By Ehrhardt                                            H.B. No. 363
         76R2392 PB-D                           
                                A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
 1-1                                   AN ACT
 1-2     relating to employment discrimination by school districts.
 1-3           BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
 1-4           SECTION 1.  Subchapter B, Chapter 21, Labor Code, is amended
 1-5     by adding Section 21.0515 to read as follows:
 1-6           Sec. 21.0515.  DISCRIMINATION BY EMPLOYER WHO IS SCHOOL
 1-7     DISTRICT.  (a)  In this section, "sexual orientation" means
 1-8     homosexual, bisexual, or heterosexual orientation, real or
 1-9     perceived, as manifested by identity, acts, statements, or
1-10     associations.
1-11           (b)  An employer who is a school district commits an unlawful
1-12     employment practice if because of race, color, disability,
1-13     religion, sex, national origin, age, or sexual orientation the
1-14     employer:
1-15                 (1)  fails or refuses to hire an individual, discharges
1-16     an individual, or discriminates in any other manner against an
1-17     individual in connection with compensation  or the terms,
1-18     conditions, or privileges of employment; or
1-19                 (2)  limits, segregates, or classifies an employee or
1-20     applicant for employment in a manner that would deprive or tend to
1-21     deprive an individual of any employment opportunity  or adversely
1-22     affect in any other manner the status of an employee.
1-23           SECTION 2.  This Act takes effect September 1, 1999.
1-24           SECTION 3.  The importance of this legislation and the
 2-1     crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an
 2-2     emergency and an imperative public necessity that the
 2-3     constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several
 2-4     days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended.