By: Campbell S.B. No. 2986               A BILL TO BE ENTITLED   AN ACT   relating to the protection from adverse action against public   schools and institutions of higher education for permitting   religious organizations use of facilities.          BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:          SECTION 1.  Chapter 11, Education Code, is amended by adding   Section 11.173 to read as follows:          Sec. 11.173.  USE OF SCHOOL FACILITIES BY RELIGIOUS   ORGANIZATIONS. (a) A school district or open-enrollment charter   school may permit a religious organization to use school facilities   for the purpose of hosting religious worship, services, sermons, or   assemblies, provided that:                 (1)  the use does not interfere with the school's   primary educational mission;                (2)  the religious organization provides fair-market   rental or reimbursement for utilities, security, or other costs as   determined by the school district or governing board, unless waived   by the school district or governing board; and                 (3)  the religious organization shall be held liable   for any damages that may incur in the commission or use of the   school's facilities.           (b)  No state agency, political subdivision, school   district, or other governmental entity, shall impose a penalty,   sanction, or denial of funding to a public school based on its   decision to allow religious organizations to use it facilities for   religious services.           (c)  The provisions of this section shall not be construed to   require any school district or open-enrollment charter school to   allow religious services if it elects to not do so.          SECTION 2.  Chapter 51, Education Code, is amended by adding   section 51.984 to read as follows:          Sec. 51.984.  USE OF UNIVERSITY FACILITIES BY RELIGIOUS   ORGANIZATIONS. (a) A public institution of higher education in   this state may permit religious organizations to use campus   facilities for the purpose of hosting religious worship, services,   sermons, or assemblies, provided that:                 (1)  the use does not interfere with the institution's   primary educational mission;                (2)  the religious organization provides fair-market   rental or reimbursement for utilities, security, or other costs as   determined by the institution or governing board, unless waived by   the institution; and                 (3)  the religious organization shall be held liable   for any damages that may incur in the commission or use of the   institution's facilities.           (b)  No state agency, political subdivision, or other   governmental entity, shall impose a penalty, sanction, or denial of   funding to an institution based on its decision to allow religious   organizations to use it facilities for religious services.           (c)  The provisions of this section shall not be construed to   require any institution to allow religious services if it elects to   not do so.          SECTION 3.  It is the intent of the legislature that every   provision, section, subsection, sentence, clause, phrase, or word   in this Act, and every application of the provisions in this Act to   every person, group of persons, or circumstances, is severable from   each other. If any application of any provision in this Act to any   person, group of persons, or circumstances, is severable from   person, group of persons, or circumstances is found by a court to be   invalid for any reason, the remaining applications of that   provision to all other persons and circumstances shall be severed   and may not be affected.          SECTION 4.  This Act takes effect September 1, 2025.