Texas 2025 - 89th Regular

Texas House Bill HB4496 Compare Versions

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

Old	New	Differences
1	1	89R16029 JBD-D
2	2	By: Bell of Montgomery H.B. No. 4496
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7	7	A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
8	8	AN ACT
9	9	relating to municipal diversity, equity, and inclusion
10	10	initiatives.
11	11	BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
12	12	SECTION 1. Subtitle A, Title 5, Local Government Code, is
13	13	amended by adding Chapter 148 to read as follows:
14	14	CHAPTER 148. PROHIBITION ON MUNICIPAL DIVERSITY, EQUITY, AND
15	15	INCLUSION INITIATIVES
16	16	Sec. 148.001. DEFINITIONS. In this chapter:
17	17	(1) "Diversity, equity, and inclusion initiative"
18	18	means an initiative that:
19	19	(A) is based on the belief that identity
20	20	classifications are central to understanding social, professional,
21	21	and political disparities;
22	22	(B) requires, encourages, or otherwise promotes
23	23	organizational practices such as employee hiring and promotion,
24	24	resource allocation, or policy formulation to achieve proportional
25	25	representation of identity classification groups or to eliminate
26	26	perceived systemic differences between them; or
27	27	(C) otherwise promotes discriminatory treatment
28	28	of a person on the basis of the person's identity classification.
29	29	(2) "Identity classification" means a classification
30	30	of a person based on the race, color, religion, national origin,
31	31	sex, age, disability status, medical history, pregnancy status,
32	32	sexual orientation, genetic information, gender identity, or
33	33	ethnicity of the person.
34	34	Sec. 148.002. PROHIBITION ON MUNICIPAL SPENDING OF PUBLIC
35	35	MONEY ON DIVERSITY, EQUITY, AND INCLUSION INITIATIVES. Except as
36	36	required by federal law, a municipality may not spend public money
37	37	or provide compensation in any manner to directly or indirectly:
38	38	(1) fund a department, program, office, or committee,
39	39	or pay compensation to a person associated with a department,
40	40	program, office, or committee, that is focused on formulating,
41	41	promoting, or implementing a diversity, equity, and inclusion
42	42	initiative; or
43	43	(2) hire or contract with an independent vendor or
44	44	contractor to formulate, promote, or implement a diversity, equity,
45	45	and inclusion initiative.
46	46	Sec. 148.003. DIVERSITY, EQUITY, AND INCLUSION INITIATIVES
47	47	AFFECTING MUNICIPAL OFFICERS AND EMPLOYEES. Except as required by
48	48	federal law, the governing body of a municipality may not:
49	49	(1) adopt or enforce an ordinance, regulation, or
50	50	other measure that:
51	51	(A) implements or advocates for a diversity,
52	52	equity, and inclusion initiative; or
53	53	(B) seeks to discriminate on the basis of
54	54	identity classification; or
55	55	(2) discriminate on the basis of identity
56	56	classification in adopting or implementing organizational
57	57	practices.
58	58	Sec. 148.004. ENFORCEMENT. A person may bring an action to
59	59	enjoin a violation under this chapter in a district court if the
60	60	person has been discriminated against on the basis of one or more of
61	61	the person's identity classifications in a manner that violates
62	62	this chapter.
63	63	SECTION 2. This Act takes effect September 1, 2025.