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Committee hears bill to allow after-hours religious use of school and university facilities
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Summary
The Senate Committee on Education heard Senate Bill 2986, which would clarify that public K–12 schools and universities may permit after-hours facility use by religious groups on the same terms as other nonprofits, subject to federal limits and institutional control; public testimony was not registered and the measure was left pending.
The Senate Committee on Education on Thursday laid out Senate Bill 2986, which would clarify that public schools and public universities may permit religious organizations to use facilities after hours under the same terms offered to other nonprofit groups, provided federal rules and institutional neutrality are followed.
Supporters told the committee the bill would permit after-hours use so long as the activity does not interfere with the institution’s educational mission, agreements are short term, institutions maintain operational control and neutrality, and the religious organization pays fair market rent or reimburses costs such as utilities and security. “The key provisions of the bill: they may permit religious organizations, the use does not interfere with the schools or the university's primary educational mission and that the religious organization pays fair market rent or reimbursement costs like utilities or security,” Senator Hinojosa said while laying out the measure and its committee substitute.
The bill text also states that a school or university cannot be penalized by any state agency, political subdivision, or governmental entity for allowing a religious group to use the facilities after hours, and it explicitly says nothing requires a school or university to rent to a religious group. The committee substitute presented was identified as a Legislative Council draft.
Committee staff opened public testimony but found no witnesses registered to speak for or against SB 2986. The chair closed public testimony and left the bill pending.
No formal vote was taken on the measure during the hearing; the committee will take further action at the chair’s call.
Background: Committee members noted federal limits on rentals cited in the bill—rentals must occur outside instructional hours, be short term, and preserve institutional neutrality and control. The bill as described does not change those federal requirements; rather it directs state policy so schools and universities may offer after-hours access on those same terms.
