By: Hinojosa S.B. No. 1351
(Zerwas)
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT
relating to transferring to the Texas Workforce Commission certain
duties of the comptroller related to the Jobs and Education for
Texans Grant Program.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
SECTION 1. Section 134.001, Education Code, is amended by
adding Subdivision (1) to read as follows:
(1) "Commission" means the Texas Workforce
Commission.
SECTION 2. Section 134.002(a), Education Code, is amended
to read as follows:
(a) The commission [comptroller] shall establish and
administer the Jobs and Education for Texans (JET) fund as a
dedicated account in the general revenue fund.
SECTION 3. Section 134.003, Education Code, is amended to
read as follows:
Sec. 134.003. ADVISORY BOARD. (a) An advisory board of
education and workforce stakeholders is created to assist the
commission [comptroller] in administering this chapter.
(b) The advisory board is composed of six [seven] members
who serve two-year terms and are appointed as follows:
(1) one member appointed by the governor;
(2) one member appointed by the lieutenant governor;
(3) one member appointed by the speaker of the house of
representatives;
(4) one member appointed by the Texas Higher Education
Coordinating Board;
(5) one member appointed by the commission [Texas
Workforce Commission]; and
(6) the chair of the commission [one member of the
public appointed by the comptroller; and
[(7) the comptroller], who serves as the presiding
officer.
(c) The advisory board shall meet at least once each
quarter, or as needed, to review received applications and
recommend awarding grants under this chapter.
SECTION 4. Section 134.004(a), Education Code, is amended
to read as follows:
(a) The commission [comptroller] shall establish and
administer the Jobs and Education for Texans (JET) Grant Program to
provide grants to public junior colleges and public technical
institutes that apply to the advisory board in the manner
prescribed by the advisory board. The commission [comptroller]
shall award the grants on the advice and recommendations of the
advisory board.
SECTION 5. Sections 134.006(a), (c), and (d), Education
Code, are amended to read as follows:
(a) The commission [comptroller] may award a grant for the
development of new career and technical education courses or
programs at public junior colleges and public technical institutes.
(c) In awarding a grant under this section, the commission
[comptroller] shall primarily consider the potential economic
returns to the state from the development of the career and
technical education course or program. The commission
[comptroller] may also consider whether the course or program:
(1) is part of a new, emerging industry or high-demand
occupation;
(2) offers new or expanded dual credit career and
technical educational opportunities in public high schools; or
(3) is provided in cooperation with other public
junior colleges or public technical institutes across existing
service areas.
(d) To be eligible to receive a grant under this section, a
public junior college or public technical institute must provide
matching funds in accordance with rules adopted under Section
134.008. The matching funds may be obtained from any source
available to the junior college or technical institute, including
[in-kind contributions,] industry consortia, community or
foundation grants, individual contributions, and local
governmental agency operating funds.
SECTION 6. Section 134.008, Education Code, is amended to
read as follows:
Sec. 134.008. RULES. The commission [comptroller] shall
adopt rules as necessary for the administration of this chapter.
SECTION 7. (a) Not later than September 1, 2015:
(1) the administration of the Jobs and Education for
Texans Grant Program shall be transferred from the comptroller of
public accounts to the Texas Workforce Commission;
(2) all rules, forms, policies, procedures, or
decisions of the comptroller that are related to the Jobs and
Education for Texans Grant Program are continued in effect as
rules, forms, policies, procedures, or decisions of the Texas
Workforce Commission until superseded by a rule or other
appropriate act of the Texas Workforce Commission;
(3) all money, obligations, memoranda of
understanding, leases, rights, and contracts, including grant
agreements, of the comptroller related to the Jobs and Education
for Texans Grant Program are transferred to the Texas Workforce
Commission, and the Texas Workforce Commission assumes, without a
change in status, the position of the comptroller in all
transferred contracts, including grant agreements, related to the
Jobs and Education for Texans Grant Program;
(4) records in the custody of the comptroller related
to the Jobs and Education for Texans Grant Program are transferred
to and become the property of the Texas Workforce Commission; and
(5) a reference in law or administrative rule to the
comptroller relating to the administration of the Jobs and
Education for Texans Grant Program means the Texas Workforce
Commission.
(b) Before the transfer of the administration of the Jobs
and Education for Texans Grant Program, the comptroller of public
accounts and the Texas Workforce Commission shall coordinate the
transfer of powers and duties, including records, appropriations,
disbursements, compliance audits, monitoring and enforcement, and
other items, to ensure a smooth transition.
SECTION 8. 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.