Texas House bill by Rep. Lujan broadens tuition exemptions for certain former foster youth

Passed bill authored by State Rep. John Lujan seeks to broaden eligibility for tuition and fee exemptions at public colleges for students previously under Department of Family and Protective Services conservatorship, according to the Texas Legislature website.

In the House, 37 Democrats and 58 Republicans voted in favor of the bill, while 10 Democrats and 21 Republicans opposed it.

Meanwhile, in the Senate, 11 Democrats and 16 Republicans voted in favor, while four Republicans voted against it.

John Lujan introduced the bill in the Texas House on Tuesday, Nov. 12, 2024, ahead of the official start of the 89th regular legislative session on Jan. 14, 2025.

Lujan, a Republican, was elected to the Texas State House in 2021 to represent the state’s 118th House district, replacing previous state representative Leo Pacheco.

According to the Texas Legislature, the bill’s official text was summarized as follows: ‘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’.

The following is our breakdown, based on the actual bill text, and may include interpretation to clarify its provisions.

In essence, the bill amends the Texas Education Code to broaden the criteria for tuition and fee exemptions at public institutions of higher education for certain students who were previously under the conservatorship of the Department of Family and Protective Services. Eligibility for exemption now includes students on the day preceding their 18th birthday, those who were eligible for adoption after their 14th birthday, students who graduated or obtained a high school diploma while under conservatorship, and those enrolled in dual credit courses. Additionally, children who exit conservatorship and return to a parent may also qualify for exemptions if deemed eligible by the department. The legislation’s provisions apply to tuition and fees starting in the fall semester of 2025. The bill takes effect immediately upon receiving a two-thirds majority vote in both houses, otherwise on Sept. 1, 2025.

The bill was co-authored by Rep. Mary Gonzalez (Democrat – District 75), Rep. Stan Lambert (Republican – District 71), and Rep. Claudia Ordaz (Democrat – District 79), along with 10 other authors.

The bill received its final legislative approval on Thursday, May 29, and was signed into law by Gov. Greg Abbott on Friday, June 20.

Bills in Texas go through a multi-step legislative process, including committee review, debates, and votes in both chambers before reaching a final decision. Each session, there are typically thousands of bills introduced, but only a portion successfully navigate the process to become law.

You can read more about the bills and other measures here.