By: Wilson H.B. No. 4909       A BILL TO BE ENTITLED   AN ACT   relating to the creation of an electronic platform and submission   portal, known as My Texas Future, to facilitate the awareness and   application of public high school students into institutions of   higher education using the electronic common admission application   form.          BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:          SECTION 1.  Chapter 28.025(c), Education Code, is amended to   read as follows:          (c)  A person may receive a diploma if the person is eligible   for a diploma under Section 28.0251.  In other cases, a student may   graduate and receive a diploma only if:                (1)  the student successfully completes the curriculum   requirements identified by the State Board of Education under   Subsection (a) and complies with Sections 28.0256, 28.0257, and   39.025; or                (2)  the student successfully completes an   individualized education program developed under Section 29.005.          SECTION 2.  Chapter 28.0257, Education Code, is added to   read as follows:          Sec.28.0257.  DIRECT ADMISSIONS DATA SHARING OPT-IN ELECTION   FOR HIGH SCHOOL GRADUATION. (a)  In this section:                (1)  "Coordinating board" means the Texas Higher   Education Coordinating Board.                (2)  "Institution of higher education" has the meaning   assigned by Section 61.003.          (b)  Except as provided by Subsection (c), before graduating   from high school, each student must elect whether to opt-in to   allowing the coordinating board to share the student's data and   education records, as necessary, with institutions of higher   education to allow the student to participate in the direct   admissions program established by the Coordinating Board pursuant   to Education Code 61.0511(b)(2).          (c)  A student is not required to comply with Subsection (b)   if:                (1)  The student's parent or other person standing in   parental relation submits a signed form indicating that the parent   or other person authorizes the student to decline to complete and   submit information necessary to participate in a program offered   under subsection (b);                (2)  The student signs and submits the form described   by Subdivision (1) on the student's own behalf if the student is 18   years of age or older or the student's disabilities of minority have   been removed for general purposes under Chapter 31, Family Code; or                (3)  A school counselor authorizes in writing the   student to decline to complete and submit the information necessary   to participate in a program offered under subsection (b).          (d)  Each school district or open-enrollment charter school   shall use a form adopted by the Coordinating Board, in consultation   with the Texas Education Agency, to allow a student to opt-out   pursuant to subsection (c).  The form shall:                (1)  Provide the student or the student's parent or   other person standing in parental relation, as applicable, the   opportunity to elect whether to share the student's data or   education records, as necessary, with institutions of higher   education to facilitate the student's participation in a program   offered under subsection (b); and                (2)  Be made available in English, Spanish, and any   other language spoken by a majority of the students enrolled in a   bilingual education or special language program under Subchapter B,   Chapter 29, in the district or school.          SECTION 3.  Subchapter C, Chapter 51, Education Code, is   amended by adding subsection 51.763(d) to read as follows:          (d)  Each institution of higher education shall publish   prominently on its admission application website a link to   MyTexasFuture.Org or its successor electronic platform and provide   notice to students that they may apply to the institution using the   electronic common admission application form found in   ApplyTexas.Org or via MyTexasFuture.Org.          SECTION 4.  Subchapter C, Chapter 61, Education Code, is   amended by adding Section 61.0511 to read as follows:          Sec. 61.0511.  Direct Admissions and Financial Aid Portal at   MyTexasFuture.Org.          (a)  The board shall create, maintain, and administer an   electronic platform and submission portal, known as My Texas Future   (MyTexasFuture.Org), to facilitate the awareness and application   of students into institutions of higher education.          (b)  My Texas Future, or any successor electronic platform   established pursuant to this section, shall include:                (1)  A link or direct submission portal to the   electronic common admission application form adopted and   established pursuant to Section 51, Subchapter S;                (2)  A Direct Admission's program that lists   institution of higher education to which a student may be directly   admitted based on the student's profile and information;                (3)  To the greatest extent possible, a list of   financial aid awards that a student may be eligible to receive   based on the student's profile and information; and                (4)  The data required by Section 61.09022 to assist   students in assessing the value of post-secondary credentials by   program.          (c)  A Texas school district or an open-enrollment charter   school shall as part of the high school registration process   annually notify, in a manner prescribed by coordinating board rule,   each parent or guardian of a student who has earned at least three   high school course credits or not later than the end of a student's   first semester of ninth grade:                (1)  Of the option to create or update annually a   profile and account in My Texas Future;                (2)  That a student or their parent is permitted to   update or revise their own profile in My Texas Future;                (3)  That a student or parent of a student who creates a   profile and account under this section, may opt-out of one or more   programs offered under Subsection (b); and                (4)  Of the graduation requirement under Section   28.0257 for a student or parent to indicate whether the student   wishes to opt-in to allowing the board to share the student's data   and educational records with institutions of higher education for   the purpose of participating in the Direct Admissions Program   established under Subsection (b)(2).          (d)  The Texas Education Agency and the Coordinating Board   shall jointly prepare and post on their respective Internet   websites a publication that includes the information required to be   provided under subsection (c) in a form that enables a school   district or open-enrollment charter school to reproduce the   publication for distribution under that subsection.          (e)  The Texas Education Agency and each Texas public school   district or open -enrollment charter school shall make the data   available to the Coordinating Board necessary to administer this   Section.          (f)  The board may adopt rules necessary to implement this   section.          (g)  The board may share a student's contact information in   MyTexasFuture.Org with an institution of higher education unless   the student opts-out of sharing the student's contact information.   Any student information shared with an institution of higher   education is confidential pursuant to subsection (l).  The board   shall ensure that a student may opt-out of sharing the student's   contact information with an institution of higher education.                (l)  Notwithstanding any other provision of law, except   as provided by this section, information that relates to a current,   former, or prospective applicant or student of an educational   institution and that is obtained, received, or held by the board for   the purpose of administering this section or otherwise providing   assistance with access to postsecondary education is confidential   and excepted from disclosure under Chapter 552, Government Code,   and may only be released in conformity with the Family Educational   Rights and Privacy Act of 1974 (20 U.S.C. Section 1232g).  The   Coordinating Board may withhold information prohibited from being   disclosed under this subsection without requesting a decision from   the attorney general under Subchapter G, Chapter 552, Government   Code.          SECTION 5.  Section 61.0511, Education Code, as added by   this Act, applies beginning with the 2025-2026 academic year.          SECTION 6.  Subsections 28.025 and 28.0257, Education Code,   as added by this Act, applies beginning with the 2026-2027 academic   year.          SECTION 7.  This Act takes effect immediately if it receives   a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as   provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution. If this   Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this   Act takes effect September 1, 2025.