By Maxey, Dukes H.B. No. 2146 A BILL TO BE ENTITLED 1-1 AN ACT 1-2 relating to studying minority participation in public higher 1-3 education. 1-4 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: 1-5 SECTION 1. Subchapter C, Chapter 61, Education Code, is 1-6 amended by adding Section 61.080 to read as follows: 1-7 Sec. 61.080. CONTINUING STUDY OF MINORITY PARTICIPATION IN 1-8 HIGHER EDUCATION. (a) The board shall collect data and maintain a 1-9 database relating to the participation of members of racial and 1-10 ethnic minority groups in this state in public higher education, 1-11 including data relating to minority applications, recruitment, 1-12 admissions, retention, graduation, and professional licensing at 1-13 both the undergraduate and graduate levels. 1-14 (b) The board shall maintain a continuous study of the data 1-15 collected under Subsection (a) and of factors affecting that data. 1-16 SECTION 2. (a) The Texas Higher Education Coordinating 1-17 Board shall institute and coordinate a study of the effects of 1-18 recent actions on the rates at which members of racial and ethnic 1-19 minority groups in this state apply for or are admitted to public 1-20 institutions of higher education in this state. 1-21 (b) The study shall consider any factors the coordinating 1-22 board can identify that may have affected or be affecting those 1-23 application and admission rates, including: 1-24 (1) recent legal developments, including the 1996 2-1 decision of the U.S. 5th Circuit Court of Appeals in Hopwood v. 2-2 State; 2-3 (2) recent changes in application or student 2-4 recruiting procedures by public institutions of higher education; 2-5 and 2-6 (3) recent changes in admissions standards or 2-7 practices at public institutions of higher education. 2-8 (c) The study shall include recommendations for legislative 2-9 or administrative actions that may be taken to encourage or achieve 2-10 greater participation by members of racial and ethnic minority 2-11 groups in higher education in this state. 2-12 (d) In conducting the study, the coordinating board may 2-13 appoint advisory or other committees to assist in planning, 2-14 conducting, or analyzing the study. A committee may include any 2-15 educators, experts, or other persons willing to serve. The 2-16 coordinating board may request the assistance of any state agency, 2-17 office, department, or institution. Each public institution of 2-18 higher education shall cooperate with the board in conducting the 2-19 study. 2-20 (e) The coordinating board shall report its activities and 2-21 the findings of the study to the governor, the lieutenant 2-22 governor, and the speaker of the house of representatives not later 2-23 than December 1, 1998. 2-24 (f) This section expires January 1, 1999. 2-25 SECTION 3. The importance of this legislation and the 2-26 crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an 2-27 emergency and an imperative public necessity that the 3-1 constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several 3-2 days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended, 3-3 and that this Act take effect and be in force from and after its 3-4 passage, and it is so enacted.