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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to requiring certain disclosures as part of certain |
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applications for employment or an internship at a state agency or |
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the legislature. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Subchapter A, Chapter 656, Government Code, is |
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amended by adding Section 656.0011 to read as follows: |
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Sec. 656.0011. REQUIRED DISCLOSURES FOR CERTAIN EMPLOYMENT |
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OR INTERNSHIPS AT STATE AGENCIES AND LEGISLATURE. (a) In this |
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section, "state agency" has the meaning assigned by Section |
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656.021. |
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(b) A state agency or legislature shall require a student |
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enrolled at a public higher education institution or who graduated |
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from an institution of higher education during the preceding five |
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years and who applies for an employee or intern position at the |
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state institution or agency to disclose as part of the application |
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whether the applicant has: |
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(1) ever been accused of or found to have violated the |
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institution's student code of conduct for engaging in conduct that |
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constitutes an offense under: |
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(A) Chapter 19 (criminal homicide), Penal Code; |
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(B) Section 21.11 (indecency with a child), |
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22.011 (sexual assault), 22.012 (indecent assault), 22.021 |
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(aggravated sexual assault), or 25.02 (prohibited sexual conduct), |
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Penal Code; |
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(C) Section 22.01 (assault) or 22.02 (aggravated |
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assault), Penal Code; |
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(D) Section 28.02 (arson), 28.03 (criminal |
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mischief), or 28.08 (graffiti), Penal Code; |
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(E) Section 29.02 (robbery) or 29.03 (aggravated |
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robbery), Penal Code; |
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(F) Section 42.072 (stalking), Penal Code; or |
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(G) an offense under the laws of another state or |
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federal law that is equivalent to an offense described by Paragraph |
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(A), (B), (C), (D), (E), or (F); |
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(2) ever been arrested for or convicted of an offense |
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described by Subdivision (1); |
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(3) within the preceding five years, been the subject |
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of or respondent to an investigation or disciplinary action under |
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Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972 (20 U.S.C. Section 1681 |
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et seq.) related to sexual misconduct; and |
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(4) ever, for reasons other than academic performance, |
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been suspended or expelled from an institution of higher education |
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or a private institution of higher education. |
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(c) A person who fails to disclose or falsely discloses |
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information required under Subsection (b) may be: |
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(1) disqualified from further consideration for the |
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position; or |
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(2) if employed, terminated from employment. |
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(d) Information disclosed under Subsection (b) is |
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confidential and not subject to disclosure under Chapter 552, |
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Government Code. |
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(e) The Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts shall: |
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(1) adopt rules as necessary to administer this |
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section; and |
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(2) in coordination with institutions of higher |
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education, develop guidelines for verifying the information |
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disclosed under Subsection (b). |
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SECTION 2. Section 656.0011, Government Code, as added by |
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this Act, applies beginning with applications for an employee or |
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intern position posted by a state agency or legislature on or after |
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November 1, 2025. |
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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, 2025. |