first day of the semester, or the census date.
  • *Risk:* A student turns 27 between registration and the first day of class.
  • *Guidance:* Until THECB clarifies, adopt the most student-favorable interpretation (date of registration) to avoid litigation under Chapter 54 of the Education Code.
  • The "Gap" Cohort: Students who turned 25 in 2024 (losing eligibility under old law) but are not yet 27 are now re-eligible. The statute does not explicitly address how to handle these "re-activated" students, but the plain text implies full eligibility. Denying them is a high-risk compliance failure.

Need Compliance Guidance on This Legislation?

JD Key Consulting specializes in Texas regulatory compliance strategy. Work directly with James Dickey—former Chairman of the Republican Party of Texas—to understand this bill's impact on your operations and develop an actionable compliance plan.

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Information presented is for general knowledge only and is provided without warranty, express or implied. Consult qualified government affairs professionals and legal counsel before making compliance decisions.

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Legislative Timeline

This bill's path through the Texas Legislature

Filed
Nov 12, 2024
Passed House
Apr 30, 2025
Passed Senate
May 27, 2025
Signed
Jun 20, 2025
Effective
Jun 20, 2025
TopicsEducationEducation--higherEducation--higher--admission & AttendanceEducation--higher--student Financial AidEducation--higher--tuitionFamilyFamily--child ProtectionEducation--higher--student FeesFamily & Protective Services, Department ofHealth & Human Services CommissionHigher Education Coordinating Board, Texas
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House Authors

Rep. John LujanRepublican · Primary Author
Joint Authors
Coauthors (9)

Senate Sponsors

Sen. Jose MenendezDemocrat · Primary Sponsor
Cosponsors (5)

Bill Text(with markup)

View bill text in multiple formats on Texas Legislature website

Fiscal NoteView Original

Related Legislation

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More from Rep. John Lujan

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Related by Topic

View more Education legislation
Quick Reference

Frequently Asked Questions

Common questions about HB1211

Q

What does Texas HB1211 do?

Texas public institutions of higher education must immediately update financial aid and billing protocols to comply with HB1211, which expands the tuition exemption eligibility for former foster care students. Effective for the Fall 2025 semester, the statutory age limit for enrollment extends from 25 to 27, requiring immediate modification of student information systems to prevent unlawful billing.

Q

Who authored HB1211?

HB1211 was authored by Texas Representative John Lujan during the Regular Session.

Q

When was HB1211 signed into law?

HB1211 was signed into law by Governor Greg Abbott on June 20, 2025.

Q

Which agencies enforce HB1211?

HB1211 is enforced by Public Institutions of Higher Education (Registrars/Financial Aid Offices) and Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board (THECB).

Q

How significant are the changes in HB1211?

The regulatory priority for HB1211 is rated as "moderate". Businesses and organizations should review the legislation to understand potential impacts.

Q

What is the cost impact of HB1211?

The cost impact of HB1211 is estimated as "low". This may vary based on industry and implementation requirements.

Q

What topics does HB1211 address?

HB1211 addresses topics including education, education--higher, education--higher--admission & attendance, education--higher--student financial aid and education--higher--tuition.

Q

What are the key dates for HB1211?

Key dates for HB1211: Effective date is 2025-06-20. Consult with legal counsel regarding applicability.

Q

Which Texas businesses are affected by HB1211?

HB1211 primarily affects healthcare providers and medical facilities. These businesses should review the legislation with their legal and compliance teams to understand potential impacts.

Need Strategic Guidance on This Legislation?

JD Key Consulting is an Austin, Texas-based government affairs firm led by James Dickey, former Chairman of the Republican Party of Texas. We specialize in Texas regulatory compliance and legislative strategy for data centers, energy, banking, and manufacturing.

Legislative data provided by LegiScanLast updated: January 11, 2026