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Signed Into Law
Signed May 28, 2025Effective 2025-09-01
HB3012

Regular Session

Relating to the fee for a driving safety course.

Government Affairs & Regulatory Compliance Analysis

HB3012: Government Affairs Overview

HB3012 repeals the statutory requirement for driving safety course providers to charge a separate $3 administrative/materials fee. Effective September 1, 2025, all TDLR-licensed providers must update billing systems and consumer contracts to remove this specific line item, while strictly adhering to the remaining $25 minimum course fee.

Rep. Armando Walle·House Bill·Regular Session

Low
Low Cost
Effective:2025-09-01
Business Impact

Who HB3012 Affects

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

Regulatory Priority: low

Standard regulatory changes (effective 2025-09-01). Review during normal business planning.

🎓

Education

Affected business types:

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

Key Operational Considerations

  • 1Student Enrollment Agreements: Clauses stating that fees include a "mandatory state administrative charge" or "statutory materials fee" must be removed or amended.
  • 2Sales & Support Scripts: Staff must be retrained immediately. Stating that the $3 fee is "required by the state" after September 1, 2025, will constitute a false representation.
  • 3Customer Service: Prepare FAQs for students who may question why the fee structure changed if they are repeat customers.

Estimated Cost Impact

lowMinimal cost impact anticipated.

Enforcing Agencies

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HB3012
Relating to the fee for a driving safety course.
Low Urgency
Unanimous Passage
House Vote145 - 0
YEA
100% in favor145 voting
Senate Vote31 - 0
YEA
100% in favor31 voting
Cost Impact
Low
Effective
2025-09-01
Enforcing Agencies
TDLR
Primary Author: Rep. Armando Walle
89th Texas Legislature
jdkey.com
01

Compliance Analysis

Key implementation requirements and action items for compliance with this legislation

Implementation Timeline

  • Effective Date: September 1, 2025
  • Compliance Deadline: September 1, 2025 (Systems must reflect the change at 12:01 AM).
  • Agency Rulemaking: Minimal. The Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation (TDLR) will eventually update administrative rules to match the statute, but the repeal is self-executing. Do not wait for agency guidance to update your billing.

Immediate Action Plan

  • Direct IT/Web Development to remove the hard-coded $3 fee logic from the Point of Sale (POS) system effective 9/1/2025.
  • Audit all public-facing website copy to remove references to "state-mandated materials fees."
  • Issue a directive to the accounting department to consolidate revenue codes for the new fiscal year.
  • Review and amend third-party affiliate contracts to redefine "Net Tuition" if necessary.

Operational Changes Required

Contracts

  • Student Enrollment Agreements: Clauses stating that fees include a "mandatory state administrative charge" or "statutory materials fee" must be removed or amended.
  • Affiliate Agreements: Review contracts with third-party marketers. If you pay commissions based on "Net Tuition" (Gross Price minus Statutory Fees), the elimination of this $3 statutory deduction effectively increases your commissionable revenue base. You may need to renegotiate these terms to maintain current margin levels.

Hiring/Training

  • Sales & Support Scripts: Staff must be retrained immediately. Stating that the $3 fee is "required by the state" after September 1, 2025, will constitute a false representation.
  • Customer Service: Prepare FAQs for students who may question why the fee structure changed if they are repeat customers.

Reporting & Record-Keeping

  • Invoicing: Remove the itemized "Statutory Admin Fee: $3.00" from receipts and invoices.
  • Revenue Recognition: Adjust general ledger codes. If you previously segregated this $3 for compliance tracking, it should now be recognized as standard tuition revenue.

Fees & Costs

  • Pricing Strategy: You are no longer legally compelled to charge the separate $3 fee. You may either absorb the cost (lowering the total price) or bundle it into the base tuition.
  • Price Floor: You must ensure your total charge to the student does not drop below the statutory minimum of $25.

Strategic Ambiguities & Considerations

  • Deceptive Trade Practices Risk: The law does not forbid charging for materials; it simply stops *mandating* it. The regulatory danger lies in labeling. If you continue to charge a separate $3 fee and label it as "State Required" or "Legislative Fee," you expose the company to liability under the Texas Deceptive Trade Practices Act (DTPA).
  • Bundling: The safest compliance strategy is to move to "All-Inclusive" pricing to eliminate line-item scrutiny by TDLR auditors.

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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.

02

Legislative Timeline

This bill's path through the Texas Legislature

Filed
Feb 19, 2025
Passed House
Apr 29, 2025
Passed Senate
May 15, 2025
Signed
May 28, 2025
Effective
Sep 1, 2025
TopicsEducationEducation--driver Education & Training
03

House Authors

Rep. Armando WalleDemocrat · Primary Author

Senate Sponsor

Sen. Robert NicholsRepublican · Primary Sponsor

Bill Text(with markup)

View bill text in multiple formats on Texas Legislature website

Fiscal NoteView Original

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Quick Reference

Frequently Asked Questions

Common questions about HB3012

Q

What does Texas HB3012 do?

HB3012 repeals the statutory requirement for driving safety course providers to charge a separate $3 administrative/materials fee. Effective September 1, 2025, all TDLR-licensed providers must update billing systems and consumer contracts to remove this specific line item, while strictly adhering to the remaining $25 minimum course fee.

Q

Who authored HB3012?

HB3012 was authored by Texas Representative Armando Walle during the Regular Session.

Q

When was HB3012 signed into law?

HB3012 was signed into law by Governor Greg Abbott on May 28, 2025.

Q

Which agencies enforce HB3012?

HB3012 is enforced by Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation (TDLR).

Q

How significant are the changes in HB3012?

The regulatory priority for HB3012 is rated as "low". Businesses and organizations should review the legislation to understand potential impacts.

Q

What is the cost impact of HB3012?

The cost impact of HB3012 is estimated as "low". This may vary based on industry and implementation requirements.

Q

What topics does HB3012 address?

HB3012 addresses topics including education and education--driver education & training.

Q

What are the key dates for HB3012?

Key dates for HB3012: Effective date is 2025-09-01. Consult with legal counsel regarding applicability.

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