Monitoring the Session

SB 579

bill exempts privately funded scholarships from the DEI limits

Died in committee

Verdict: No flags

No flagsInitial review
Sen. Royce WestDSenate 23

Initial review · graded Oct 20, 2026 · Headline, summary and grade are analysis of the bill text, not a finding about any person · How we grade

Caption

relating to an exemption from certain requirements regarding diversity, equity, or inclusion initiatives for certain scholarships provided by public institutions of higher education.

Caption from analyzed text · version I.

Summary

Private-money scholarships run outside the rule, criteria included.

The bill adds privately funded scholarships to the list of things that Texas's existing limits on diversity, equity, or inclusion activity at public colleges do not cover. It reaches scholarships paid for with private money held in trust by or endowed to a public college or its affiliated foundation. As a result, those private-money scholarships could be run outside the existing rule, including on criteria that rule would otherwise restrict.

Labels

Labels: NEVER GOT A HEARING. Filed Dec 13, 2024 and referred to the Senate Education K-16 committee. No public hearing. The bill died.

Receipt

The receipt

89R-SB579 · 2024-12-13

SOLD BY

Sen. Royce WestDSenate 23

ITEM

relating to an exemption from certain requirements regarding diversity, equity, or inclusion initiatives for certain scholarships provided by public institutions of higher education.

WHAT IT DOES

Private-money scholarships run outside the rule, criteria included.

The bill adds privately funded scholarships to the list of things that Texas's existing limits on diversity, equity, or inclusion activity at public colleges do not cover. It reaches scholarships paid for with private money held in trust by or endowed to a public college or its affiliated foundation. As a result, those private-money scholarships could be run outside the existing rule, including on criteria that rule would otherwise restrict.

CHARGES

[ ] NONE FOUND

TOTAL

No fiscal note in the loaded record.

HISTORY

  1. Received by the Secretary of the Senate
  2. Filed
  3. Read first time
  4. Referred to Education K-16
FILED UNDER

DEI BY ANOTHER NAME

THE TEXT

“(8) a scholarship funded by private money held in trust by or endowed to an institution of higher education or a foundation affiliated with the institution .”

Bill text, introduced version (I)

The bill exempts privately funded scholarships held or endowed at public universities from the state's diversity, equity, or inclusion restrictions, so those scholarships can keep operating outside the ban.

No flags

THANK YOU FOR CHECKING THE RECEIPT

CAMPAIGN PAID FOR BY

CAMPAIGN PAID FOR BY

Royce West

Donors

Skyview Development LLC$36KTexas Trial Lawyers Association PAC$20KErle Allen Nye Jr.$15,000

Not tied to this bill.

Sources

The author's campaign account only. Own money and internal transfers are separate on the member page.

Derived itemized flow · Jul 1, 2024 to Jun 30, 2026. State data as of Nov 4, 2026.

Derived itemized contributions on live regular reports and uncovered special-session dates. Internal account transfers and daily reports are excluded.

Skyview Development LLC$36,332.00

Skyview Development LLC

$36,332.00

Cash
$0.00
Paid by others
$36,332.00
Total
$36,332.00
Other filed descriptions $32,032.00fundraiser $4,300.00

Also funds 0 other sitting lawmakers.

Derived recipient stock · Jul 1, 2024 to Jun 1, 2026. State data as of Nov 4, 2026.

Name match, not a verified identity: normalized filed name and state.

Sources

Derived itemized flow · Jul 1, 2024 to Jun 1, 2026. State data as of Nov 4, 2026.

Derived itemized contributions on live regular reports and uncovered special-session dates. Internal account transfers and daily reports are excluded.

Report IDs: 100987569, 101009506, 101058878, 101063137.

Texas Trial Lawyers Association PAC$20,000.00

Texas Trial Lawyers Association PAC

$20,000.00

Cash
$20,000.00
Paid by others
$0.00
Total
$20,000.00

Also funds 137 other sitting lawmakers.

Derived recipient stock · Jul 24, 2024 to Oct 23, 2026. State data as of Nov 4, 2026.

TEC account match.

Team
Sources

Derived itemized flow · Oct 11, 2024 to Oct 10, 2025. State data as of Nov 4, 2026.

Derived itemized contributions on live regular reports and uncovered special-session dates. Internal account transfers and daily reports are excluded.

Report IDs: 100987569, 101063137.

Erle Allen Nye Jr.$15,000.00
Money

Missing data does not establish zero giving. Display amounts are rounded.

×

Skyview Development LLC

$36,332.00

Cash
$0.00
Paid by others
$36,332.00
Total
$36,332.00
Other filed descriptions $32,032.00fundraiser $4,300.00

Also funds 0 other sitting lawmakers.

Derived recipient stock · Jul 1, 2024 to Jun 1, 2026. State data as of Nov 4, 2026.

Name match, not a verified identity: normalized filed name and state.

Sources

Derived itemized flow · Jul 1, 2024 to Jun 1, 2026. State data as of Nov 4, 2026.

Derived itemized contributions on live regular reports and uncovered special-session dates. Internal account transfers and daily reports are excluded.

Report IDs: 100987569, 101009506, 101058878, 101063137.

×

Texas Trial Lawyers Association PAC

$20,000.00

Cash
$20,000.00
Paid by others
$0.00
Total
$20,000.00

Also funds 137 other sitting lawmakers.

Derived recipient stock · Jul 24, 2024 to Oct 23, 2026. State data as of Nov 4, 2026.

TEC account match.

Team
Sources

Derived itemized flow · Oct 11, 2024 to Oct 10, 2025. State data as of Nov 4, 2026.

Derived itemized contributions on live regular reports and uncovered special-session dates. Internal account transfers and daily reports are excluded.

Report IDs: 100987569, 101063137.

Votes

No floor vote loaded for this bill.

Fiscal

No fiscal note in the loaded record.

How this was graded

Analysis of text version I by claude-opus-5-5, Oct 20, 2026, against the published rubric.

Sources

Texas Senate · Filed Dec 13, 2024

02/03/2025 S Referred to Education K-16

Texas Legislature Online · Introduced

Data snapshot Oct 26, 2026 at 4:19 AM CDT. Grades, charges, quotes and corrections follow the published record.

Senate committee · Education K-16 · Final status: Died in committee

Subjects

Education--Higher--Faculty

Education--Higher--General

Education--Higher--Institutions & Programs

SCHOLARSHIPS

Text

The text as introduced · 245 words

89R1609 KJE-D

By: West
S.B. No. 579

A BILL TO BE ENTITLED

AN ACT

relating to an exemption from certain requirements regarding

diversity, equity, or inclusion initiatives for certain

scholarships provided by public institutions of higher education.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:

SECTION 1. Section 51.3525(d), Education Code, is amended

to read as follows:

(d) Subsection (b)(1) may not be construed to apply to:

(1) academic course instruction;

(2) scholarly research or a creative work by an

institution of higher education's students, faculty, or other

research personnel or the dissemination of that research or work;

(3) an activity of a student organization registered

with or recognized by an institution of higher education;

(4) guest speakers or performers on short-term

engagements;

(5) a policy, practice, procedure, program, or

activity to enhance student academic achievement or postgraduate

outcomes that is designed and implemented without regard to race,

sex, color, or ethnicity;

(6) data collection; [ or ]

(7) student recruitment or admissions ; or

(8) a scholarship funded by private money held in

trust by or endowed to an institution of higher education or a

foundation affiliated with the institution .

SECTION 2. This Act takes effect immediately if it receives

a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as

provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution. If this

Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this

Act takes effect September 1, 2025.