HBA-BSM, LJP H.B. 953 77(R)    BILL ANALYSIS


Office of House Bill AnalysisH.B. 953
By: Burnam
State Affairs
3/21/2001
Introduced



BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE 

Though many people honor those who fought for the Confederacy in the Civil
War, the legacy of slavery from that period of history remains a
contentious issue among many other people.  The display of statues of
prominent confederate leaders on the campus of The University of Texas at
Austin may cause offense to some people, and may lead people to believe
that The University of Texas is tolerant of the confederate ideology
regarding slavery.  House Bill 953 requires the removal of statues of
certain confederate leaders on the campus of The University of Texas at
Austin. 

RULEMAKING AUTHORITY

It is the opinion of the Office of House Bill Analysis that this bill does
not expressly delegate any additional rulemaking authority to a state
officer, department, agency, or institution. 

ANALYSIS

House Bill 953 requires The University of Texas at Austin to remove from
public view all statues of certain Confederate leaders located on the
university's campus. The bill authorizes that the statues be placed in
storage away from public view or disposed of in any other way deemed
appropriate by the board of regents of The University of Texas System. The
bill requires the removal of all statues of  the following people: 

_Jefferson Davis, president of the Confederate States of America;

_Robert E. Lee, General in Chief of the Armies of the Confederate States of
America; 

_John H. Reagan, Postmaster General of the Confederate States of America;
and  

_Albert Sidney Johnston, General in the Confederate States Army. 

EFFECTIVE DATE

September 1, 2001.