1-1     By Maxey                                              H.B. No. 2146

 1-2     75R2107 JSA-D                           

 1-3                                   AN ACT

 1-4     relating to studying minority participation in public higher

 1-5     education.

 1-6           BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:

 1-7           SECTION 1.  Subchapter C, Chapter 61, Education Code, is

 1-8     amended by adding Section 61.080 to read as follows:

 1-9           Sec. 61.080.  CONTINUING STUDY OF MINORITY PARTICIPATION IN

1-10     HIGHER EDUCATION.  (a)  The board shall collect data and maintain a

1-11     database relating to the participation of members of racial,

1-12     ethnic, and language minority groups in this state in public higher

1-13     education, including data relating to minority applications,

1-14     recruitment, admissions, retention, graduation, and professional

1-15     licensing at both the undergraduate and graduate levels.

1-16           (b)  The board shall maintain a continuous study of the data

1-17     collected under Subsection (a) and of factors affecting that data.

1-18           SECTION 2.  (a)  The Texas Higher Education Coordinating

1-19     Board shall institute and coordinate a study of the effects of

1-20     recent actions on the rates at which members of racial, ethnic, and

1-21     language minority groups in this state apply for or are admitted to

1-22     public institutions of higher education in this state.

1-23           (b)  The study shall consider any factors the coordinating

1-24     board can identify that may have affected or be affecting those

1-25     application and admission rates, including:

1-26                 (1)  recent legal developments, including the 1996

1-27     decision of the U.S. 5th Circuit Court of Appeals in Hopwood v.

1-28     State;

1-29                 (2)  recent changes in application or student

1-30     recruiting procedures by public institutions of higher education;

1-31     and

1-32                 (3)  recent changes in admissions standards or

1-33     practices at public institutions of higher education.

 2-1           (c)  The study shall include recommendations for legislative

 2-2     or administrative actions that may be taken to encourage or achieve

 2-3     greater participation by members of racial, ethnic, and language

 2-4     minority groups in higher education in this state.

 2-5           (d)  In conducting the study, the coordinating board may

 2-6     appoint advisory or other committees  to assist in planning,

 2-7     conducting, or analyzing the study.  A committee may include any

 2-8     educators, experts, or other persons willing to serve.  The

 2-9     coordinating board may request the assistance of any state agency,

2-10     office, department, or institution. Each public institution of

2-11     higher education shall cooperate with the board in conducting the

2-12     study.

2-13           (e)  The coordinating board shall report its activities and

2-14     the findings of the study to the  governor, the lieutenant

2-15     governor, and the speaker of the house of representatives not later

2-16     than December 1, 1998.

2-17           (f)  This section expires January 1, 1999.

2-18           SECTION 3.  The importance of this legislation and the

2-19     crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an

2-20     emergency and an imperative public necessity that the

2-21     constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several

2-22     days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended,

2-23     and that this Act take effect and be in force from and after its

2-24     passage, and it is so enacted.