S.B. No. 525
                                        AN ACT
    1-1  relating to the purchase of agricultural products by a public
    1-2  institution of higher education.
    1-3        BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
    1-4        SECTION 1.  Subchapter Z, Chapter 51, Education Code, is
    1-5  amended by adding Section 51.940 to read as follows:
    1-6        Sec. 51.940.  PURCHASE OF AGRICULTURAL PRODUCTS.  (a)  An
    1-7  institution of higher education that purchases agricultural
    1-8  products shall give first preference to products grown, produced,
    1-9  or processed in this state if the cost to the institution and the
   1-10  quality of the products are equal to the cost and quality of other
   1-11  available products.
   1-12        (b)  An institution of higher education shall ensure that bid
   1-13  specifications used by the institution in connection with the
   1-14  purchase of agricultural products do not preclude or discourage the
   1-15  purchase of agricultural products grown, produced, or processed in
   1-16  this state.
   1-17        (c)  In this section, "institution of higher education" has
   1-18  the meaning assigned by Section 61.003.
   1-19        SECTION 2.  This Act takes effect September 1, 1995.
   1-20        SECTION 3.  The importance of this legislation and the
   1-21  crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an
   1-22  emergency and an imperative public necessity that the
   1-23  constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several
   1-24  days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended.