Some Texas Republicans criticized the free tuition initiative for families making $100,000 or less as an “abuse of power.”

AUSTIN — The University of Texas System approved the plan Thursday to provide tuition-free education at all nine institutions for undergraduate students from families earning $100,000 or less a year, beginning next fall.

Students whose families make less than $100,000 annually get free tuition and waived fees at any of the academic universities in the University of

Texas students whose families make less than $100,000 annually will soon get free tuition and waived fees at any of the academic universities in the University of Texas System, the board of regents announced Wednesday.

Once approved, the campuses will receive $35 million, and this will make the UT System the first in Texas and one of a few in the country to offer the “sweeping financial benefit” for students, according to the news release. The University of Texas at Arlington and the University of Texas at Dallas are part of the UT System.

Tuition and mandatory fees would be completely covered for qualifying students under the ‘Promise Plus’ program

Regional colleges rely more on tuition revenue to operate than flagship campuses. Gov. Greg Abbott’s desire to pause increases could create tight financial conditions.

A group of Republican lawmakers are questioning if funding for the University of Texas System should be cut after approving the expansion of a program to cover tuition and fees for qualifying students.

The University of Texas System announced Wednesday it will expand its free tuition program for lower-income families to include all families making $100,000 or less a year.

The board voted to cover tuition free of charge for undergraduate students whose families "have an adjusted gross income (AGI) of $100,000 or less," UT officials said in a Friday news release.