Bill Text: TX HB4572 | 2023-2024 | 88th Legislature | Introduced
Bill Title: Relating to the creation of the Religious Freedom Commission.
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Republican 1-0)
Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2023-03-22 - Referred to State Affairs [HB4572 Detail]
Download: Texas-2023-HB4572-Introduced.html
| 88R14005 JON-D | ||
| By: Oliverson | H.B. No. 4572 | |
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| relating to the creation of the Religious Freedom Commission. | ||
| BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: | ||
| SECTION 1. Subtitle D, Title 4, Government Code, is amended | ||
| by adding Chapter 452 to read as follows: | ||
| CHAPTER 452. RELIGIOUS FREEDOM COMMISSION | ||
| SUBCHAPTER A. GENERAL PROVISIONS | ||
| Sec. 452.001. DEFINITION. In this chapter, "commission" | ||
| means the Religious Freedom Commission. | ||
| Sec. 452.002. ESTABLISHMENT. (a) The commission is | ||
| established within the office of the governor. | ||
| (b) Chapter 2110 does not apply to the commission. | ||
| SUBCHAPTER B. COMPOSITION AND MEETINGS | ||
| Sec. 452.051. COMPOSITION OF COMMISSION. (a) The governor | ||
| shall appoint seven members to the commission. | ||
| (b) A member of the commission must be a resident of this | ||
| state. | ||
| (c) The commission must include members who: | ||
| (1) have demonstrated a significant interest in and | ||
| are knowledgeable about issues related to religious liberty; or | ||
| (2) have served prominently as leaders of or | ||
| spokespersons for organizations that serve members of religious | ||
| communities, including the Christian, Hindu, Jewish, and Muslim | ||
| communities. | ||
| Sec. 452.052. TERMS. (a) Commission members serve | ||
| staggered six-year terms with the terms of approximately one-third | ||
| of the members expiring February 1 of each odd-numbered year. | ||
| (b) Commission members are eligible for reappointment to | ||
| another term or part of a term. | ||
| (c) The governor shall fill any vacancy in a position on the | ||
| commission for the unexpired portion of the term. | ||
| Sec. 452.053. PRESIDING OFFICER. The governor shall | ||
| designate a member of the commission as presiding officer of the | ||
| commission to serve in that capacity at the pleasure of the | ||
| governor. | ||
| Sec. 452.054. COMPENSATION; EXPENSES. A member of the | ||
| commission is not entitled to compensation but is entitled to | ||
| reimbursement for the travel expenses incurred by the member while | ||
| transacting commission business, as provided by the General | ||
| Appropriations Act. | ||
| Sec. 452.055. MEETINGS; QUORUM. (a) The commission shall | ||
| meet at least quarterly at the times and places in this state the | ||
| commission designates. | ||
| (b) Four members of the commission constitute a quorum for | ||
| transacting commission business. | ||
| SUBCHAPTER C. DUTIES | ||
| Sec. 452.071. DUTIES OF COMMISSION. The commission shall: | ||
| (1) advance the right to freedom of religion within | ||
| this state, denounce violations of that right, and recommend | ||
| appropriate responses by the legislature to the violations; | ||
| (2) identify system-level challenges and solutions | ||
| relating to religious liberty for all faith communities; | ||
| (3) serve as a principal advisor to the governor | ||
| regarding matters affecting religious freedom within this state; | ||
| (4) make recommendations regarding: | ||
| (A) local and state policies that violate freedom | ||
| of religion or that fail to ensure the individual's right to | ||
| religious belief and practice; | ||
| (B) policies that advance the right to freedom of | ||
| religion in this state; and | ||
| (C) strategies to address and prevent | ||
| faith-related bias incidents; and | ||
| (5) engage in education, advocacy, and outreach | ||
| efforts to promote understanding and awareness of the importance of | ||
| religious liberty. | ||
| SUBCHAPTER D. SUPPORT AND FUNDING | ||
| Sec. 452.072. SUPPORT. The office of the governor shall | ||
| provide administrative support, including staff, to the | ||
| commission. | ||
| Sec. 452.073. FUNDING. (a) The commission may accept gifts | ||
| and grants from a public or private source on behalf of the | ||
| commission for the commission to use in performing the duties | ||
| assigned to the commission under this chapter. | ||
| (b) All legislative appropriations to support the functions | ||
| and activities of the commission shall be made as part of the office | ||
| of the governor's legislative appropriations request process and | ||
| disbursed to the commission. | ||
| SECTION 2. As soon as practicable after the effective date | ||
| of this Act, the governor shall appoint members to the Religious | ||
| Freedom Commission as provided by Chapter 452, Government Code, as | ||
| added by this Act. To implement the staggering of terms of members | ||
| of the commission provided by Section 452.052, Government Code, as | ||
| added by this Act, in making the first appointments to the | ||
| commission, the governor shall provide for two of the members to | ||
| serve terms expiring February 1, 2025, two of the members to serve | ||
| terms expiring February 1, 2027, and three of the members to serve | ||
| terms expiring February 1, 2029. Subsequent appointments shall be | ||
| for six-year terms, as provided by Section 452.052, Government | ||
| Code, as added by this Act. | ||
| SECTION 3. This Act takes effect September 1, 2023. | ||
