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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to a study on certain declines in minority participation |
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at public institutions of higher education. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Subchapter C, Chapter 61, Education Code, is |
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amended by adding Section 61.0811 to read as follows: |
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Sec. 61.0811. STUDY AND REPORT ON CERTAIN DECLINES IN |
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MINORITY PARTICIPATION. (a) If the board collects data under |
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Section 61.080 indicating that an institution of higher education |
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has experienced a decline in applications, admissions, or retention |
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by members of a particular racial or ethnic minority group for each |
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of the three preceding academic years, the board shall conduct a |
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study to determine the reasons for the decline at the institution. |
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(b) The study must include a review of: |
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(1) the institution of higher education's recruitment |
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and outreach programs for members of the racial or ethnic minority |
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group; and |
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(2) any financial, academic, or other obstacles to |
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enrollment or attendance at the institution faced by prospective or |
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current students who are members of the racial or ethnic minority |
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group. |
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(c) Not later than September 1 of each year, the board shall |
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submit: |
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(1) to the legislature a report on the results of each |
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study conducted under this section during the preceding year that |
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includes any recommendations for legislative or other action to |
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increase participation in public higher education by members of the |
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racial or ethnic minority groups considered by those studies; and |
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(2) to the governing board of each institution of |
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higher education for which the board conducted a study under this |
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section during the preceding year a report on the results of the |
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study that includes any recommendations for changes to institution |
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policies or procedures or for other action to increase |
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participation by members of the racial or ethnic minority group at |
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the institution. |
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(d) The board shall adopt rules as necessary to implement |
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this section. |
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SECTION 2. Section 61.0811, Education Code, as added by |
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this Act, applies beginning with data collected on minority |
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participation in public higher education for the 2023-2024 academic |
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year. |
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SECTION 3. This Act takes effect immediately if it receives |
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a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as |
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provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution. If this |
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Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this |
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Act takes effect September 1, 2023. |