Texas 2023 - 88th Regular

Texas House Bill HB4572 Compare Versions

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1	1	88R14005 JON-D
2	2	By: Oliverson H.B. No. 4572
3	3
4	4
5	5	A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
6	6	AN ACT
7	7	relating to the creation of the Religious Freedom Commission.
8	8	BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
9	9	SECTION 1. Subtitle D, Title 4, Government Code, is amended
10	10	by adding Chapter 452 to read as follows:
11	11	CHAPTER 452. RELIGIOUS FREEDOM COMMISSION
12	12	SUBCHAPTER A. GENERAL PROVISIONS
13	13	Sec. 452.001. DEFINITION. In this chapter, "commission"
14	14	means the Religious Freedom Commission.
15	15	Sec. 452.002. ESTABLISHMENT. (a) The commission is
16	16	established within the office of the governor.
17	17	(b) Chapter 2110 does not apply to the commission.
18	18	SUBCHAPTER B. COMPOSITION AND MEETINGS
19	19	Sec. 452.051. COMPOSITION OF COMMISSION. (a) The governor
20	20	shall appoint seven members to the commission.
21	21	(b) A member of the commission must be a resident of this
22	22	state.
23	23	(c) The commission must include members who:
24	24	(1) have demonstrated a significant interest in and
25	25	are knowledgeable about issues related to religious liberty; or
26	26	(2) have served prominently as leaders of or
27	27	spokespersons for organizations that serve members of religious
28	28	communities, including the Christian, Hindu, Jewish, and Muslim
29	29	communities.
30	30	Sec. 452.052. TERMS. (a) Commission members serve
31	31	staggered six-year terms with the terms of approximately one-third
32	32	of the members expiring February 1 of each odd-numbered year.
33	33	(b) Commission members are eligible for reappointment to
34	34	another term or part of a term.
35	35	(c) The governor shall fill any vacancy in a position on the
36	36	commission for the unexpired portion of the term.
37	37	Sec. 452.053. PRESIDING OFFICER. The governor shall
38	38	designate a member of the commission as presiding officer of the
39	39	commission to serve in that capacity at the pleasure of the
40	40	governor.
41	41	Sec. 452.054. COMPENSATION; EXPENSES. A member of the
42	42	commission is not entitled to compensation but is entitled to
43	43	reimbursement for the travel expenses incurred by the member while
44	44	transacting commission business, as provided by the General
45	45	Appropriations Act.
46	46	Sec. 452.055. MEETINGS; QUORUM. (a) The commission shall
47	47	meet at least quarterly at the times and places in this state the
48	48	commission designates.
49	49	(b) Four members of the commission constitute a quorum for
50	50	transacting commission business.
51	51	SUBCHAPTER C. DUTIES
52	52	Sec. 452.071. DUTIES OF COMMISSION. The commission shall:
53	53	(1) advance the right to freedom of religion within
54	54	this state, denounce violations of that right, and recommend
55	55	appropriate responses by the legislature to the violations;
56	56	(2) identify system-level challenges and solutions
57	57	relating to religious liberty for all faith communities;
58	58	(3) serve as a principal advisor to the governor
59	59	regarding matters affecting religious freedom within this state;
60	60	(4) make recommendations regarding:
61	61	(A) local and state policies that violate freedom
62	62	of religion or that fail to ensure the individual's right to
63	63	religious belief and practice;
64	64	(B) policies that advance the right to freedom of
65	65	religion in this state; and
66	66	(C) strategies to address and prevent
67	67	faith-related bias incidents; and
68	68	(5) engage in education, advocacy, and outreach
69	69	efforts to promote understanding and awareness of the importance of
70	70	religious liberty.
71	71	SUBCHAPTER D. SUPPORT AND FUNDING
72	72	Sec. 452.072. SUPPORT. The office of the governor shall
73	73	provide administrative support, including staff, to the
74	74	commission.
75	75	Sec. 452.073. FUNDING. (a) The commission may accept gifts
76	76	and grants from a public or private source on behalf of the
77	77	commission for the commission to use in performing the duties
78	78	assigned to the commission under this chapter.
79	79	(b) All legislative appropriations to support the functions
80	80	and activities of the commission shall be made as part of the office
81	81	of the governor's legislative appropriations request process and
82	82	disbursed to the commission.
83	83	SECTION 2. As soon as practicable after the effective date
84	84	of this Act, the governor shall appoint members to the Religious
85	85	Freedom Commission as provided by Chapter 452, Government Code, as
86	86	added by this Act. To implement the staggering of terms of members
87	87	of the commission provided by Section 452.052, Government Code, as
88	88	added by this Act, in making the first appointments to the
89	89	commission, the governor shall provide for two of the members to
90	90	serve terms expiring February 1, 2025, two of the members to serve
91	91	terms expiring February 1, 2027, and three of the members to serve
92	92	terms expiring February 1, 2029. Subsequent appointments shall be
93	93	for six-year terms, as provided by Section 452.052, Government
94	94	Code, as added by this Act.
95	95	SECTION 3. This Act takes effect September 1, 2023.