By Wilson                                             H.B. No. 2091
         76R6170 JSA-D                           
                                A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
 1-1                                   AN ACT
 1-2     relating to the governance of Texas Southern University.
 1-3           BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
 1-4           SECTION 1.  Subchapter B, Chapter 106, Education Code, is
 1-5     amended by adding Section 106.111 to read as follows:
 1-6           Sec. 106.111.  BOARD ABOLISHED; INTERIM GOVERNING COMMITTEE.
 1-7     (a)  The board of regents of Texas Southern University is
 1-8     abolished, and the governor shall appoint an interim governing
 1-9     committee of five persons in accordance with this section.
1-10           (b)  Each member of the interim governing committee must have
1-11     legal residence in a different State Board of Education district,
1-12     must be a registered voter, and may not hold any other state or
1-13     local civil office.  Members shall qualify by taking the
1-14     constitutional oath of office.  The governor may not appoint to the
1-15     committee more than two persons who are members of the board of
1-16     regents on the effective date of this section.  Members of the
1-17     interim governing committee are subject to any law applicable to
1-18     members of the board of regents.
1-19           (c)  The speaker of the house of representatives and the
1-20     lieutenant governor shall each submit to the governor the names of
1-21     three nominees to the interim governing committee.  The governor
1-22     shall appoint to the interim governing committee at least one
1-23     person from each set of nominees in addition to appointing three
1-24     other persons.  The speaker and lieutenant governor shall make
 2-1     those nominations, and the governor shall make those appointments,
 2-2     as soon as possible after the effective date of this section.
 2-3           (d)  The terms of the members of the board of regents of
 2-4     Texas Southern University serving on the effective date of this
 2-5     section expire on the date of the first meeting of the interim
 2-6     governing committee.  The governor shall designate one member of
 2-7     the interim governing committee as presiding officer, and the
 2-8     presiding officer shall call that first meeting as soon as possible
 2-9     after a quorum of the committee has qualified.
2-10           (e)  The interim governing committee has all the powers and
2-11     duties given by law to the board of regents.  The appointment of
2-12     the interim governing committee does not affect the validity of any
2-13     action taken by or pursuant to the direction of the board of
2-14     regents before the date on which the terms of the members of the
2-15     board expire.  Rules adopted by the board remain in effect until
2-16     superseded by rules of the interim governing committee or a
2-17     subsequent board of regents.
2-18           (f)  The terms of the governor's appointees under this
2-19     section expire February 1, 2003.  On the expiration of those terms,
2-20     the governor shall appoint a board of regents for Texas Southern
2-21     University in accordance with this subchapter.  Members of the
2-22     interim governing committee are eligible for appointment to the
2-23     board of regents.  In appointing the initial board under this
2-24     subsection, the governor shall designate appropriate terms of
2-25     office so that the expiration of terms are staggered as required by
2-26     Section 106.12.
2-27           (g)  This section expires September 1, 2003.
 3-1           SECTION 2.  Section 106.13, Education Code, is amended to
 3-2     read as follows:
 3-3           Sec. 106.13.  QUALIFICATIONS; OATH.  Each member of the board
 3-4     shall be a qualified voter of the state. Each member must have
 3-5     legal residence in a different State Board of Education district.
 3-6     A member may not hold any other state or local civil office.  [The
 3-7     members shall be selected from different portions of the state.]
 3-8     Each member shall take the constitutional oath of office.
 3-9           SECTION 3.  The importance of this legislation and the
3-10     crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an
3-11     emergency and an imperative public necessity that the
3-12     constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several
3-13     days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended,
3-14     and that this Act take effect and be in force from and after its
3-15     passage, and it is so enacted.