SB 581

bill exempts college endowments from part of the DEI rule

Died in committee

Verdict: No flags

No flagsInitial review

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 charitable funds at public institutions of higher education.

Caption from analyzed text · version I.

Summary

Endowment money tied to diversity purposes skips Subsection (b)(1), starting 2025-2026.

This bill adds institutional funds, including endowment funds, to the list of things the state's existing diversity, equity, and inclusion rule for public colleges does not apply to. It touches public universities and colleges and the charitable money they hold and manage. Starting with the 2025-2026 school year, the part of the existing rule found in Subsection (b)(1) would no longer reach these funds, so a college could use or keep endowment money tied to diversity purposes without running into that rule.

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-SB581 · 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 charitable funds at public institutions of higher education.

WHAT IT DOES

Endowment money tied to diversity purposes skips Subsection (b)(1), starting 2025-2026.

CHARGES

[ ] NONE FOUND

TOTAL

No fiscal note in the loaded record.

HISTORY

Dec 13, 2024Received by the Secretary of the Senate
Dec 13, 2024Filed
Feb 3, 2025Read first time
Feb 3, 2025Referred to Education K-16

FILED UNDER

DEI BY ANOTHER NAME

THE TEXT

“an institutional fund, including an endowment”…

Bill text, introduced version (I)

The bill exempts college institutional and endowment funds from part of the state's diversity, equity, and inclusion rule, so diversity-linked money in those funds can keep flowing.

No flags

THANK YOU FOR CHECKING THE RECEIPT

CAMPAIGN PAID FOR BY

Royce West

Donors

Skyview Development LLC$36K Texas 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--Finance

Education--Higher--General

Text

The text as introduced · 255 words

89R1616 JTZ-D

By: West
S.B. No. 581

A BILL TO BE ENTITLED

AN ACT

relating to an exemption from certain requirements regarding

diversity, equity, or inclusion initiatives for certain charitable

funds at 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) an institutional fund, including an endowment

fund, as those terms are defined by Section 163.003, Property Code .

SECTION 2. Section 51.3525(d), Education Code, as amended

by this Act, applies beginning with the 2025-2026 academic year.

SECTION 3. 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.