Texas 2025 - 89th Regular

Texas House Bill HB5373 Compare Versions

Version 1 (Old)

Version 2 (New)

Old	New		Differences
1	1		By: Rodríguez Ramos H.B. No. 5373
	2	+
	3	+
2	4
3	5
4	6		A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
5	7		AN ACT
6	8		relating to the prohibition of caste-based discrimination.
7	9		BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
8	10		ARTICLE 1. GENERAL PROVISIONS
9	11		SECTION 1.01. This Act prohibits discrimination based on
10	12		caste and ensures equal protections under Texas law.
11	13		SECTION 1.02. The Legislature finds that:
12	14		(1) Caste-based discrimination continues to impact
13	15		individuals and communities, causing harm to their dignity and
14	16		quality of life as well as denial of and exclusion from
15	17		opportunities.
16	18		(2) The State of Texas is committed to upholding
17	19		equality and ensuring protection against all forms of
18	20		discrimination.
19	21		(3) This Act is created to prohibit caste-based
20	22		discrimination in hiring and workplaces, educational institutions,
21	23		and housing.
22	24		ARTICLE 2. HIRING AND WORKPLACES
23	25		SECTION 2.01. Sec. 21.002, Labor Code, is amended by adding
24	26		Subdivisions (15) and (16) to read as follows:
25	27		(15) "Ancestry" means a person's lineage, ethnic
26	28		background, or descent, including familial or hereditary ties,
27	29		regardless of cultural, national, or ethnic associations.
28	30		(16) "Caste" means a system of inherited social
29	31		stratification where social status is passed down through
30	32		hierarchical divisions within society.
31	33		SECTION 2.02. Sec. 21.051, Labor Code, is amended to read as
32	34		follows:
33	35		Sec. 21.051. DISCRIMINATION BY EMPLOYER. An employer
34	36		commits an unlawful employment practice if because of race, color,
35	37		disability, religion, sex, national origin, [or] age, caste, or
36	38		ancestry the employer:
37	39		(1) fails or refuses to hire an individual, discharges
38	40		an individual, or discriminates in any other manner against an
39	41		individual in connection with compensation or the terms,
40	42		conditions, or privileges of employment; or
41	43		(2) limits, segregates, or classifies an employee or
42	44		applicant for employment in a manner that would deprive or tend to
43	45		deprive an individual of any employment opportunity or adversely
44	46		affect in any other manner the status of an employee.
45	47		SECTION 2.03. Sec. 21.052, Labor Code, is amended to read as
46	48		follows:
47	49		Sec. 21.052. DISCRIMINATION BY EMPLOYMENT AGENCY. An
48	50		employment agency commits an unlawful employment practice if the
49	51		employment agency:
50	52		(1) fails or refuses to refer for employment or
51	53		discriminates in any other manner against an individual because of
52	54		race, color, disability, religion, sex, national origin, [or] age,
53	55		caste, or ancestry; or
54	56		(2) classifies or refers an individual for employment
55	57		on the basis of race, color, disability, religion, sex, national
56	58		origin, [or] age, caste, or ancestry.
57	59		SECTION 2.04. Sec. 21.053, Labor Code, is amended to read as
58	60		follows:
59	61		Sec. 21.053. DISCRIMINATION BY LABOR ORGANIZATION. A labor
60	62		organization commits an unlawful employment practice if because of
61	63		race, color, disability, religion, sex, national origin, [or] age,
62	64		caste, or ancestry the labor organization:
63	65		(1) excludes or expels from membership or
64	66		discriminates in any other manner against an individual; or
65	67		(2) limits, segregates, or classifies a member or an
66	68		applicant for membership or classifies or fails or refuses to refer
67	69		for employment an individual in a manner that would:
68	70		(A) deprive or tend to deprive an individual of
69	71		any employment opportunity;
70	72		(B) limit an employment opportunity or adversely
71	73		affect in any other manner the status of an employee or of an
72	74		applicant for employment; or
73	75		(C) cause or attempt to cause an employer to
74	76		violate this subchapter.
75	77		SECTION 2.05. Sec. 21.054(a), Labor Code, is amended to
76	78		read as follows:
77	79		Sec. 21.054. ADMISSION OR PARTICIPATION IN TRAINING
78	80		PROGRAM. (a) Unless a training or retraining opportunity or
79	81		program is provided under an affirmative action plan approved under
80	82		a federal law, rule, or order, an employer, labor organization, or
81	83		joint labor-management committee controlling an apprenticeship,
82	84		on-the-job training, or other training or retraining program
83	85		commits an unlawful employment practice if the employer, labor
84	86		organization, or committee discriminates against an individual
85	87		because of race, color, disability, religion, sex, national origin,
86	88		[or] age, caste, or ancestry in admission to or participation in the
87	89		program.
88	90		SECTION 2.06. Sec. 21.059, Labor Code, is amended to read as
89	91		follows:
90	92		Sec. 21.059. DISCRIMINATORY NOTICE OR ADVERTISEMENT. (a)
91	93		An employer, labor organization, employment agency, or joint
92	94		labor-management committee controlling an apprenticeship,
93	95		on-the-job training, or other training or retraining program
94	96		commits an unlawful employment practice if the employer, labor
95	97		organization, employment agency, or committee prints or publishes
96	98		or causes to be printed or published a notice or advertisement
97	99		relating to employment that:
98	100		(1) indicates a preference, limitation,
99	101		specification, or discrimination based on race, color, disability,
100	102		religion, sex, national origin, [or] age, caste, or ancestry; and
101	103		(2) concerns an employee's status, employment, or
102	104		admission to or membership or participation in a labor union or
103	105		training or retraining program.
104	106		(b) This section does not apply if disability, religion,
105	107		sex, national origin, [or] age, caste, or ancestry is a bona fide
106	108		occupational qualification.
107	109		ARTICLE 3. EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTIONS
108	110		SECTION 3.01. Sec. 1.002, Education Code, is amended by
109	111		adding Subsection (c) to read as follows:
110	112		(c) An educational institution may not discriminate based
111	113		on race, color, disability, religion, sex, national origin, age,
112	114		caste, or ancestry.
113	115		(1) "Ancestry" means a person's lineage, ethnic
114	116		background, or descent, including familial or hereditary ties,
115	117		regardless of cultural, national, or ethnic associations.
116	118		(2) "Caste" means a system of inherited social
117	119		stratification where social status is passed down through
118	120		hierarchical divisions within society.
119	121		ARTICLE 4. HOUSING
120	122		SECTION 4.01. Sec. 301.003, Property Code, is amended by
121	123		adding Subdivisions (13) and (14) to read as follows:
122	124		(13) "Ancestry" means a person's lineage, ethnic
123	125		background, or descent, including familial or hereditary ties,
124	126		regardless of cultural, national, or ethnic associations.
125	127		(14) "Caste" means a system of inherited social
126	128		stratification where social status is passed down through
127	129		hierarchical divisions within society.
128	130		SECTION 4.02. Sec. 301.021, Property Code, is amended to
129	131		read as follows:
130	132		Sec. 301.021. SALE OR RENTAL. (a) A person may not refuse
131	133		to sell or rent, after the making of a bona fide offer, refuse to
132	134		negotiate for the sale or rental of, or in any other manner make
133	135		unavailable or deny a dwelling to another because of race, color,
134	136		religion, sex, familial status, [or] national origin, caste, or
135	137		ancestry.
136	138		(b) A person may not discriminate against another in the
137	139		terms, conditions, or privileges of sale or rental of a dwelling or
138	140		in providing services or facilities in connection with a sale or
139	141		rental of a dwelling because of race, color, religion, sex,
140	142		familial status, [or] national origin, caste, or ancestry.
141	143		(c) This section does not prohibit discrimination against a
142	144		person because the person has been convicted under federal law or
143	145		the law of any state of the illegal manufacture or distribution of a
144	146		controlled substance.
145	147		SECTION 4.03. Sec. 301.022, Property Code, is amended to
146	148		read as follows:
147	149		Sec. 301.022. PUBLICATION. A person may not make, print, or
148	150		publish or effect the making, printing, or publishing of a notice,
149	151		statement, or advertisement that is about the sale or rental of a
150	152		dwelling and that indicates any preference, limitation, or
151	153		discrimination or the intention to make a preference, limitation,
152	154		or discrimination because of race, color, religion, sex,
153	155		disability, familial status, [or] national origin, caste, or
154	156		ancestry.
155	157		SECTION 4.04. Sec. 301.023, Property Code, is amended to
156	158		read as follows:
157	159		Sec. 301.023. INSPECTION. A person may not represent to
158	160		another because of race, color, religion, sex, disability, familial
159	161		status, [or] national origin, caste, or ancestry that a dwelling is
160	162		not available for inspection for sale or rental when the dwelling is
161	163		available for inspection.
162	164		SECTION 4.05. Sec. 301.024, Property Code, is amended to
163	165		read as follows:
164	166		Sec. 301.024. ENTRY INTO NEIGHBORHOOD. A person may not,
165	167		for profit, induce or attempt to induce another to sell or rent a
166	168		dwelling by representations regarding the entry or prospective
167	169		entry into a neighborhood of a person of a particular race, color,
168	170		religion, sex, disability, familial status, [or] national origin,
169	171		caste, or ancestry.
170	172		SECTION 4.06. Sec. 301.026(a), Property Code, is amended to
171	173		read as follows:
172	174		Sec. 301.026. RESIDENTIAL REAL ESTATE RELATED TRANSACTION.
173	175		(a) A person whose business includes engaging in residential real
174	176		estate related transactions may not discriminate against another in
175	177		making a real estate related transaction available or in the terms
176	178		or conditions of a real estate related transaction because of race,
177	179		color, religion, sex, disability, familial status, [or] national
178	180		origin, caste, or ancestry.
179	181		SECTION 4.07. Sec. 301.027, Property Code, is amended to
180	182		read as follows:
181	183		Sec. 301.027. BROKERAGE SERVICES. A person may not deny
182	184		another access to, or membership or participation in, a
183	185		multiple-listing service, real estate brokers' organization, or
184	186		other service, organization, or facility relating to the business
185	187		of selling or renting dwellings, or discriminate against a person
186	188		in the terms or conditions of access, membership, or participation
187	189		in such an organization, service, or facility because of race,
188	190		color, religion, sex, disability, familial status, [or] national
189	191		origin, caste, or ancestry.
190	192		ARTICLE 5. EFFECTIVE DATE
191	193		SECTION 5.01. This Act takes effect September 1, 2025.