| 1 | 1 | | By: Reynolds H.B. No. 4143 |
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| 2 | 2 | | |
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| 3 | 3 | | |
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| 4 | 4 | | |
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| 5 | 5 | | |
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| 6 | 6 | | A BILL TO BE ENTITLED |
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| 7 | 7 | | AN ACT |
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| 8 | 8 | | relating to initiatives for first-generation students, low-income |
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| 9 | 9 | | students, or underserved student populations at public |
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| 10 | 10 | | institutions of higher education. |
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| 11 | 11 | | BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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| 12 | 12 | | SECTION 1. Section 51.3525, Chapter 51, Education Code, is |
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| 13 | 13 | | amended by amending Subsection (a) and (c) to read as follows: |
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| 14 | 14 | | Sec. 51.3525. RESPONSIBILITY OF GOVERNING BOARDS REGARDING |
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| 15 | 15 | | DIVERSITY, EQUITY, AND INCLUSION INITIATIVES. (a) In this |
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| 16 | 16 | | section, "diversity, equity, and inclusion office" means an office, |
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| 17 | 17 | | division, or other unit of an institution of higher education |
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| 18 | 18 | | established for the purpose of: |
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| 19 | 19 | | (1) deliberately or intentionally influencing hiring |
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| 20 | 20 | | or employment practices at the institution with respect to race, |
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| 21 | 21 | | sex, color, or ethnicity, other than through the use of color-blind |
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| 22 | 22 | | and sex-neutral hiring processes in accordance with any applicable |
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| 23 | 23 | | state and federal antidiscrimination laws; |
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| 24 | 24 | | (2) deliberately or intentionally promoting |
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| 25 | 25 | | differential treatment of or providing special benefits to |
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| 26 | 26 | | individuals on the basis of race, color, or ethnicity; |
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| 27 | 27 | | (3) promoting policies or procedures designed or |
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| 28 | 28 | | implemented in reference to race, color, or ethnicity, other than |
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| 29 | 29 | | policies or procedures approved in writing by the institution's |
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| 30 | 30 | | general counsel and the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board |
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| 31 | 31 | | for the sole purpose of ensuring compliance with any applicable |
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| 32 | 32 | | court order or state or federal law; or |
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| 33 | 33 | | (4) conducting trainings, programs, or activities |
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| 34 | 34 | | designed or implemented in reference to race, color, ethnicity, |
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| 35 | 35 | | gender identity, or sexual orientation, other than trainings, |
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| 36 | 36 | | programs, or activities developed by an attorney and approved in |
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| 37 | 37 | | writing by the institution's general counsel and the Texas Higher |
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| 38 | 38 | | Education Coordinating Board for the sole purpose of ensuring |
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| 39 | 39 | | compliance with any applicable court order or state or federal law. |
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| 40 | 40 | | (c) Nothing in this section may be construed to limit or |
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| 41 | 41 | | prohibit an institution of higher education or an employee of an |
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| 42 | 42 | | institution of higher education from, for purposes of applying for |
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| 43 | 43 | | a grant or complying with the terms of accreditation by an |
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| 44 | 44 | | accrediting agency, submitting to the grantor or accrediting agency |
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| 45 | 45 | | a statement that: |
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| 46 | 46 | | (1)highlights the institution's work in supporting: |
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| 47 | 47 | | (A) first-generation college students; |
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| 48 | 48 | | (B) low-income students; or |
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| 49 | 49 | | (C) underserved student populations; or |
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| 50 | 50 | | (2) certifies compliance with state and federal |
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| 51 | 51 | | antidiscrimination laws. |
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| 52 | 52 | | SECTION 2. This Act takes effect immediately if it receives |
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| 53 | 53 | | a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as |
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| 54 | 54 | | provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution. If this |
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| 55 | 55 | | Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this |
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| 56 | 56 | | Act takes effect January 1, 2026. |
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