By Wilson                                              H.B. No. 184

      75R1942 CAG-D                           

                                A BILL TO BE ENTITLED

 1-1                                   AN ACT

 1-2     relating to requiring the editorial governing boards and staff of

 1-3     student publications at public institutions of higher education to

 1-4     reflect the diversity of this state.

 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 51.955 to read as follows:

 1-8           Sec. 51.955.  EDITORIAL GOVERNING BOARDS AND STAFF OF STUDENT

 1-9     PUBLICATIONS.  (a)  The editorial governing board and staff of each

1-10     student publication of an institution of higher education must

1-11     reflect the racial and ethnic diversity of this state.

1-12           (b)  Each institution of higher education shall adopt rules

1-13     to implement and enforce this section.

1-14           (c)  In this section, "institution of higher education" has

1-15     the meaning assigned by Section 61.003.

1-16           SECTION 2.  This Act takes effect September 1, 1997.

1-17           SECTION 3.  Not later than November 1, 1997, each institution

1-18     of higher education shall adopt initial rules required by

1-19     Section 51.955, Education Code, as added by this Act.

1-20           SECTION 4.  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.