87R6478 CXP-F
By: Parker H.B. No. 3003
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT
relating to the establishment of the Texas Reskilling and
Upskilling through Education (TRUE) Initiative to support
workforce education at public junior colleges.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
SECTION 1. Chapter 61, Education Code, is amended by adding
Subchapter T-2 to read as follows:
SUBCHAPTER T-2. TEXAS RESKILLING AND UPSKILLING THROUGH EDUCATION
(TRUE) INITIATIVE
Sec. 61.881. DEFINITION. In this subchapter, "initiative"
means the Texas Reskilling and Upskilling through Education (TRUE)
Initiative established under this subchapter.
Sec. 61.882. INITIATIVE: ESTABLISHMENT; ADMINISTRATION;
PURPOSE. (a) The Texas Reskilling and Upskilling through
Education (TRUE) Initiative is established.
(b) The board shall administer the initiative in accordance
with this subchapter and rules adopted under this subchapter.
(c) Under the initiative, using funds appropriated or
otherwise available for the purpose, the board shall award grants
to public junior colleges for creating, redesigning, or expanding
workforce training programs that lead to postsecondary industry
certifications or other workforce credentials required for
high-demand occupations.
Sec. 61.883. USE OF GRANT. (a) A grant awarded to a public
junior college under this subchapter may be used only for the
support and maintenance of educational and general activities that
promote workforce learning at the college, including:
(1) providing training in new or redesigned
accelerated programs that teach high-demand skills and lead to
postsecondary industry certifications or other workforce
credentials valued in growing occupations that pay a living wage;
(2) developing new industry-aligned, high-demand
postsecondary industry certifications or other workforce
credentials and certificate programs or other courses of
instruction leading to those certifications or credentials; and
(3) expanding institutional capacity to provide
high-demand postsecondary industry certifications or other
workforce credentials for target occupations included on regional
or statewide target occupations lists established by appropriate
workforce agencies.
(b) Money received by a public junior college under the
grant program in a fiscal year that is not used by the college in
that fiscal year may be held and used by the college in subsequent
fiscal years for the purposes prescribed in this section.
Sec. 61.884. RECOGNIZED CERTIFICATIONS OR CREDENTIALS. (a)
The board, in collaboration with public junior colleges, the Texas
Workforce Commission, and private employers, shall identify new
high-demand skills needed to earn postsecondary industry
certifications or other workforce credentials valued in
high-demand occupations.
(b) The board, in consultation with public junior colleges,
shall:
(1) identify new postsecondary industry
certifications or other workforce credentials developed using
grant funds under the initiative; and
(2) establish methods for collecting and reporting
data related to the certifications or credentials identified under
Subdivision (1).
(c) A public junior college awarded a grant under this
subchapter may recommend outcomes related to the achievement or
development of postsecondary industry certifications or other
workforce credentials identified under this section to be
considered by the board for inclusion in the state's long-range
master plan for higher education developed under Section 61.051.
(d) In devising its funding formulas and making its
recommendations to the legislature relating to institutional
appropriations of funds for public junior colleges under Section
61.059, the board shall incorporate the consideration of the
achievement or development of postsecondary industry
certifications and other workforce credentials identified under
this section.
Sec. 61.885. GRANTS, GIFTS, AND DONATIONS. The board may
solicit, accept, and spend grants, gifts, and donations from any
public or private source for the purposes of this subchapter.
Sec. 61.886. RULES. The board shall adopt rules for the
administration of this subchapter, including rules requiring
public junior colleges awarded a grant under this subchapter to
report necessary information to the board.
SECTION 2. (a) The Texas Higher Education Coordinating
Board shall adopt rules to administer Subchapter T-2, Chapter 61,
Education Code, as added by this Act, as soon as practicable after
the effective date of this Act.
(b) The Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board shall
award grants to public junior colleges under Subchapter T-2,
Chapter 61, Education Code, as added by this Act, beginning with the
2022 fall semester.
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, 2021.