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.