By Rangel                                             H.B. No. 1039
         76R2505 JSA-D                           
                                A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
 1-1                                   AN ACT
 1-2     relating to the appointment of members of the governing board of a
 1-3     state university or university system.
 1-4           BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
 1-5           SECTION 1.  The heading to Subchapter B, Chapter 51,
 1-6     Education Code, is amended to read as follows:
 1-7              SUBCHAPTER B.  PROVISIONS GOVERNING APPOINTMENTS
 1-8               TO GOVERNING BOARDS [GENERAL PROPERTY DEPOSITS:
 1-9                            INVESTMENT AND USES]
1-10           SECTION 2.  Subchapter B, Chapter 51, Education Code, is
1-11     amended by adding Sections 51.051, 51.052, 51.053, and 51.054 to
1-12     read as follows:
1-13           Sec. 51.051.  DEFINITIONS.  In this subchapter, "general
1-14     academic teaching institution," "governing board," "institution of
1-15     higher education," and "university system" have the meanings
1-16     assigned by Section 61.003.
1-17           Sec. 51.052.  REPRESENTATION OF ENTIRE STATE.  Appointments
1-18     to the governing board of a general academic teaching institution
1-19     or university system shall be made so that the board's membership
1-20     represents the geographic diversity of this state.
1-21           Sec. 51.053.  INELIGIBILITY OF FORMER STUDENT OR SPOUSE.  A
1-22     person is not eligible to serve on the governing board of a general
1-23     academic teaching institution or university system if the person or
1-24     the person's spouse attends or has attended as a student an
 2-1     institution of higher education under the governance of the
 2-2     governing body.
 2-3           Sec. 51.054.  INELIGIBILITY ON ACCOUNT OF POLITICAL
 2-4     CONTRIBUTIONS.  (a)  In this section, "candidate" and "political
 2-5     contribution" have the meanings assigned by Section 251.001,
 2-6     Election Code.
 2-7           (b)  A person is not eligible for appointment to the
 2-8     governing board of a general academic teaching institution or
 2-9     university system if in the preceding two years the person, the
2-10     person's spouse, or both the person and the person's spouse made
2-11     one or more political contributions in a total amount of $1,000 or
2-12     more to the person serving as governor at the time of the
2-13     appointment, including contributions made when the person serving
2-14     as governor was a candidate for public office.
2-15           (c)  Subsection (b) does not affect the eligibility of a
2-16     person serving on the governing board of a general academic
2-17     teaching institution or university system to continue serving if
2-18     the person was not ineligible for appointment to the governing
2-19     board under Subsection (b) on the date the person was appointed to
2-20     the board.
2-21           SECTION 3.  (a)  This Act takes effect September 1, 1999.
2-22           (b)  The change in law made by this Act does not affect the
2-23     eligibility of a person serving on the governing board of a general
2-24     academic teaching institution or university system on the effective
2-25     date of this Act for the remainder of the term of office being
2-26     served on that date.
2-27           SECTION 4.  The importance of this legislation and the
 3-1     crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an
 3-2     emergency and an imperative public necessity that the
 3-3     constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several
 3-4     days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended.