A new bill authored by State Rep. Luther in the Texas House seeks to evaluate the long-term effects of regulating tuition rates at public colleges and universities, according to the Texas Legislature website.
The bill on Property Interests and Taxation category, introduced as HB 299 during the 89(2) legislative session on Monday, Aug. 25, was formally listed with the short title: ’Relating to the limitation on increases in the appraised value of a residence homestead for ad valorem tax purposes’.
The following is our breakdown, based on the actual bill text, and may include interpretation to clarify its provisions.
In essence, this bill mandates the Legislative Budget Board to conduct a study on the long-term effects of regulating tuition rates charged by public institutions of higher education in Texas. This study will evaluate costs, benefits, and potential legislative actions, considering affordability and accessibility versus the institutions’ revenue needs. It aims to recommend appropriate tuition rates, assess impacts on enrollment, affordability, financial aid, and student debt, and estimate revenue changes if institutions lose authority to set tuition rates. If revenue loss is projected, it will identify funding sources, including using endowments. Results and recommendations are due by Dec. 1, 2026, with the bill expiring on Sept. 1, 2027. The effective date is either immediate, upon receiving necessary votes, or Sept. 1, 2025.
Shelley Luther, a member of the House Committee on Intergovernmental Affairs, proposed no other bills during the 89(2) legislative session. She is also a member of the House Committee on Trade, Workforce & Economic Development.
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.
| Legislative Session | Bill Number | Date Introduced | Short Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| 89(1) | HB 228 | 07/29/2025 | Relating to the composition of the juvenile board of Grayson County |
| 89(R) | HB 5694 | 04/29/2025 | Relating to the creation of the Fannin County Improvement District No. 1; providing authority to issue bonds; providing authority to impose assessments, fees, and taxes |
| 89(R) | HB 5684 | 04/22/2025 | Relating to the creation of the Alluvium Ranch Municipal Management District No. 1; providing authority to issue bonds; providing authority to impose assessments, fees, and taxes; granting a limited power of eminent domain |
| 89(R) | HB 5653 | 03/21/2025 | Relating to the composition of the juvenile board of Grayson County |
| 89(R) | HB 5464 | 03/14/2025 | Relating to the authority of the governor, and certain political subdivisions with respect to disasters |
| 89(R) | HB 5357 | 03/14/2025 | Relating to the period for which land must be devoted to certain uses to qualify for appraisal for ad valorem tax purposes as qualified open-space land |
| 89(R) | HB 4981 | 03/13/2025 | Relating to a scoring system for all permit applications within the jurisdiction of the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality |
| 89(R) | HB 4209 | 03/10/2025 | Relating to a report of child abuse or neglect made by an employee of a school district or an open-enrollment charter school |
| 89(R) | HB 4180 | 03/10/2025 | Relating to imposing a tax on certain money transmissions |
| 89(R) | HB 3682 | 03/04/2025 | Relating to the diagnosis, maintenance, and repair of digital electronic equipment |
| 89(R) | HB 3441 | 02/26/2025 | Relating to the liability of vaccine manufacturers that advertise a harmful vaccine |
| 89(R) | HB 1947 | 01/17/2025 | Relating to civil and criminal liability for engaging in certain conduct involving a critical infrastructure facility; creating criminal offenses |
| 89(R) | HB 1946 | 01/17/2025 | Relating to the denial of certain applications for a permit or other authorization under the Texas Clean Air Act on the basis of proximity to a semiconductor wafer manufacturing facility |
