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HB 299

Relating to a study by the Legislative Budget Board concerning the long-term effects of regulating tuition rates and amounts charged by public institutions of higher education.

89th Legislature (2025) Introduced by Terry Meza

HB 299 mandates the Texas Legislative Budget Board study long-term effects of regulating public university tuition rates to inform future higher education policy decisions.

Referred to Higher Education
#education--higher--institutions&programs(i0223) #education--higher--tuition(i0233) #interimstudies(i0448) #legislativebudgetboard(v0161)
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Bill Summary · HB 299

Legislative bill overview

HB 299 directs the Legislative Budget Board (LBB) to conduct a comprehensive study examining the long-term effects of regulating tuition rates and amounts charged by public institutions of higher education in Texas. The bill does not impose regulations itself but rather mandates research and analysis to inform future policy decisions.

Why is this important

Tuition regulation directly affects college affordability for students and families while influencing institutional funding models and operational capacity. Understanding long-term consequences—such as impacts on educational quality, enrollment, institutional competitiveness, and state budget obligations—is essential before implementing major policy changes that could have decades-long effects on higher education access and outcomes.

Potential points of contention

  • Scope and cost of study: Disagreement over how comprehensive the study should be and whether the LBB has adequate resources to conduct thorough analysis without diverting funds from other priorities
  • Predetermined conclusions: Concerns that the study's findings may be used selectively to justify either deregulation (emphasizing institutional autonomy) or stricter regulation (emphasizing affordability), depending on political preferences
  • Comparison baselines: Difficulty determining appropriate comparison states or time periods, as tuition regulation takes various forms nationally and historical data may not reflect current economic conditions

Compiled from official sources — confirm details with the bill’s official record.

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