By Turner of Harris H.B. No. 2685 74R6705 CAG-D A BILL TO BE ENTITLED 1-1 AN ACT 1-2 relating to the prohibition of the practice of redlining by a 1-3 governmental body or a person licensed by a licensing agency. 1-4 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: 1-5 SECTION 1. In this Act: 1-6 (1) "Governmental body" means the state, a political 1-7 subdivision of the state, or a department, commission, board, 1-8 office, or other agency of the state or political subdivision. 1-9 (2) "License" includes a license, certificate, 1-10 registration, permit, or other authorization required by law or 1-11 state agency rule that a person must obtain to: 1-12 (A) engage in a profession or occupation; or 1-13 (B) sell a regulated commodity. 1-14 (3) "Licensing agency" means a department, commission, 1-15 board, office, or other agency in the executive or judicial branch 1-16 of state government that issues or renews a license either directly 1-17 or through a private entity. 1-18 (4) "Redlining" means the practice of denying a 1-19 service, commodity, good, or other thing of value or failing to 1-20 offer a service, commodity, good, or other thing of value to a 1-21 person solely because of the person's age, color, disability, 1-22 marital status, sex, national origin, race, religion, medical 1-23 condition, or residence in a specific geographic area. 1-24 SECTION 2. A governmental body, licensing agency, or a 2-1 person holding a license issued by a licensing agency may not 2-2 participate in, engage in, allow, or sanction the practice of 2-3 redlining. 2-4 SECTION 3. A licensing agency shall, not later than January 2-5 1, 1996, adopt rules or procedures that: 2-6 (1) eliminate the practice of redlining practiced by 2-7 the agency; 2-8 (2) describe any prohibited practice of redlining in 2-9 which a license holder may not engage; and 2-10 (3) require a license holder to report to the agency 2-11 any practice of redlining known to the license holder related to 2-12 the service, good, commodity or other thing of value offered by the 2-13 license holder. 2-14 SECTION 4. The importance of this legislation and the 2-15 crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an 2-16 emergency and an imperative public necessity that the 2-17 constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several 2-18 days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended, 2-19 and that this Act take effect and be in force from and after its 2-20 passage, and it is so enacted.