84R11479 KJE-D
By: Guillen H.B. No. 3908
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT
relating to a pilot program to expand joint credit programs to
include certain courses offered by career schools and colleges in
certain counties.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
SECTION 1. Subchapter B, Chapter 132, Education Code, is
amended by adding Section 132.026 to read as follows:
Sec. 132.026. JOINT CREDIT PILOT PROGRAM. (a) Subject to
available funding, the commission, in coordination with the Texas
Education Agency, shall develop and administer a pilot program
under which the commission awards grants to career schools and
colleges that partner with participating public high schools to
offer joint high school and career school or college credit for
courses in nursing and applied sciences and technology.
(b) A public high school is eligible to participate in the
pilot program only if the school is located in an economically
disadvantaged and underserved region of the state, as determined by
the commission for purposes of this section.
(c) To partner with an eligible high school under the pilot
program, a career school or college must be located in the same
county as the high school.
(d) The commission shall award grants under the pilot
program from funds appropriated for that purpose and any other
available funds. The commission may seek and accept gifts, grants,
and donations to fund the pilot program.
(e) Not later than December 1, 2016, the commission shall
submit to the governor, the lieutenant governor, the speaker of the
house of representatives, and the standing legislative committees
with primary jurisdiction over education a written report on the
effectiveness of the pilot program and any recommendations for
legislative or other action.
(f) The commission shall adopt rules as necessary to
implement this section.
(g) This section expires September 1, 2017.
SECTION 2. The Texas Workforce Commission shall adopt rules
for the administration of Section 132.026, Education Code, as added
by this Act, as soon as practicable after this Act takes effect. For
that purpose, the commission may adopt the initial rules in the
manner provided by law for emergency rules.
SECTION 3. This Act takes effect immediately if it receives
a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as
provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution. If this
Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this
Act takes effect September 1, 2015.