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• Chloe Latham Sikes• Knowledge is Power • February 16, 2023 •

HB 45/SB 248 – This bill would make ethnic studies, including African American Studies, an option to fulfill high school social studies course requirements. Rep. Christina Morales authored this bill, with a companion Senate bill by Sen. Carol Alvarado.

HB 368 – This bill by Rep. Jarvis Johnson would create an African American Studies Advisory Board to the State Board of Education comprised of experts.

HB 567 – This bill models the national proposal for the CROWN Act, which would end racially and culturally discriminatory dress and hair codes in schools. Authored by Rep. Rhetta Bowers, the CROWN Act affirms Black students’ hair textures and styles, as well as students’ cultural and religious expressions.

HB 1935 – This bill requires the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board to study best practices for recruiting, retaining and advancing Black students, as well as other students from historically-marginalized racial and ethnic groups, in STEM fields in higher education. Minority-serving institutions, such as Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs), would be eligible for a grant program to implement best practices from the study.

SB 194 – Authored by Sen. Borris Miles, this bill would establish the Texas African American Heritage Commission. The Commission would identify, preserve, and spread awareness about historical sites reflecting Texas’ African American heritage.

SB 667 – This bill by Sen. Royce West would establish a program to commemorate the grave sites of Texas’ Black Legislators who served during Reconstruction, between 1870 and 1875.

Texas’ Black History is an essential part of our state and national history. Stay tuned about these proposals and legislative updates on IDRA’s website.

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[©2023, IDRA. This article originally appeared in the February 16, 2023, edition of Knowledge is Power by the Intercultural Development Research Association. Permission to reproduce this article is granted provided the article is reprinted in its entirety and proper credit is given to IDRA and the author.]