Texas House Bill HB 4912

Texas 2025 - 89th Regular

• Filed: 3/13/25
• Out of House Committee: 5/1/25

Caption

Relating to requiring the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board to waive fees for admission applications submitted to public institutions of higher education during certain periods.

Summary

HB 4912 would require the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board to designate the second full week of October as “Free College Application Week.” During that week, individuals in Texas could apply for undergraduate admission to any public institution of higher education without paying an application fee. The bill authorizes the board to adopt rules to carry out the program. The measure applies beginning with the 2025-2026 academic year. It would create a statewide, recurring fee waiver period for college admissions applications, aimed at reducing upfront costs for prospective students and encouraging applications to public colleges and universities in Texas. The bill also includes a standard effective-date provision, allowing immediate effect if approved by a two-thirds vote in each chamber, otherwise taking effect on September 1, 2025.

Impact

HB 4912 would amend Chapter 61 of the Education Code by adding a new section directing the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board to waive undergraduate application fees at public institutions during a specified annual week. This would affect the board’s administrative authority and the admissions fee practices of public colleges and universities, while not changing tuition, financial aid eligibility, or admission standards themselves. The practical impact would be to remove a cost barrier for applicants during the designated period and potentially increase application volume.

Sentiment

The available context suggests the bill was generally favorable in concept, as it advanced through the Higher Education process and was framed as a student-access measure. However, there is no committee transcript or recorded vote information provided here, so the level of support or opposition cannot be measured in detail. The bill’s last recorded action—laid on the table subject to call—indicates it did not complete the legislative process at that point.

Contention

No specific points of contention are documented in the provided materials because there are no committee transcripts or vote records. Based on the bill’s subject, any concerns would likely center on administrative burden for institutions, lost application-fee revenue, or whether a statewide fee-waiver week should be mandatory rather than optional. Supporters would likely emphasize expanded access and affordability for prospective students.