By Hudson                                             H.B. No. 1457
       74R5921 CLG-D
                                 A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
    1-1                                AN ACT
    1-2  relating to review of enforcement of the federal fair housing laws
    1-3  in this state.
    1-4        BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
    1-5        SECTION 1.  Subchapter E, Chapter 2306, Government Code, is
    1-6  amended by adding Section 2306.101 to read as follows:
    1-7        Sec. 2306.101.  REVIEW OF FAIR HOUSING LAWS.  (a)  The
    1-8  department, through the community affairs division, shall review:
    1-9              (1)  the extent to which violations of the federal fair
   1-10  housing laws exist in government subsidized housing in this state;
   1-11              (2)  the methods used by the federal government under
   1-12  those laws to remedy racial discrimination relating to the
   1-13  subsidized housing; and
   1-14              (3)  the effectiveness of those methods in remedying
   1-15  the discrimination.
   1-16        (b)  The department periodically shall report its findings to
   1-17  the attorney general.  The attorney general shall forward to the
   1-18  appropriate federal authorities any information contained in the
   1-19  findings that shows a lack of effective enforcement of the federal
   1-20  fair housing laws.  In addition, the attorney general shall send to
   1-21  the appropriate federal authorities recommendations to increase the
   1-22  effective enforcement of those laws in this state.
   1-23        SECTION 2.  The importance of this legislation and the
   1-24  crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an
    2-1  emergency and an imperative public necessity that the
    2-2  constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several
    2-3  days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended,
    2-4  and that this Act take effect and be in force from and after its
    2-5  passage, and it is so enacted.