Bill to Expand College Access in Texas Passes House, Heads to Governor’s Desk for Signature

For Immediate Release: Contact:
April 24, 2025 Jeffrey Clemmons
214-244-6058 | Jeffrey.Clemmons@Senate.Texas.gov
Press Statement
Bill to Expand College Access in Texas Passes House, Heads to Governor’s Desk for
Signature
AUSTIN – Today, the Texas House passed Senator Eckhardt’s SB365, a bill to shorten the wait
for Texans returning to the classroom to jumpstart their academic journeys. Currently, Texas
law allows public four-year institutions and trade schools to waive academic records older than
ten years. Senator Eckhardt’s bill would shorten that window to just five years, ensuring that old
academic records don’t cast as long of a shadow on future prospects for Texans enrolling later in
life. SB365 received overwhelming bipartisan support, passing unanimously out of the Senate
Higher Education Committee, receiving a 30-1 vote on the Senate floor, and 137 affirmative votes in
the House, where it was carried by Representative Donna Howard as HB1330.
Senator Eckhardt released the following statement about SB365’s passage:
“I’m thrilled SB365 is headed to the Governor’s desk. I brought this legislation with my
constituents in mind, constituents like Daniel Arevalo. In the time between his first enrollment to
college and re-enrollment, Daniel entered the workforce, gaining skills and adding to our shared
prosperity as a mechanic, a job he enjoyed but which was never his final destination. With
encouragement from his friends and family, he enrolled in ACC ready to succeed with a clearer
sense of his own goals and ambitions.
“He was unable to transfer his success as a Riverbat to a four year degree, however, because of the
long lookback period. With so many barriers already raised to attending college, an old transcript
shouldn’t be another one. This bill is about increasing opportunity for more Texans, unlocking
greater prosperity for us all through the greatest vehicle our democracy has ever created to
do so: public education.”
Representative Howard also praised the passage of the bill:
"I'm proud to see SB365—the Senate companion to HB1330—pass both chambers with broad
bipartisan support! This bill enhances Texas's academic fresh start policy, giving returning
students the opportunity to move forward without being held back by coursework that no longer
reflects who they are today. As a state, we benefit when we remove unnecessary barriers and
open the doors of higher education to more Texans, like our constituent, Daniel Arevalo. This
legislation is a smart, compassionate step toward building a more accessible and equitable path
to a degree and I could not be more proud to have worked on this alongside Senator Eckhardt."
Sarah Eckhardt is the third-term Democratic State Senator representing District 14, comprising
Austin and surrounding areas. She serves on the Administration, Border Security, Nominations,
and Veterans Affairs committees in the 89th Legislative Session, and has previously served on the
Water, Agriculture, & Rural Affairs and Local Government committees. A proud UT Law and
Public Affairs alum, Senator Eckhardt was the first woman to serve as Travis County Judge from
2014-2020.
Representative Donna Howard has served in the Texas House of Representatives since 2006. She
currently serves as the Vice-Chair of Article II in the House Appropriations Committee and as Vice
Chair of the Higher Education Committee. Rep. Howard also serves as the Chairwoman of the
Texas Women’s Health Caucus which is the largest caucus in the country solely focused on
advancing women’s health policy. She is an Austin native and Longhorn, holding a Bachelor’s
degree in nursing and Master’s in health education from the University of Texas. Representative
Howard was married to attorney Derek Howard for 40 wonderful years and they proudly raised
three children together. Rep. Howard is also a grandmother to seven perfect grandchildren.