| 1 | 1 | | 85R6084 KSD-D |
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| 2 | 2 | | By: Miles S.B. No. 574 |
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| 3 | 3 | | |
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| 4 | 4 | | |
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| 5 | 5 | | A BILL TO BE ENTITLED |
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| 6 | 6 | | AN ACT |
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| 7 | 7 | | relating to the expansion of applied workforce learning |
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| 8 | 8 | | opportunities in this state, including through the establishment of |
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| 9 | 9 | | the Texas Industry Internship Challenge. |
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| 10 | 10 | | BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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| 11 | 11 | | SECTION 1. Subchapter A, Chapter 302, Labor Code, is |
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| 12 | 12 | | amended by adding Section 302.0028 to read as follows: |
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| 13 | 13 | | Sec. 302.0028. APPLIED WORKFORCE LEARNING OPPORTUNITIES; |
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| 14 | 14 | | TEXAS INDUSTRY INTERNSHIP CHALLENGE. (a) The commission, in |
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| 15 | 15 | | partnership with the Texas Education Agency and the Texas Higher |
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| 16 | 16 | | Education Coordinating Board, shall develop and implement |
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| 17 | 17 | | strategies to: |
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| 18 | 18 | | (1) significantly increase the number of, and |
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| 19 | 19 | | participation by students in, applied workforce learning |
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| 20 | 20 | | opportunities, including paid internships, externships, and |
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| 21 | 21 | | apprenticeships, offered by employers in high-demand industries |
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| 22 | 22 | | and occupations to students enrolled in high schools or public or |
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| 23 | 23 | | private institutions of higher education in this state, including |
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| 24 | 24 | | opportunities offered during the summer; and |
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| 25 | 25 | | (2) facilitate the uniform award by high schools and |
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| 26 | 26 | | public or private institutions of higher education of academic |
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| 27 | 27 | | credit to students for the successful completion of those |
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| 28 | 28 | | opportunities, where appropriate. |
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| 29 | 29 | | (b) In carrying out its duties under Subsection (a), the |
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| 30 | 30 | | commission shall establish the Texas Industry Internship Challenge |
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| 31 | 31 | | under which the commission develops and administers a centralized |
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| 32 | 32 | | electronic Internet portal through which, in a streamlined, |
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| 33 | 33 | | responsive, and user-friendly manner: |
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| 34 | 34 | | (1) employers may post information regarding applied |
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| 35 | 35 | | workforce learning opportunities described by Subsection (a); and |
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| 36 | 36 | | (2) students enrolled in high schools or public or |
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| 37 | 37 | | private institutions of higher education in this state may access |
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| 38 | 38 | | information regarding and apply for those opportunities. |
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| 39 | 39 | | (c) The commission, the commissioner of education, and the |
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| 40 | 40 | | Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board may adopt rules as |
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| 41 | 41 | | necessary for the administration of this section. |
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| 42 | 42 | | SECTION 2. This Act takes effect immediately if it receives |
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| 43 | 43 | | a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as |
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| 44 | 44 | | provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution. If this |
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| 45 | 45 | | Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this |
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| 46 | 46 | | Act takes effect September 1, 2017. |
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