| 1 | 1 | | 88R3750 LRM-D |
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| 2 | 2 | | By: Reynolds H.B. No. 851 |
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| 3 | 3 | | |
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| 4 | 4 | | |
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| 5 | 5 | | A BILL TO BE ENTITLED |
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| 6 | 6 | | AN ACT |
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| 7 | 7 | | relating to the creation of a task force to study the legal and |
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| 8 | 8 | | societal barriers to equality for transgender persons. |
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| 9 | 9 | | BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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| 10 | 10 | | SECTION 1. (a) In this section, "task force" means the |
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| 11 | 11 | | transgender equality task force established by this Act. |
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| 12 | 12 | | (b) The task force is established to study the legal and |
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| 13 | 13 | | societal barriers to equality for transgender persons in this |
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| 14 | 14 | | state. |
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| 15 | 15 | | (c) The task force is composed of: |
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| 16 | 16 | | (1) 11 members appointed by the governor as follows: |
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| 17 | 17 | | (A) one representative of the Texas Department of |
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| 18 | 18 | | Banking; |
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| 19 | 19 | | (B) one representative of the Texas Department of |
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| 20 | 20 | | Criminal Justice; |
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| 21 | 21 | | (C) one representative of the Department of |
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| 22 | 22 | | Family and Protective Services; |
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| 23 | 23 | | (D) one representative of the Texas Department of |
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| 24 | 24 | | Insurance; |
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| 25 | 25 | | (E) one representative of the Department of State |
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| 26 | 26 | | Health Services; |
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| 27 | 27 | | (F) one representative of the Texas Education |
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| 28 | 28 | | Agency; |
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| 29 | 29 | | (G) one representative of the Health and Human |
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| 30 | 30 | | Services Commission; |
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| 31 | 31 | | (H) one representative of an institution of |
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| 32 | 32 | | higher education; |
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| 33 | 33 | | (I) one representative of the Texas Workforce |
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| 34 | 34 | | Commission civil rights division; |
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| 35 | 35 | | (J) one representative of the Texas Workforce |
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| 36 | 36 | | Commission division of workforce development; and |
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| 37 | 37 | | (K) one representative of a nonprofit |
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| 38 | 38 | | organization dedicated to civil rights; |
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| 39 | 39 | | (2) two members appointed by the lieutenant governor |
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| 40 | 40 | | as follows: |
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| 41 | 41 | | (A) a parent or guardian of a transgender person; |
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| 42 | 42 | | and |
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| 43 | 43 | | (B) an attorney who specializes in transgender |
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| 44 | 44 | | rights; and |
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| 45 | 45 | | (3) two members appointed by the speaker of the house |
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| 46 | 46 | | of representatives as follows: |
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| 47 | 47 | | (A) a physician who specializes in transgender |
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| 48 | 48 | | health issues; and |
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| 49 | 49 | | (B) one transgender person. |
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| 50 | 50 | | (d) The task force shall hold its first meeting not later |
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| 51 | 51 | | than October 1, 2023, and shall elect a presiding officer from among |
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| 52 | 52 | | its membership. The task force shall hold subsequent meetings at |
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| 53 | 53 | | least quarterly at the call of the presiding officer. |
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| 54 | 54 | | (e) A task force member is not entitled to compensation for |
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| 55 | 55 | | service on the task force but is entitled to reimbursement, as |
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| 56 | 56 | | provided by the General Appropriations Act, for actual and |
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| 57 | 57 | | necessary expenses incurred in performing task force duties. The |
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| 58 | 58 | | task force may accept gifts, grants, and donations to pay for those |
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| 59 | 59 | | expenses. |
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| 60 | 60 | | (f) The Texas Workforce Commission civil rights division |
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| 61 | 61 | | shall provide administrative support services at the request of the |
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| 62 | 62 | | task force. |
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| 63 | 63 | | (g) The task force shall study the state actions necessary |
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| 64 | 64 | | to ensure equality and improve the lives of transgender persons, |
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| 65 | 65 | | with particular attention to the following areas: |
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| 66 | 66 | | (1) health care, including access to health care |
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| 67 | 67 | | providers who are trained in transgender medical issues; |
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| 68 | 68 | | (2) long-term care for transgender persons who are |
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| 69 | 69 | | chronically ill or of advanced age; |
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| 70 | 70 | | (3) education; |
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| 71 | 71 | | (4) higher education; |
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| 72 | 72 | | (5) housing, including homelessness prevention and |
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| 73 | 73 | | reduction; |
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| 74 | 74 | | (6) employment; and |
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| 75 | 75 | | (7) criminal justice, including the following: |
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| 76 | 76 | | (A) raising transgender awareness among law |
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| 77 | 77 | | enforcement through training; and |
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| 78 | 78 | | (B) facilitating the appropriate placement of |
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| 79 | 79 | | transgender persons in correctional facilities based on a person's |
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| 80 | 80 | | gender identity. |
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| 81 | 81 | | (h) A state agency shall cooperate with and assist the task |
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| 82 | 82 | | force in carrying out the duties of the task force. |
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| 83 | 83 | | (i) Not later than December 1, 2024, the task force shall |
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| 84 | 84 | | prepare and submit to the governor and the legislature a written |
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| 85 | 85 | | report that summarizes the task force's findings under this section |
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| 86 | 86 | | and recommends solutions for advancing transgender equality and |
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| 87 | 87 | | improving the lives of transgender persons in this state. |
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| 88 | 88 | | (j) The task force is abolished and this Act expires |
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| 89 | 89 | | September 1, 2025. |
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| 90 | 90 | | SECTION 2. This Act takes effect September 1, 2023. |
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