| 1 | 1 | | 82R27295 KYF-F |
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| 2 | 2 | | By: Van de Putte, et al. S.B. No. 1736 |
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| 3 | 3 | | (Castro, Sheets, Vo, Anderson of Dallas, |
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| 4 | 4 | | J. Davis of Harris) |
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| 5 | 5 | | |
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| 6 | 6 | | |
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| 7 | 7 | | A BILL TO BE ENTITLED |
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| 8 | 8 | | AN ACT |
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| 9 | 9 | | relating to the establishment of the College Credit for Heroes |
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| 10 | 10 | | program. |
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| 11 | 11 | | BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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| 12 | 12 | | SECTION 1. Subchapter A, Chapter 302, Labor Code, is |
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| 13 | 13 | | amended by adding Section 302.0031 to read as follows: |
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| 14 | 14 | | Sec. 302.0031. COLLEGE CREDIT FOR HEROES PROGRAM. (a) In |
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| 15 | 15 | | this section, "institution of higher education" has the meaning |
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| 16 | 16 | | assigned by Section 61.003, Education Code. |
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| 17 | 17 | | (b) The commission shall establish and administer the |
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| 18 | 18 | | College Credit for Heroes demonstration program to identify, |
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| 19 | 19 | | develop, and support methods to maximize academic or workforce |
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| 20 | 20 | | education credit awarded by institutions of higher education to |
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| 21 | 21 | | veterans and military servicemembers for military experience, |
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| 22 | 22 | | education, and training obtained during military service in order |
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| 23 | 23 | | to expedite the entry of veterans and military servicemembers into |
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| 24 | 24 | | the workforce. |
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| 25 | 25 | | (c) The commission shall work cooperatively with other |
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| 26 | 26 | | state agencies, including the Texas Higher Education Coordinating |
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| 27 | 27 | | Board, public junior colleges, and other institutions of higher |
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| 28 | 28 | | education, to accomplish the purposes of this section. |
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| 29 | 29 | | (d) The commission may award grants to state, local, or |
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| 30 | 30 | | private entities that perform activities related to the purposes of |
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| 31 | 31 | | this section. |
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| 32 | 32 | | (e) The commission shall administer the program using money |
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| 33 | 33 | | previously appropriated to the commission or received from federal |
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| 34 | 34 | | or other sources. |
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| 35 | 35 | | (f) The commission may adopt rules as necessary for the |
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| 36 | 36 | | administration of this section. |
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| 37 | 37 | | (g) Not later than November 1, 2012, the commission, after |
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| 38 | 38 | | consultation with the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board, |
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| 39 | 39 | | shall report to the legislature and the governor on: |
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| 40 | 40 | | (1) the results of any grants awarded under this |
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| 41 | 41 | | section; |
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| 42 | 42 | | (2) the best practices for veterans and military |
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| 43 | 43 | | servicemembers to achieve maximum academic or workforce education |
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| 44 | 44 | | credit at institutions of higher education for military experience, |
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| 45 | 45 | | education, and training obtained during military service; |
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| 46 | 46 | | (3) measures needed to facilitate the award of |
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| 47 | 47 | | academic or workforce education credit by institutions of higher |
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| 48 | 48 | | education for military experience, education, and training |
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| 49 | 49 | | obtained during military service; and |
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| 50 | 50 | | (4) other related measures needed to facilitate the |
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| 51 | 51 | | entry of trained, qualified veterans and military servicemembers |
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| 52 | 52 | | into the workforce. |
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| 53 | 53 | | (h) This subsection and Subsection (g) expire January 1, |
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| 54 | 54 | | 2013. |
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| 55 | 55 | | SECTION 2. This Act takes effect immediately if it receives |
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| 56 | 56 | | a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as |
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| 57 | 57 | | provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution. If this |
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| 58 | 58 | | Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this |
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| 59 | 59 | | Act takes effect September 1, 2011. |
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