Texas 2017 - 85th Regular

Texas House Bill HB1700 Compare Versions

Only one version of the bill is available at this time.

Old	New	Differences
1	1	85R2100 KSD-D
2	2	By: Lucio III H.B. No. 1700
3	3
4	4
5	5	A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
6	6	AN ACT
7	7	relating to the establishment by the Texas Workforce Commission of
8	8	a career and technical education workforce specialist pilot
9	9	program.
10	10	BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
11	11	SECTION 1. Subchapter A, Chapter 302, Labor Code, is
12	12	amended by adding Section 302.0055 to read as follows:
13	13	Sec. 302.0055. CAREER AND TECHNICAL EDUCATION WORKFORCE
14	14	SPECIALIST PILOT PROGRAM. (a) In this section:
15	15	(1) "Career school or college" has the meaning
16	16	assigned by Section 132.001, Education Code.
17	17	(2) "Public junior college," "public state college,"
18	18	and "public technical institute" have the meanings assigned by
19	19	Section 61.003, Education Code.
20	20	(b) The commission, in consultation with the Texas
21	21	Education Agency, shall establish and implement a career and
22	22	technical education workforce specialist pilot program under which
23	23	workforce development specialists provide career services to
24	24	students at public high schools in designated regions of this state
25	25	for the purpose of directing those students toward high-demand,
26	26	skilled occupations experiencing existing or projected workforce
27	27	shortages in this state.
28	28	(c) The commission, in consultation with the Texas
29	29	Education Agency, shall designate three regions of this state, and
30	30	the public high schools in each of those regions, to receive
31	31	services under the pilot program and assign at least one workforce
32	32	development specialist to provide services in each region. The
33	33	selected regions must include at least one urban area and one rural
34	34	area.
35	35	(d) Career services provided under the pilot program must
36	36	include the provision of information, guidance, and counseling
37	37	regarding:
38	38	(1) high-demand, skilled occupations in this state,
39	39	including middle skill jobs; and
40	40	(2) educational and training opportunities for those
41	41	occupations, including:
42	42	(A) opportunities offered by employers, public
43	43	junior colleges, public state colleges, or public technical
44	44	institutes; and
45	45	(B) with respect to high-demand occupations in
46	46	the building trade, any:
47	47	(i) related courses of instruction offered
48	48	by career schools or colleges; or
49	49	(ii) available apprenticeships.
50	50	(e) The commission may adopt rules as necessary for the
51	51	administration of this section.
52	52	(f) Not later than January 1, 2021, the commission shall
53	53	report to the legislature regarding the commission's:
54	54	(1) assessment of the effectiveness of the pilot
55	55	program in directing students toward employment in high-demand,
56	56	skilled occupations; and
57	57	(2) recommendations for improving the pilot program
58	58	and expanding the pilot program statewide.
59	59	(g) This section expires September 1, 2021.
60	60	SECTION 2. This Act takes effect immediately if it receives
61	61	a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as
62	62	provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution. If this
63	63	Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this
64	64	Act takes effect September 1, 2017.