The chief administrative officer must create a research security office, and institutions must finish required screening steps before hiring or giving certain people access to research-related data or activities.
Sec. 51B.153. RESEARCH SECURITY OFFICE. (a) The chief administrative officer of an institution of higher education shall establish a research security office to: (1) review the materials submitted to the institution by a person under Section 51B.152; (2) take reasonable steps to verify the information in the submission; and (3) take any other action the office considers appropriate. (b) A research security office established under this section may serve in an institutional or system-wide capacity. (c) An institution of higher education may direct the research security office to approve persons for hire using a risk-based determination that considers the nature of the research and the person's background and ongoing affiliations. (d) An institution of higher education must complete the requirements of this subchapter before: (1) hiring a person described by Section 51B.151(a) in a research or research-related support position; or (2) granting the person access to research data or activities or other sensitive data. (e) An institution of higher education may not employ a person subject to screening under Section 51B.151 in a research or research-related support position if the person fails to disclose in the submission a substantial educational, employment, or research-related activity, publication, or presentation unless the applicable department head or the department head's designee certifies in writing the substance of the failure to disclose and the reasons for disregarding that failure. A copy of the certification must be kept in the investigative file of the research security office. (f) The research security office shall report to any law enforcement agency designated by the governor or the institution of higher education's governing board the identity of a person who is rejected for employment based on the screening required by this subchapter or other risk-based screening. Added by Acts 2025, 89th Leg., R.S., Ch. 1071 (H.B. 127), Sec. 2, eff. September 1, 2025. SUBCHAPTER E. FOREIGN TRAVEL