Texas 2025 - 89th Regular

Texas Senate Bill SB2918 Compare Versions

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

Old	New	Differences
1	1	89R16187 LRM-D
2	2	By: Miles S.B. No. 2918
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7	7	A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
8	8	AN ACT
9	9	relating to the Texas Freedman's Bureau.
10	10	BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
11	11	SECTION 1. Subtitle E, Title 4, Government Code, is amended
12	12	by adding Chapter 473 to read as follows:
13	13	CHAPTER 473. TEXAS FREEDMAN'S BUREAU
14	14	SUBCHAPTER A. GENERAL PROVISIONS
15	15	Sec. 473.001. DEFINITIONS. In this chapter:
16	16	(1) "Bureau" means the Texas Freedman's Bureau
17	17	established under this chapter.
18	18	(2) "Commissioner" means a commissioner of the Texas
19	19	Freedman's Bureau.
20	20	(3) "Freedman" means an individual who was a freed
21	21	slave, under the Freedman's Bureau Act of 1865, from the period of
22	22	1861 to 1868 as identified by Congress.
23	23	Sec. 473.002. ESTABLISHMENT OF BUREAU. The Texas
24	24	Freedman's Bureau is established to assist the residents of this
25	25	state in determining their ancestry and heritage, provide
26	26	assistance to residents who are certified descendants of freedmen,
27	27	and promote the use of the term "freedmen" in demographic data
28	28	collected in this state.
29	29	Sec. 473.003. APPLICATION OF SUNSET ACT. The bureau is
30	30	subject to Chapter 325 (Texas Sunset Act). Unless continued in
31	31	existence as provided by that chapter, the bureau is abolished and
32	32	this chapter expires September 1, 2035.
33	33	SUBCHAPTER B. BUREAU
34	34	Sec. 473.101. COMPOSITION; TERMS; COMPENSATION. (a) The
35	35	bureau is composed of five commissioners appointed by the governor.
36	36	In making the appointments, the governor shall consider candidates
37	37	suggested by the Texas Volunteer Council on Freedmen Affairs.
38	38	(b) The commissioners serve two-year terms.
39	39	(c) A commissioner serves without compensation but is
40	40	entitled to reimbursement for travel and other expenses incurred by
41	41	the commissioner while conducting the business of the bureau as
42	42	provided by the General Appropriations Act.
43	43	Sec. 473.102. DIRECTOR; EMPLOYEES. The bureau shall employ
44	44	a director for each bureau office and other employees necessary to
45	45	administer this chapter.
46	46	Sec. 473.103. ADMINISTRATIVE ATTACHMENT. (a) The bureau
47	47	is administratively attached to the Health and Human Services
48	48	Commission.
49	49	(b) The Health and Human Services Commission, using
50	50	existing resources, shall provide the administrative support and
51	51	personnel necessary for the bureau to implement this chapter.
52	52	Sec. 473.104. OFFICES. The bureau shall maintain an office
53	53	within facilities of the Health and Human Services Commission and
54	54	other state agencies, as appropriate, in the following counties:
55	55	(1) Bexar County;
56	56	(2) Dallas County;
57	57	(3) Harris County; and
58	58	(4) Travis County.
59	59	SUBCHAPTER C. POWERS AND DUTIES
60	60	Sec. 473.201. GENERAL POWERS AND DUTIES. The bureau shall:
61	61	(1) establish and maintain a database to collect
62	62	demographic data for the purpose of assisting residents of this
63	63	state in establishing ancestral ties with freedmen;
64	64	(2) provide a freedmen identification card to each
65	65	resident who establishes ancestral ties with a freedman;
66	66	(3) assist residents who are descendants of freedmen
67	67	with obtaining reparations, including by providing legal
68	68	assistance with filing claims for reparations; and
69	69	(4) promote the use of the term "freedmen" for
70	70	descendants of freed slaves in all demographic data related to
71	71	ethnicity, nationality, or race collected by a state agency or
72	72	political subdivision.
73	73	Sec. 473.202. STRATEGIC PLAN; COLLABORATION. (a) The
74	74	bureau, in collaboration with other state agencies, state
75	75	officials, and nonprofit organizations, shall create a strategic
76	76	plan for implementing this chapter.
77	77	(b) The strategic plan must identify:
78	78	(1) the locations for the bureau offices;
79	79	(2) the resources the bureau will operate and
80	80	maintain;
81	81	(3) the bureau's plan to assist descendants of
82	82	freedmen with obtaining reparations; and
83	83	(4) the assistance required from other state agencies
84	84	and state officials to implement this chapter.
85	85	(c) The comptroller, attorney general, Department of Public
86	86	Safety, Parks and Wildlife Department, and other appropriate state
87	87	agencies and state officials shall assist the bureau as necessary
88	88	to implement this chapter and develop the strategic plan.
89	89	Sec. 473.203. RULES. The bureau and executive commissioner
90	90	of the Health and Human Services Commission may adopt the rules
91	91	necessary to implement this chapter.
92	92	SECTION 2. As soon as practicable after the effective date
93	93	of this Act, the governor shall appoint the commissioners to the
94	94	Texas Freedman's Bureau as required by Chapter 473, Government
95	95	Code, as added by this Act.
96	96	SECTION 3. This Act takes effect September 1, 2025.