By Turner of Harris H.B. No. 3217 75R6710 JSA-D A BILL TO BE ENTITLED 1-1 AN ACT 1-2 relating to a study of the effects of racial and ethnic 1-3 discrimination on higher education in this state and on the 1-4 appropriateness of state measures to remedy those effects in 1-5 admissions and financial aid determinations. 1-6 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: 1-7 SECTION 1. STUDY ON RACIAL AND ETHNIC DISCRIMINATION IN 1-8 HIGHER EDUCATION. (a) The Texas Higher Education Coordinating 1-9 Board shall institute and coordinate a study of: 1-10 (1) the history of discrimination on the basis of 1-11 race, ethnicity, and language group by this state and public 1-12 institutions of higher education in this state, and the extent to 1-13 which this state and public institutions of higher education in 1-14 this state have tolerated or failed to take corrective or 1-15 preventive measures with respect to acts of discrimination by 1-16 others, including private individuals or entities, that affected 1-17 the opportunity of members of racial, ethnic, or language minority 1-18 groups to qualify for, attend, or succeed at institutions of higher 1-19 education in this state; 1-20 (2) whether and to what extent that discrimination 1-21 continues to affect the opportunity of all racial, ethnic, and 1-22 language groups to qualify for, have access to, attend, or succeed 1-23 at institutions of higher education on a fair and equitable basis 1-24 to a degree that is not the result of general societal 2-1 discrimination; and 2-2 (3) the extent to which admission, scholarship, and 2-3 financial aid policies that have been used by public institutions 2-4 of higher education in the last 10 years have been narrowly 2-5 tailored to remedy the present effects of past discrimination 2-6 identified under Subdivision (2) of this subsection. 2-7 (b) In conducting the study, the coordinating board may 2-8 appoint advisory or other committees to assist in planning, 2-9 conducting, or analyzing the study. A committee may include any 2-10 educators, experts, or other persons willing to serve. The 2-11 coordinating board may request the assistance of any state agency, 2-12 office, department, or institution. Each public institution of 2-13 higher education shall cooperate with the coordinating board in 2-14 conducting the study. 2-15 SECTION 2. REPORTS. The coordinating board shall report its 2-16 activities and the findings of the study to the governor, the 2-17 lieutenant governor, and the speaker of the house of 2-18 representatives not later than August 1, 1998. 2-19 SECTION 3. EXPIRATION DATE. This Act expires January 1, 2-20 1999. 2-21 SECTION 4. EMERGENCY. The importance of this legislation 2-22 and the crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an 2-23 emergency and an imperative public necessity that the 2-24 constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several 2-25 days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended, 2-26 and that this Act take effect and be in force from and after its 2-27 passage, and it is so enacted.