By:  Hunter, Bob                                       H.B. No. 371
       73R2543 SOS-D
                                 A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
    1-1                                AN ACT
    1-2  relating to the protection of buildings and grounds at private
    1-3  institutions of higher education.
    1-4        BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
    1-5        SECTION 1.  Section 51.212, Education Code, is amended by
    1-6  adding Subsection (c) to read as follows:
    1-7        (c)  In this section, "private institution of higher
    1-8  education" has the meaning assigned by Section 61.302 of this code.
    1-9        SECTION 2.  Section 51.215, Education Code, is amended by
   1-10  amending Subsection (a) and adding Subsection (e) to read as
   1-11  follows:
   1-12        (a)  An institution of higher education<, as defined in
   1-13  Section 61.003 of this code, or a private institution of higher
   1-14  education that is accredited by the Commission on Colleges of the
   1-15  Southern Association of Colleges and Schools,> is entitled to
   1-16  obtain criminal history record information pertaining to an
   1-17  applicant for employment for a security-sensitive position.  The
   1-18  institution of higher education may deny employment to an applicant
   1-19  for a security-sensitive position who fails to provide a complete
   1-20  set of fingerprints upon request.
   1-21        (e)  In this section, "institution of higher education"
   1-22  means:
   1-23              (1)  an institution of higher education, as defined by
   1-24  Section 61.003 of this code; and
    2-1              (2)  a private institution of higher education, as
    2-2  defined by Section 61.302 of this code.
    2-3        SECTION 3.  The importance of this legislation and the
    2-4  crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an
    2-5  emergency and an imperative public necessity that the
    2-6  constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several
    2-7  days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended,
    2-8  and that this Act take effect and be in force from and after its
    2-9  passage, and it is so enacted.