| 1 | 1 | | By: Hinojosa, et al. S.B. No. 209 |
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| 2 | 2 | | (In the Senate - Filed February 25, 2015; March 2, 2015, read |
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| 3 | 3 | | first time and referred to Committee on Natural Resources and |
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| 4 | 4 | | Economic Development; March 11, 2015, reported favorably by the |
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| 5 | 5 | | following vote: Yeas 10, Nays 0; March 11, 2015, sent to printer.) |
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| 6 | 6 | | Click here to see the committee vote |
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| 7 | 7 | | |
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| 8 | 8 | | |
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| 9 | 9 | | A BILL TO BE ENTITLED |
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| 10 | 10 | | AN ACT |
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| 11 | 11 | | relating to the continuation and functions of the Texas Workforce |
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| 12 | 12 | | Investment Council, including assumption of the duties of the Texas |
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| 13 | 13 | | Skill Standards Board. |
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| 14 | 14 | | BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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| 15 | 15 | | SECTION 1. Section 2308.005, Government Code, is amended to |
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| 16 | 16 | | read as follows: |
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| 17 | 17 | | Sec. 2308.005. APPLICATION OF SUNSET ACT. The Texas |
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| 18 | 18 | | Workforce Investment Council is subject to Chapter 325 (Texas |
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| 19 | 19 | | Sunset Act). Unless continued in existence as provided by that |
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| 20 | 20 | | chapter, the council is abolished September 1, 2027 [2015]. The |
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| 21 | 21 | | council shall be reviewed during the period in which the Texas |
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| 22 | 22 | | Workforce Commission is reviewed. |
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| 23 | 23 | | SECTION 2. Subchapter C, Chapter 2308, Government Code, is |
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| 24 | 24 | | amended by adding Section 2308.109 to read as follows: |
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| 25 | 25 | | Sec. 2308.109. DUTY TO DEVELOP SKILL STANDARDS. (a) The |
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| 26 | 26 | | council shall provide advice to the governor and the legislature on |
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| 27 | 27 | | the development of a statewide system of industry-defined and |
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| 28 | 28 | | industry-recognized skill standards and credentials for all major |
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| 29 | 29 | | skilled occupations that: |
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| 30 | 30 | | (1) provide strong employment and earnings |
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| 31 | 31 | | opportunities in this state; and |
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| 32 | 32 | | (2) require less than a baccalaureate degree. |
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| 33 | 33 | | (b) The council shall: |
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| 34 | 34 | | (1) validate and recognize nationally established |
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| 35 | 35 | | skill standards to guide curriculum development, training, |
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| 36 | 36 | | assessment, and certification of workforce skills; |
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| 37 | 37 | | (2) convene industry groups to develop skill standards |
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| 38 | 38 | | and certification procedures for industries and occupations in |
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| 39 | 39 | | which standards have not been established or adopted and recognize |
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| 40 | 40 | | the skill standards and certification procedures; |
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| 41 | 41 | | (3) review the standards developed by other states and |
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| 42 | 42 | | foreign countries and enter into agreements for mutual recognition |
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| 43 | 43 | | of standards and credentials to enhance portability of skills; and |
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| 44 | 44 | | (4) promote the use of standards and credentials among |
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| 45 | 45 | | employers. |
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| 46 | 46 | | (c) The council shall: |
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| 47 | 47 | | (1) report on the council's duties under this section |
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| 48 | 48 | | to the governor; and |
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| 49 | 49 | | (2) provide annual reports on the council's duties |
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| 50 | 50 | | under this section to the governor, the division, and the |
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| 51 | 51 | | legislature. |
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| 52 | 52 | | SECTION 3. Subchapter H, Chapter 2308, Government Code, is |
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| 53 | 53 | | repealed. |
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| 54 | 54 | | SECTION 4. The Texas Skill Standards Board is abolished. |
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| 55 | 55 | | All powers and duties of the Texas Skill Standards Board are |
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| 56 | 56 | | transferred to the Texas Workforce Investment Council. |
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| 57 | 57 | | SECTION 5. This Act takes effect September 1, 2015. |
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| 58 | 58 | | * * * * * |
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