89R22298 RDR-F     By: Wilson H.B. No. 4909     Substitute the following for H.B. No. 4909:     By:  Wilson C.S.H.B. No. 4909       A BILL TO BE ENTITLED   AN ACT   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.          BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:          SECTION 1.  Section 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.  Subchapter B, Chapter 28, Education Code, is   amended by adding Section 28.0257 to read as follows:          Sec. 28.0257.  MY TEXAS FUTURE PORTAL PARTICIPATION   REQUIREMENT FOR HIGH SCHOOL GRADUATION. (a)  In this section:                (1)  "Coordinating board" means the Texas Higher   Education Coordinating Board.                (2)  "My Texas Future portal" means the Internet   website portal created under Section 61.0511.          (b)  Except as provided by Subsection (c), in order to   graduate from high school, a student enrolled in a school district   or open-enrollment charter school must elect to either:                (1)  create an account and profile in the My Texas   Future portal; or                (2)  opt out of creating an account and profile in the   My Texas Future portal as provided by Subsection (c).          (c)  A student may opt out of creating an account and profile   in the My Texas Future portal under Subsection (b)(2) by:                (1)  submitting a form signed by the student's parent or   other person standing in parental relation indicating that the   parent or other person authorizes the student to decline to   participate in the My Texas Future portal;                (2)  submitting a form described by Subdivision (1)   signed by the student 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)  obtaining authorization in writing from a school   counselor for the student to decline to participate in the My Texas   Future portal.          (d)  A school district or open-enrollment charter school   shall use a form adopted by coordinating board rule for purposes of   Subsection (c). The form must:                (1)  provide the student or the student's parent or   other person standing in parental relation, as applicable, the   opportunity to decline to participate in the My Texas Future   portal, as provided by Subsection (c); 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.          (e)  On a student's earning of at least three high school   course credits but not later than the end of the student's ninth   grade fall semester and at the beginning of each subsequent school   year, the school district or open-enrollment charter school in   which the student is enrolled shall notify the student's parent or   other person standing in parental relation, in a manner prescribed   by coordinating board rule, regarding:                (1)  the requirement under Subsection (b);                (2)  the ability of a student or the student's parent or   other person standing in parental relation to revise the student's   profile created in the My Texas Future portal; and                (3)  the ability of a student or the student's parent or   other person standing in parental relation to opt out of a service   described by Section 61.0511(b)(2).          (f)  The agency and the coordinating board jointly shall   prepare and post on the agency's and coordinating board's   respective Internet websites a publication that includes the   information required to be provided under Subsection (e) in a form   that enables a school district or open-enrollment charter school to   reproduce the publication for distribution.          (g)  The agency and each school district and open-enrollment   charter school shall submit to the coordinating board data   necessary for the coordinating board to administer this section.          (h)  The coordinating board, in consultation with the   agency, may adopt rules necessary to implement this section.          SECTION 3.  Subchapter S, Chapter 51, Education Code, is   amended by adding Section 51.766 to read as follows:          Sec. 51.766.  LINK TO MY TEXAS FUTURE PORTAL.  Each   institution of higher education shall prominently post on the   institution's Internet web page dedicated to student admissions a   link to the My Texas Future portal created under Section 61.0511 or   a successor Internet website and notice to prospective students   that a person may apply to the institution using the electronic   common admission application form through the My Texas Future   portal, the ApplyTexas Internet website, or another Internet   website established by the coordinating board.          SECTION 4.  Subchapter C, Chapter 61, Education Code, is   amended by adding Section 61.0511 to read as follows:          Sec. 61.0511.  MY TEXAS FUTURE PORTAL. (a) The board shall   create, maintain, and administer an Internet website portal, titled   "My Texas Future," through which a prospective postsecondary   student may create a profile and account to access information   regarding institutions of higher education at which the student   will be accepted for admission and financial aid awards at each   institution that the student is eligible to receive.          (b)  The Internet website portal created under this section   must include:                (1)  a link or direct submission portal to the   electronic common admission application form adopted under Section   51.762;                (2)  a list for each prospective student, based on the   student's profile and personal and educational information, of:                      (A)  institutions of higher education at which the   student will be accepted for admission; and                      (B)  to the greatest extent possible, financial   aid awards that the student is eligible to receive; and                (3)  the information described by Section 61.09022.          (c)  The board may share a student's contact information in   the Internet website portal created under this section with an   institution of higher education unless the student opts out of the   information sharing. The board shall ensure that a person who   creates an account on the portal may opt out of sharing information   under this subsection.          (d)  Except as provided by this section, information   obtained from a person through the Internet website portal created   under this section or shared under Subsection (c) is confidential   and not subject to disclosure under Chapter 552, Government Code,   and may only be released as provided by the Family Educational   Rights and Privacy Act of 1974 (20 U.S.C. Section 1232g). The 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 28.025, Education Code, as amended by   this Act, and Section 28.0257, Education Code, as added by this Act,   apply beginning with the 2026-2027 school year.          SECTION 6.  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.