| 1 | 1 | | 83R13711 KEL-F |
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| 2 | 2 | | By: J. Davis of Harris, Rodriguez of Travis, H.B. No. 834 |
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| 3 | 3 | | Deshotel, Howard, Anderson, et al. |
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| 4 | 4 | | Substitute the following for H.B. No. 834: |
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| 5 | 5 | | By: Workman C.S.H.B. No. 834 |
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| 6 | 6 | | |
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| 7 | 7 | | |
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| 8 | 8 | | A BILL TO BE ENTITLED |
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| 9 | 9 | | AN ACT |
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| 10 | 10 | | relating to the establishment of the Texas Fast Start Program to |
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| 11 | 11 | | promote rapid delivery of workforce education and development. |
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| 12 | 12 | | BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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| 13 | 13 | | SECTION 1. Subchapter A, Chapter 302, Labor Code, is |
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| 14 | 14 | | amended by adding Section 302.0032 to read as follows: |
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| 15 | 15 | | Sec. 302.0032. TEXAS FAST START PROGRAM. (a) In this |
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| 16 | 16 | | section: |
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| 17 | 17 | | (1) "Fast start program" means a career and technical |
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| 18 | 18 | | education program designed to help students earn postsecondary |
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| 19 | 19 | | certificates and degrees and enter into the workforce quickly. |
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| 20 | 20 | | (2) "Public junior college," "public state college," |
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| 21 | 21 | | and "public technical institute" have the meanings assigned by |
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| 22 | 22 | | Section 61.003, Education Code. |
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| 23 | 23 | | (b) The commission, in partnership with the Texas Higher |
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| 24 | 24 | | Education Coordinating Board, shall establish and administer the |
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| 25 | 25 | | Texas Fast Start Program to identify and develop methods to |
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| 26 | 26 | | support, and shall provide support for, competency-based, |
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| 27 | 27 | | rapid-deployment education delivery models for use by public junior |
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| 28 | 28 | | colleges, public state colleges, and public technical institutes. |
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| 29 | 29 | | The models must be designed to assist students in maximizing |
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| 30 | 30 | | academic or workforce education program credit from public junior |
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| 31 | 31 | | colleges, public state colleges, and public technical institutes to |
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| 32 | 32 | | expedite the entry of those students into the workforce. |
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| 33 | 33 | | (c) The commission shall work collaboratively with the |
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| 34 | 34 | | Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board, public junior colleges, |
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| 35 | 35 | | public state colleges, and public technical institutes to |
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| 36 | 36 | | accomplish the purposes of this section. |
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| 37 | 37 | | (d) A public junior college, public state college, or public |
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| 38 | 38 | | technical institute may use the competency-based, rapid-deployment |
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| 39 | 39 | | education delivery models described by Subsection (b) in developing |
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| 40 | 40 | | or expanding a fast start program at the college or institute. |
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| 41 | 41 | | (e) A fast start program offered by a public junior college, |
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| 42 | 42 | | public state college, or public technical institute must: |
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| 43 | 43 | | (1) focus on the current and future needs of employers |
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| 44 | 44 | | in this state; |
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| 45 | 45 | | (2) enable students to obtain postsecondary |
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| 46 | 46 | | certificates and degrees at an accelerated pace in high-demand |
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| 47 | 47 | | fields or occupations, as identified by local employers; |
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| 48 | 48 | | (3) incorporate competency-based learning techniques; |
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| 49 | 49 | | (4) feature a variety of access channels that are |
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| 50 | 50 | | uniquely designed to maximize job preparedness for identified |
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| 51 | 51 | | groups such as veterans, high school graduates, and current |
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| 52 | 52 | | workforce members seeking retraining; and |
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| 53 | 53 | | (5) be designed for rapid deployment statewide. |
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| 54 | 54 | | (f) Through the collaboration, the commission may award |
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| 55 | 55 | | grants to public junior colleges, public state colleges, and public |
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| 56 | 56 | | technical institutes for: |
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| 57 | 57 | | (1) the expansion of existing fast start programs; |
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| 58 | 58 | | (2) the development of new fast start programs; and |
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| 59 | 59 | | (3) any other activities related to the purposes of |
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| 60 | 60 | | this section. |
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| 61 | 61 | | (g) A grant received under this section may be used only to: |
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| 62 | 62 | | (1) support a course or program that prepares students |
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| 63 | 63 | | for career employment in fields or occupations that are identified |
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| 64 | 64 | | as high-demand by local employers; |
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| 65 | 65 | | (2) finance the initial costs of developing a fast |
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| 66 | 66 | | start program, including the costs of constructing or renovating |
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| 67 | 67 | | facilities, purchasing equipment, and other associated expenses; |
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| 68 | 68 | | (3) finance the development or expansion of a fast |
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| 69 | 69 | | start program leading to a postsecondary certificate or degree; or |
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| 70 | 70 | | (4) offer a new or expanded dual credit fast start |
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| 71 | 71 | | program jointly with a public high school. |
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| 72 | 72 | | (h) The commission and the Texas Higher Education |
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| 73 | 73 | | Coordinating Board shall administer the program using money |
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| 74 | 74 | | appropriated to the commission or board, money received from |
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| 75 | 75 | | federal or other sources, or money from holding accounts that may be |
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| 76 | 76 | | used by the commission for the purpose of skills development. |
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| 77 | 77 | | (i) The commission and the Texas Higher Education |
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| 78 | 78 | | Coordinating Board may adopt rules as necessary for the |
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| 79 | 79 | | administration of this section. |
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| 80 | 80 | | SECTION 2. This Act takes effect immediately if it receives |
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| 81 | 81 | | a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as |
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| 82 | 82 | | provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution. If this |
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| 83 | 83 | | Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this |
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| 84 | 84 | | Act takes effect September 1, 2013. |
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