Bill Text: TX SB1069 | 2025-2026 | 89th Legislature | Introduced
Bill Title: Relating to the procedure for resolving allegations of religious discrimination against a student at a public institution of higher education.
Sponsorship: Partisan Bill (Republican 1)
Status: (Introduced) 2025-04-16 - Left pending in committee [SB1069 Detail]
Download: Texas-2025-SB1069-Introduced.html
| By: Middleton | S.B. No. 1069 | |
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| relating to the procedure for resolving allegations of religious | ||
| discrimination against a student at a public institution of higher | ||
| education. | ||
| BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: | ||
| SECTION 1. Subchapter Z, Chapter 51, Education Code, is | ||
| amended by adding Sections 51.985 and 51.986 to read as follows: | ||
| Sec. 51.985. PROCEDURE FOR ALLEGATION OF RELIGIOUS | ||
| DISCRIMINATION AGAINST STUDENT. (a) In this section, "institution | ||
| of higher education" has the meaning assigned by Section 61.003. | ||
| (b) The president of an institution of higher education | ||
| shall investigate an allegation submitted to the institution that a | ||
| professor or instructor at the institution discriminated against a | ||
| student on the basis of religion. | ||
| (c) If the president of an institution of higher education | ||
| determines that a professor or instructor at the institution | ||
| discriminated against a student on the basis of religion, the | ||
| institution shall terminate the professor's or instructor's | ||
| employment. | ||
| (d) In investigating an allegation under this section, the | ||
| president of an institution of higher education shall ensure that | ||
| the professor or instructor is afforded appropriate due process. | ||
| The president shall use the standards and procedures prescribed by | ||
| institution policies to address other complaints of discrimination | ||
| by a professor or instructor at the institution to the extent | ||
| practicable. | ||
| Sec. 51.986. CONSERVATORSHIP OF DEPARTMENT. (a) If the | ||
| employment of a professor or instructor is terminated under Section | ||
| 51.985, the department under which the terminated professor or | ||
| instructor was employed shall be placed under the conservatorship | ||
| of the office of the president. | ||
| (b) The department shall be placed under conservatorship | ||
| for a time period of not less than 90 days, until the president | ||
| determines that there are no continuing risks of religious | ||
| discrimination against any student. | ||
| (c) The president may: | ||
| (1) investigate further risks of religious | ||
| discrimination against any student; | ||
| (2) require the adoption of certain policies by the | ||
| department to prevent further religious discrimination against any | ||
| student; and | ||
| (3) take any action necessary to prevent and remove | ||
| any risk of further religious discrimination against any student. | ||
| SECTION 2. Sections 51.985 and 51.986, Education Code, as | ||
| added by this Act, applies only to an allegation of religious | ||
| discrimination submitted to a public institution of higher | ||
| education on or after the effective date of this Act, regardless of | ||
| whether the conduct or act that is the subject of the allegation | ||
| occurred or was committed before, on, or after the effective date of | ||
| this Act. | ||
| SECTION 3. This Act takes effect September 1, 2025. | ||
