By:  Bailey                                           H.B. No. 1535
       73R5672 SOS-D
                                 A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
    1-1                                AN ACT
    1-2  relating to a prohibition against discouraging or prohibiting
    1-3  faculty members of public institutions of higher education from
    1-4  certain actions.
    1-5        BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
    1-6        SECTION 1.  Subchapter Z, Chapter 51, Education Code, is
    1-7  amended by adding Section 51.929 to read as follows:
    1-8        Sec. 51.929.  PROHIBITION AGAINST DISCOURAGING OR PROHIBITING
    1-9  FACULTY FROM CERTAIN ACTIONS.  (a)  An institution of higher
   1-10  education, a member of the governing board of an institution of
   1-11  higher education, or a member of the administrative staff of an
   1-12  institution of higher education may not directly or indirectly
   1-13  discourage or prohibit a faculty member of the institution from
   1-14  joining an organization or association or from participating in
   1-15  political affairs of the community or the government.
   1-16        (b)  The Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board shall
   1-17  enforce this section.
   1-18        (c)  In this section:
   1-19              (1)  "Faculty member" has the meaning assigned by
   1-20  Section 51.101 of this code.
   1-21              (2)  "Institution of higher education" has the meaning
   1-22  assigned by Section 61.003 of this code.
   1-23        SECTION 2.  Not later than October 1, 1993, the Texas Higher
   1-24  Education Coordinating Board shall notify the president of each
    2-1  public institution of higher education of the conduct prohibited by
    2-2  Section 51.929, Education Code, as added by this Act.
    2-3        SECTION 3.  This Act takes effect September 1, 1993.
    2-4        SECTION 4.  The importance of this legislation and the
    2-5  crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an
    2-6  emergency and an imperative public necessity that the
    2-7  constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several
    2-8  days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended.