Texas 2025 - 89th Regular

Texas House Bill HB1805 Compare Versions

Only one version of the bill is available at this time.

Old	New	Differences
1	1	89R5661 JON-D
2	2	By: Oliverson H.B. No. 1805
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7	7	A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
8	8	AN ACT
9	9	relating to the creation of the Religious Freedom Commission.
10	10	BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
11	11	SECTION 1. Subtitle D, Title 4, Government Code, is amended
12	12	by adding Chapter 452 to read as follows:
13	13	CHAPTER 452. RELIGIOUS FREEDOM COMMISSION
14	14	SUBCHAPTER A. GENERAL PROVISIONS
15	15	Sec. 452.001. DEFINITION. In this chapter, "commission"
16	16	means the Religious Freedom Commission.
17	17	Sec. 452.002. ESTABLISHMENT. (a) The commission is
18	18	established within the office of the governor.
19	19	(b) Chapter 2110 does not apply to the commission.
20	20	SUBCHAPTER B. COMPOSITION AND MEETINGS
21	21	Sec. 452.051. COMPOSITION OF COMMISSION. (a) The governor
22	22	shall appoint seven members to the commission.
23	23	(b) A member of the commission must be a resident of this
24	24	state.
25	25	(c) The commission must include members who:
26	26	(1) have demonstrated a significant interest in and
27	27	are knowledgeable about issues related to religious liberty; or
28	28	(2) have served prominently as leaders of or
29	29	spokespersons for organizations that serve members of religious
30	30	communities, including the Christian, Hindu, Jewish, and Muslim
31	31	communities.
32	32	Sec. 452.052. TERMS. (a) Commission members serve
33	33	staggered six-year terms with the terms of approximately one-third
34	34	of the members expiring February 1 of each odd-numbered year.
35	35	(b) Commission members are eligible for reappointment to
36	36	another term or part of a term.
37	37	(c) The governor shall fill any vacancy in a position on the
38	38	commission for the unexpired portion of the term.
39	39	Sec. 452.053. PRESIDING OFFICER. The governor shall
40	40	designate a member of the commission as presiding officer of the
41	41	commission to serve in that capacity at the pleasure of the
42	42	governor.
43	43	Sec. 452.054. COMPENSATION; EXPENSES. A member of the
44	44	commission is not entitled to compensation but is entitled to
45	45	reimbursement for the travel expenses incurred by the member while
46	46	transacting commission business, as provided by the General
47	47	Appropriations Act.
48	48	Sec. 452.055. MEETINGS; QUORUM. (a) The commission shall
49	49	meet at least quarterly at the times and places in this state the
50	50	commission designates.
51	51	(b) Four members of the commission constitute a quorum for
52	52	transacting commission business.
53	53	SUBCHAPTER C. DUTIES
54	54	Sec. 452.101. DUTIES OF COMMISSION. The commission shall:
55	55	(1) advance the right to freedom of religion within
56	56	this state, denounce violations of that right, and recommend
57	57	appropriate responses by the legislature to the violations;
58	58	(2) identify system-level challenges and solutions
59	59	relating to religious liberty for all faith communities;
60	60	(3) serve as a principal advisor to the governor
61	61	regarding matters affecting religious freedom within this state;
62	62	(4) make recommendations regarding:
63	63	(A) local and state policies that violate freedom
64	64	of religion or that fail to ensure the individual's right to
65	65	religious belief and practice;
66	66	(B) policies that advance the right to freedom of
67	67	religion in this state; and
68	68	(C) strategies to address and prevent
69	69	faith-related bias incidents; and
70	70	(5) engage in education, advocacy, and outreach
71	71	efforts to promote understanding and awareness of the importance of
72	72	religious liberty.
73	73	SUBCHAPTER D. SUPPORT AND FUNDING
74	74	Sec. 452.151. SUPPORT. The office of the governor shall
75	75	provide administrative support, including staff, to the
76	76	commission.
77	77	Sec. 452.152. FUNDING. (a) The commission may accept gifts
78	78	and grants from a public or private source on behalf of the
79	79	commission for the commission to use in performing the duties
80	80	assigned to the commission under this chapter.
81	81	(b) All legislative appropriations to support the functions
82	82	and activities of the commission shall be made as part of the office
83	83	of the governor's legislative appropriations request process and
84	84	disbursed to the commission.
85	85	SECTION 2. As soon as practicable after the effective date
86	86	of this Act, the governor shall appoint members to the Religious
87	87	Freedom Commission as provided by Chapter 452, Government Code, as
88	88	added by this Act. To implement the staggering of terms of members
89	89	of the commission provided by Section 452.052, Government Code, as
90	90	added by this Act, in making the first appointments to the
91	91	commission, the governor shall provide for two of the members to
92	92	serve terms expiring February 1, 2027, two of the members to serve
93	93	terms expiring February 1, 2029, and three of the members to serve
94	94	terms expiring February 1, 2031. Subsequent appointments shall be
95	95	for six-year terms, as provided by Section 452.052, Government
96	96	Code, as added by this Act.
97	97	SECTION 3. This Act takes effect September 1, 2025.