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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to the creation of the Advisory Council on Cultural |
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Affairs in the office of the governor. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Subtitle E, Title 4, Government Code, is amended |
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by adding Chapter 470 to read as follows: |
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CHAPTER 470. ADVISORY COUNCIL ON CULTURAL AFFAIRS |
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Sec. 470.001. DEFINITIONS. In this chapter: |
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(1) "Council" means the Advisory Council on Cultural |
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Affairs. |
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(2) "State agency" includes an institution of higher |
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education as defined by Section 61.003, Education Code. |
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Sec. 470.002. ESTABLISHMENT. The Advisory Council on |
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Cultural Affairs is established in the office of the governor to |
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advise the office on furthering the economic, social, legal, and |
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political contributions and equality of the Hispanic population of |
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this state. |
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Sec. 470.003. COMPOSITION; TERMS. (a) The council is |
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composed of nine members appointed as follows: |
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(1) one ex officio member of the legislature appointed |
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by the speaker of the house of representatives; |
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(2) one ex officio member of the legislature appointed |
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by the lieutenant governor; and |
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(3) seven members appointed by the governor. |
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(b) Members appointed by the speaker of the house and the |
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lieutenant governor serve two-year terms. Members appointed by the |
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governor serve four-year staggered terms, with either three or four |
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members' terms expiring February 1 of each odd-numbered year. |
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(c) In making appointments to the council, the appointing |
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officials shall attempt to achieve geographic representation of the |
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Hispanic population from all areas of the state. |
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(d) The governor shall designate the chair and vice chair of |
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the council from among the members of the council. |
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Sec. 470.004. MEETINGS. The council shall meet at least |
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quarterly each fiscal year. The council may hold meetings by |
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conference call. |
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Sec. 470.005. COMPENSATION. A member of the council is not |
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entitled to compensation or reimbursement of expenses incurred in |
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performing council duties. |
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Sec. 470.006. DUTIES. The council shall: |
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(1) monitor existing programs and legislation |
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designed to meet the needs of the Hispanic population; |
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(2) serve as a liaison between the Hispanic community |
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and the office of the governor and other governmental entities; |
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(3) facilitate meetings with the Hispanic Caucus of |
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the senate, the Mexican American Legislative Caucus of the house of |
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representatives, and the office of the governor to address the |
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legislative needs of the Hispanic population; |
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(4) assist the secretary of state in inviting public |
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and business leaders from Spanish-speaking countries to the state; |
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(5) recommend Hispanics to serve on appointed state |
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boards and commissions; |
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(6) work with the state demographer to assess the |
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demographic indicators and milestones of the Hispanic population; |
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(7) collaborate with business organizations, |
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stakeholders, and the Texas Workforce Commission to review state |
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and local policies that affect business creation and expansion in |
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order to develop policy recommendations for: |
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(A) streamlining or eliminating unnecessary |
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barriers to business creation, retention, and expansion in order to |
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develop greater entrepreneurship opportunities that will benefit |
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the Hispanic population and Hispanic-owned businesses in high-need |
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areas; |
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(B) creating a better business climate to |
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increase job creation, retention, and expansion opportunities for |
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small and Hispanic-owned businesses; |
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(C) assisting in revitalizing the industrial, |
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manufacturing, and high technology sectors of the state's economy |
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to better address the needs of the Hispanic workforce; and |
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(D) strengthening employment opportunities to |
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more effectively increase participation of Hispanics in |
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well-paying jobs and lower the unemployment rate within the |
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Hispanic population; |
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(8) analyze the employment policies and practices of |
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employers in the public and private sectors in order to develop |
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recommendations on improving equal opportunity and treatment for |
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the Hispanic population and other minorities in employment; |
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(9) evaluate the development of methods and |
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initiatives to assure fuller employment options and greater |
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employment opportunities for Hispanics; |
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(10) work with the education community and the private |
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sector to develop appropriate recommendations and initiatives |
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relating to the following goals: |
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(A) retaining Hispanic students in public |
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schools by decreasing the dropout rate; |
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(B) closing the education achievement gap; |
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(C) furthering the accomplishments of Hispanics |
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enrolled in institutions of higher education; |
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(D) increasing work-study, mentorship, and |
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financial assistance for Hispanic students; |
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(E) informing Hispanics about nontraditional |
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education and employment opportunities; and |
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(F) evaluating programs designed to provide |
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equal educational opportunities to the Hispanic population, as |
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mandated by state and federal law; |
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(11) review licensing and regulation requirements in |
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the state in order to: |
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(A) determine the effect of those requirements on |
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the Hispanic population's ability to enter into chosen occupations |
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and to compete in the free market; and |
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(B) develop recommendations to eliminate |
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burdensome licensing requirements that negatively affect job |
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growth and creation within the Hispanic community and other |
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constituencies; |
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(12) work with health and medical experts in the |
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private sector and at institutions of higher education to identify |
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pressing fundamental health concerns of the Hispanic population; |
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(13) address equal treatment of the Hispanic |
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population in the educational, judicial, and health systems by: |
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(A) analyzing the application to the Hispanic |
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population of the laws of this state that govern those systems; |
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(B) monitoring the implementation of laws that |
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affect the legal rights and duties of the Hispanic population; and |
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(C) educating members of the Hispanic population |
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about their legal rights and duties; and |
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(14) study and research any other related matter of |
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importance to the council or the governor. |
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Sec. 470.007. RECOMMENDATIONS. (a) The council shall |
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submit a report of the council's recommendations to the governor, |
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lieutenant governor, and speaker of the house of representatives |
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not later than October 1 of each even-numbered year. |
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(b) The council shall include in the report recommendations |
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about: |
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(1) the status and funding of state programs designed |
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to address the needs of the Hispanic population; and |
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(2) reforms, policies, and statutory changes to |
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further the economic, social, legal, and political contributions of |
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Hispanics in the state. |
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Sec. 470.008. EXEMPTION. Chapter 2110 does not apply to the |
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council. |
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Sec. 470.009. ASSISTANCE OF STATE AGENCIES. State agencies |
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and political subdivisions of this state shall cooperate with the |
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council to the greatest extent practicable to fully implement the |
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council's statutory duties. |
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SECTION 2. Not later than October 1, 2015, the speaker of |
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the house of representatives, the lieutenant governor, and the |
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governor shall appoint the members of the Advisory Council on |
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Cultural Affairs established by Chapter 470, Government Code, as |
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added by this Act. In appointing the initial members of the |
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council, the governor shall appoint three persons to terms expiring |
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February 1, 2017, and four to terms expiring February 1, 2019. |
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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, 2015. |