Rep. Terry Wilson introduced HB 4912, a bill on Education, to the Texas House on Thursday, March 13 during the 89(R) legislative session, according to the Texas Legislature website.
More specifically, the official text was summarized by the state legislature as ’’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’’.
The following is our breakdown, based on the actual bill text, and may include interpretation to clarify its provisions.
The bill mandates the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board to establish a Free College Application Week during the second full week of October, allowing individuals in the state to submit undergraduate admission applications to public higher education institutions without incurring fees. The board is authorized to develop rules necessary for the implementation of this initiative, which begins with the 2025-26 academic year. This act will take effect immediately if it secures a two-thirds majority vote in both legislative houses; otherwise, the effective date will be Sept. 1, 2025.
Terry Wilson, the chair of the House Committee on Higher Education, proposed another 17 bills during the 89(R) legislative session. He is also a member of the House Committee on Elections and a member of the House Committee on Redistricting.
Wilson graduated from Texas A&M University in 1990 with a BS.
Terry Wilson is currently serving in the Texas State House, representing the state’s 20th House district. He replaced previous state representative Marsha Farney in 2017.
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.
Other Bills Introduced by Rep. Terry Wilson in Texas House
| Legislative Session | Bill Number | Date Introduced | Short Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| 89(R) | HB 5137 | 03/13/2025 | Relating to a beneficiary designation that transfers a motor vehicle to one or more beneficiaries at the owner’s death |
| 89(R) | HB 4995 | 03/13/2025 | Relating to the carrying of handguns by tactical medical professionals while on duty providing support to tactical units of law enforcement agencies |
| 89(R) | HB 4980 | 03/13/2025 | Relating to establishing the Child-Care Professional Pathway program |
| 89(R) | HB 4953 | 03/13/2025 | Relating to the designation of Ranch-to-Market Road 1431 in Llano, Burnet, Travis, and Williamson Counties as the Gary P. Nunn Memorial Highway |
| 89(R) | HB 4909 | 03/13/2025 | Relating to the creation of the My Texas Future portal and a requirement to submit academic information through that portal to determine acceptance for admission at a public institution of higher education as a condition of high school graduation for public school students |
| 89(R) | HB 4899 | 03/13/2025 | Relating to private rights of action arising from certain solicitation-related communications |
| 89(R) | HB 4892 | 03/13/2025 | Relating to the creation of an additional judicial district in Williamson County |
| 89(R) | HB 4762 | 03/13/2025 | Relating to establishing the Higher Education Research Security Council |
| 89(R) | HB 127 | 03/13/2025 | Relating to measures to protect public institutions of higher education from foreign adversaries and to the prosecution of the criminal offense of theft of trade secrets; providing civil and administrative penalties; increasing a criminal penalty |
| 89(R) | HB 42 | 03/07/2025 | Relating to the amount and allocation of the annual constitutional appropriation to certain agencies and institutions of higher education and to the permissible uses of that money |
| 89(R) | HB 2564 | 02/07/2025 | Relating to the evaluation of Defense Economic Adjustment Assistance Grant applications |
| 89(R) | HB 982 | 11/12/2024 | Relating to the authority of a taxing unit other than a school district, county, municipality, or junior college district to establish a limitation on the amount of ad valorem taxes that the taxing unit may impose on the residence homesteads of certain low-income individuals who are disabled or elderly and their surviving spouses |
| 89(R) | HB 873 | 11/12/2024 | Relating to air quality permits for aggregate production operations and concrete batch plants |
| 89(R) | HB 705 | 11/12/2024 | Relating to the Cosmetology Licensure Compact; authorizing fees |
| 89(R) | HB 245 | 11/12/2024 | Relating to the treatment of military service credit in the Employees Retirement System of Texas as law enforcement or custodial officer service |
| 89(R) | HB 1023 | 11/12/2024 | Relating to the design and issuance of specialty license plates to honor members of the military and for recipients of certain military awards |
| 89(R) | HB 1018 | 11/12/2024 | Relating to the establishment of a certification program for public work contracting purposes for operators of certain facilities that emit air contaminants |
| 88(3) | HB 165 | 10/16/2023 | Relating to the authority of the governor to order the state and political subdivisions of the state to refrain from supporting the enforcement of federal tax law if the federal government denies or fails to timely respond to certain requests for aid |
| 88(2) | HB 56 | 06/30/2023 | Relating to protections for certain military dependents enrolled in a public school |
| 88(R) | HB 5404 | 04/21/2023 | Relating to the creation of the Williamson County Municipal Utility District No. 49; granting a limited power of eminent domain; providing authority to issue bonds; providing authority to impose assessments, fees, and taxes |
| 88(R) | HB 5397 | 04/20/2023 | Relating to the name, powers, and duties of the 3 B&J Municipal Utility District |
| 88(R) | HB 5383 | 04/16/2023 | Relating to the creation of the River Ranch Municipal Utility District No. 1; granting a limited power of eminent domain; providing authority to issue bonds; providing authority to impose assessments, fees, and taxes |
| 88(R) | HB 5379 | 04/14/2023 | Relating to the creation of the Williamson and Bell Counties Municipal Utility District No. 1; granting a limited power of eminent domain; providing authority to issue bonds; providing authority to impose assessments, fees, and taxes |
| 88(R) | HB 5380 | 04/14/2023 | Relating to the creation of the Theon Ranches Municipal Utility District No. 3; granting a limited power of eminent domain; providing authority to issue bonds; providing authority to impose assessments, fees, and taxes |
| 88(R) | HB 5381 | 04/14/2023 | Relating to the creation of the Theon Ranches Municipal Utility District No. 4; granting a limited power of eminent domain; providing authority to issue bonds; providing authority to impose assessments, fees, and taxes |
| 88(R) | HB 5382 | 04/14/2023 | Relating to the creation of the Jarrell Estates Municipal Utility District No. 1; granting a limited power of eminent domain; providing authority to issue bonds; providing authority to impose assessments, fees, and taxes |
| 88(R) | HB 5357 | 04/09/2023 | Relating to the creation of the Liberty Hill Municipal Utility District; granting a limited power of eminent domain; providing authority to issue bonds; providing authority to impose assessments, fees, and taxes |
| 88(R) | HB 5304 | 03/14/2023 | Relating to the creation of the Williamson County Municipal Utility District No. 46; granting a limited power of eminent domain; providing authority to issue bonds; providing authority to impose assessments, fees, and taxes |
| 88(R) | HB 4857 | 03/10/2023 | Relating to the cosmetology licensure compact |
| 88(R) | HB 4861 | 03/10/2023 | Relating to the design and issuance of specialty license plates to honor members of the military and for recipients of certain military awards |
| 88(R) | HB 4959 | 03/10/2023 | Relating to air quality permits for aggregate production operations and concrete batch plants |
| 88(R) | HB 5009 | 03/10/2023 | Relating to the establishment of a certification program for public work contracting purposes for operators of certain facilities that emit air contaminants |
| 88(R) | HB 5047 | 03/10/2023 | Relating to the imposition of sales and use tax after a municipality annexes an area in an emergency services district |
| 88(R) | HB 5081 | 03/10/2023 | Relating to certain motor vehicle safety inspection fees |
| 88(R) | HB 5167 | 03/10/2023 | Relating to protections for certain military dependents enrolled in a public school |
| 88(R) | HB 5171 | 03/10/2023 | Relating to the authority of a special district to exercise a right or power outside the district’s boundaries |
| 88(R) | HB 5180 | 03/10/2023 | Relating to the public inspection of election records |
| 88(R) | HB 5196 | 03/10/2023 | Relating to a study on mental health services provided to veterans through the Texas Veterans Commission |
| 88(R) | HB 5198 | 03/10/2023 | Relating to the entitlement of spouses of certain veterans with disabilities to a veteran’s employment preference |
| 88(R) | HB 5229 | 03/10/2023 | Relating to an employment preference for members of the military and their spouses for positions at state agencies |
| 88(R) | HB 5279 | 03/10/2023 | Relating to a prohibition on interbasin transfers of state water |
| 88(R) | HB 4421 | 03/09/2023 | Relating to qualifications for and limitations on awarding the Texas Legislative Medal of Honor |
| 88(R) | HB 4427 | 03/09/2023 | Relating to access to certain records of a property owners’ association |
| 88(R) | HB 4431 | 03/09/2023 | Relating to the creation of a voluntary accreditation for recovery housing and the post-release housing of certain inmates on parole or to mandatory supervision in an accredited recovery house; authorizing fees |
| 88(R) | HB 4528 | 03/09/2023 | Relating to the requirement that a peace officer take possession of a person’s driver’s license following the person’s failure to pass or refusal to consent to a test for intoxication |
| 88(R) | HB 3757 | 03/07/2023 | Relating to the authority of a taxing unit other than a school district, county, municipality, or junior college district to establish a limitation on the amount of ad valorem taxes that the taxing unit may impose on the residence homesteads of individuals who are disabled or elderly and their surviving spouses and to the information required to be included in a tax bill |
| 88(R) | HB 3790 | 03/07/2023 | Relating to the provision of scholarships by private or independent institutions of higher education under the Joint Admission Medical Program |
| 88(R) | HB 3808 | 03/07/2023 | Relating to the pediatric acute-onset neuropsychiatric syndrome advisory council |
| 88(R) | HB 3819 | 03/07/2023 | Relating to combining incorporated and unincorporated territory into a county election precinct |
| 88(R) | HB 3843 | 03/07/2023 | Relating to a study and report by the Texas A&M Transportation Institute regarding toll project entities |
