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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to municipal diversity, equity, and inclusion |
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initiatives. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Subtitle A, Title 5, Local Government Code, is |
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amended by adding Chapter 148 to read as follows: |
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CHAPTER 148. PROHIBITION ON MUNICIPAL DIVERSITY, EQUITY, AND |
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INCLUSION INITIATIVES |
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Sec. 148.001. DEFINITIONS. In this chapter: |
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(1) "Diversity, equity, and inclusion initiative" |
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means an initiative that: |
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(A) is based on the belief that identity |
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classifications are central to understanding social, professional, |
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and political disparities; |
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(B) requires, encourages, or otherwise promotes |
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organizational practices such as employee hiring and promotion, |
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resource allocation, or policy formulation to achieve proportional |
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representation of identity classification groups or to eliminate |
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perceived systemic differences between them; or |
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(C) otherwise promotes discriminatory treatment |
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of a person on the basis of the person's identity classification. |
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(2) "Identity classification" means a classification |
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of a person based on the race, color, religion, national origin, |
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sex, age, disability status, medical history, pregnancy status, |
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sexual orientation, genetic information, gender identity, or |
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ethnicity of the person. |
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Sec. 148.002. PROHIBITION ON MUNICIPAL SPENDING OF PUBLIC |
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MONEY ON DIVERSITY, EQUITY, AND INCLUSION INITIATIVES. Except as |
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required by federal law, a municipality may not spend public money |
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or provide compensation in any manner to directly or indirectly: |
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(1) fund a department, program, office, or committee, |
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or pay compensation to a person associated with a department, |
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program, office, or committee, that is focused on formulating, |
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promoting, or implementing a diversity, equity, and inclusion |
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initiative; or |
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(2) hire or contract with an independent vendor or |
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contractor to formulate, promote, or implement a diversity, equity, |
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and inclusion initiative. |
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Sec. 148.003. DIVERSITY, EQUITY, AND INCLUSION INITIATIVES |
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AFFECTING MUNICIPAL OFFICERS AND EMPLOYEES. Except as required by |
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federal law, the governing body of a municipality may not: |
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(1) adopt or enforce an ordinance, regulation, or |
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other measure that: |
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(A) implements or advocates for a diversity, |
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equity, and inclusion initiative; or |
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(B) seeks to discriminate on the basis of |
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identity classification; or |
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(2) discriminate on the basis of identity |
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classification in adopting or implementing organizational |
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practices. |
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Sec. 148.004. ENFORCEMENT. A person may bring an action to |
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enjoin a violation under this chapter in a district court if the |
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person has been discriminated against on the basis of one or more of |
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the person's identity classifications in a manner that violates |
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this chapter. |
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SECTION 2. This Act takes effect September 1, 2025. |