| 1 | 1 | | 89R3027 KJE-D |
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| 2 | 2 | | By: Kolkhorst S.B. No. 724 |
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| 3 | 3 | | |
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| 4 | 4 | | |
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| 5 | 5 | | |
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| 6 | 6 | | |
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| 7 | 7 | | A BILL TO BE ENTITLED |
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| 8 | 8 | | AN ACT |
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| 9 | 9 | | relating to providing in-person meeting requirements for governing |
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| 10 | 10 | | boards of public institutions of higher education; authorizing a |
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| 11 | 11 | | civil penalty. |
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| 12 | 12 | | BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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| 13 | 13 | | SECTION 1. Subchapter G, Chapter 51, Education Code, is |
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| 14 | 14 | | amended by adding Section 51.3522 to read as follows: |
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| 15 | 15 | | Sec. 51.3522. IN-PERSON MEETING REQUIREMENTS FOR GOVERNING |
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| 16 | 16 | | BOARDS. (a) In this section, "coordinating board" means the Texas |
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| 17 | 17 | | Higher Education Coordinating Board. |
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| 18 | 18 | | (b) Notwithstanding Section 551.127, Government Code, or |
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| 19 | 19 | | any other law, each member of the governing board of an institution |
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| 20 | 20 | | of higher education must attend at least 75 percent of the governing |
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| 21 | 21 | | board's meetings in person each year. |
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| 22 | 22 | | (c) If a governing board member fails to meet the |
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| 23 | 23 | | requirement under Subsection (b) for any year, the member: |
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| 24 | 24 | | (1) for the first violation, is liable to the |
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| 25 | 25 | | institution for a civil penalty of $1,000; and |
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| 26 | 26 | | (2) for the second violation and notwithstanding any |
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| 27 | 27 | | other law, is not eligible for reappointment to the governing board |
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| 28 | 28 | | or for appointment to any other governing board. |
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| 29 | 29 | | (d) An institution of higher education that receives a civil |
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| 30 | 30 | | penalty under Subsection (c)(1) may use that amount only to provide |
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| 31 | 31 | | scholarships to students enrolled at the institution. |
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| 32 | 32 | | (e) The attorney general, at the request of the coordinating |
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| 33 | 33 | | board, may bring a civil action to collect a civil penalty under |
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| 34 | 34 | | this section. |
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| 35 | 35 | | (f) The coordinating board may adopt rules as necessary to |
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| 36 | 36 | | implement and enforce this section. |
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| 37 | 37 | | SECTION 2. This Act takes effect January 1, 2026. |
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