Texas 2025 - 89th Regular

Texas Senate Bill SB2946 Compare Versions

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

Old	New	Differences
1	1	89R19910 TYPED
2	2	By: Hagenbuch S.B. No. 2946
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7	7	A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
8	8	AN ACT
9	9	relating to prohibiting public institutions of higher education
10	10	from offering programs or courses in DEI studies.
11	11	BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
12	12	SECTION 1. Subchapter Z, Chapter 51, Education Code, is
13	13	amended by adding Section 51.988 to read as follows:
14	14	Sec. 51.988. PROHIBITION ON COURSES. (a) In this section:
15	15	(1) "Institution of higher education" has the meaning
16	16	assigned by Section 61.003.
17	17	(2) "Coordinating board" means the Texas Higher
18	18	Education Coordinating Board.
19	19	(a) An institution of higher education may not offer a
20	20	certificate or degree program, including any major or minor, or
21	21	course, in diversity, equity, and inclusion, including but not
22	22	limited to, promoting differential treatment of individuals on the
23	23	basis of race, color, or ethnicity.
24	24	(b) The state auditor shall conduct a compliance audit of
25	25	each institution of higher education every year to determine
26	26	whether the institution has spent state money in violation of this
27	27	section.
28	28	(c) If the state auditor determines pursuant to a compliance
29	29	audit conducted under Subsection (e) that an institution of higher
30	30	education has spent money in violation of this section, the
31	31	institution may not receive state funding until the institution
32	32	complies with this section.
33	33	(d) A student of an institution of higher education who is
34	34	required to participate in a certificate or degree program,
35	35	including any major or minor, or course in violation of this section
36	36	may bring an action against the institution for injunctive or
37	37	declaratory relief.
38	38	(e) If an institution of higher education determines that an
39	39	employee of the institution has violated this section, the
40	40	institution shall:
41	41	(1) take the following action against the employee:
42	42	(A) for the first violation, place the employee
43	43	on unpaid leave for the next academic year; or
44	44	(B) for the second or a subsequent violation,
45	45	discharge the employee; and
46	46	(2) report the determination and the action taken by
47	47	the institution to the coordinating board.
48	48	(i) The coordinating board shall maintain and provide to
49	49	each institution of higher education a list of persons against whom
50	50	action has been taken under Subsection (h).
51	51	(j) An institution of higher education may not hire an
52	52	employee who is included on the coordinating board's list
53	53	maintained under Subsection (i) before:
54	54	(1) if the employee was placed on unpaid leave under
55	55	Subsection (h)(1)(A), the end of the academic year for which the
56	56	employee is placed on unpaid leave; or
57	57	(2) if the employee was discharged under Subsection
58	58	(h)(1)(B), the fifth anniversary of the date on which the employee
59	59	was discharged.
60	60	SECTION 2. This Act applies beginning with the 2026-2027
61	61	academic year.
62	62	SECTION 3. This Act takes effect immediately if it receives
63	63	a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as
64	64	provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution. If this
65	65	Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this
66	66	Act takes effect September 1, 2025.