TX
Texas House Bill HB3003

Texas 2021 - 87th Regular

Texas House Bill HB3003 Compare Versions

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1-87R17175 CXP-F
2- By: Parker, Murphy, Raney, Hunter, et al. H.B. No. 3003
3- Substitute the following for H.B. No. 3003:
4- By: Frullo C.S.H.B. No. 3003
1+87R6478 CXP-F
2+ By: Parker H.B. No. 3003
53
64
75 A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
86 AN ACT
97 relating to the establishment of the Texas Reskilling and
10- Upskilling through Education (TRUE) Program to support workforce
11- education at two-year public institutions of higher education.
8+ Upskilling through Education (TRUE) Initiative to support
9+ workforce education at public junior colleges.
1210 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
1311 SECTION 1. Chapter 61, Education Code, is amended by adding
1412 Subchapter T-2 to read as follows:
1513 SUBCHAPTER T-2. TEXAS RESKILLING AND UPSKILLING THROUGH EDUCATION
16- (TRUE) PROGRAM
17- Sec. 61.881. DEFINITIONS. In this subchapter:
18- (1) "Eligible institution" means a public junior
19- college or public state college.
20- (2) "Program" means the Texas Reskilling and
21- Upskilling through Education (TRUE) Program established under this
22- subchapter.
23- Sec. 61.882. ESTABLISHMENT; ADMINISTRATION; PURPOSE. (a)
24- The Texas Reskilling and Upskilling through Education (TRUE)
25- Program is established to strengthen the Texas workforce and build
26- a stronger Texas economy.
27- (b) The board shall administer the program in accordance
14+ (TRUE) INITIATIVE
15+ Sec. 61.881. DEFINITION. In this subchapter, "initiative"
16+ means the Texas Reskilling and Upskilling through Education (TRUE)
17+ Initiative established under this subchapter.
18+ Sec. 61.882. INITIATIVE: ESTABLISHMENT; ADMINISTRATION;
19+ PURPOSE. (a) The Texas Reskilling and Upskilling through
20+ Education (TRUE) Initiative is established.
21+ (b) The board shall administer the initiative in accordance
2822 with this subchapter and rules adopted under this subchapter.
29- (c) Under the program, using funds appropriated or
23+ (c) Under the initiative, using funds appropriated or
3024 otherwise available for the purpose, the board shall award grants
31- to eligible institutions or consortiums of eligible institutions
32- for creating, redesigning, or expanding workforce training
33- programs and delivering education and workforce training that lead
34- to postsecondary industry certifications or other workforce
35- credentials required for high-demand occupations.
36- (d) In awarding grants under this subchapter, the board:
37- (1) shall, to the greatest extent practicable, award
38- grants to at least one eligible institution in each region of the
39- state; and
40- (2) may give preference to applicants that:
41- (A) represent a consortium of eligible
42- institutions; or
43- (B) prioritize training to displaced workers.
44- Sec. 61.883. USE OF GRANT. (a) A grant awarded to an
45- eligible institution or a consortium of eligible institutions under
46- this subchapter may be used only for the support and maintenance of
47- educational and general activities that promote workforce learning
48- at the institution or a member institution, as applicable,
49- including:
50- (1) providing training in existing, new, or redesigned
25+ to public junior colleges for creating, redesigning, or expanding
26+ workforce training programs that lead to postsecondary industry
27+ certifications or other workforce credentials required for
28+ high-demand occupations.
29+ Sec. 61.883. USE OF GRANT. (a) A grant awarded to a public
30+ junior college under this subchapter may be used only for the
31+ support and maintenance of educational and general activities that
32+ promote workforce learning at the college, including:
33+ (1) providing training in new or redesigned
5134 accelerated programs that teach high-demand skills and lead to
5235 postsecondary industry certifications or other workforce
53- credentials valued in growing occupations;
36+ credentials valued in growing occupations that pay a living wage;
5437 (2) developing new industry-aligned, high-demand
5538 postsecondary industry certifications or other workforce
5639 credentials and certificate programs or other courses of
57- instruction leading to those certifications or credentials that can
58- be completed in six months or less;
59- (3) redesigning existing postsecondary industry
60- certifications or credentials and certificate programs or other
61- courses of instruction leading to those certifications or
62- credentials to meet the standards under Subdivision (2); and
63- (4) expanding institutional capacity to provide
40+ instruction leading to those certifications or credentials; and
41+ (3) expanding institutional capacity to provide
6442 high-demand postsecondary industry certifications or other
65- workforce credentials that are stackable in high-demand career
66- pathways and address the needs of high-demand occupations
67- identified by the Texas Workforce Commission or applicable local
68- workforce development boards.
69- (b) Money received by an eligible institution or a
70- consortium of eligible institutions under the program in a fiscal
71- year that is not used by the institution or a member institution, as
72- applicable, in that fiscal year may be held and used by the
73- institution or consortium in subsequent fiscal years for the
74- purposes prescribed in this section.
43+ workforce credentials for target occupations included on regional
44+ or statewide target occupations lists established by appropriate
45+ workforce agencies.
46+ (b) Money received by a public junior college under the
47+ grant program in a fiscal year that is not used by the college in
48+ that fiscal year may be held and used by the college in subsequent
49+ fiscal years for the purposes prescribed in this section.
7550 Sec. 61.884. RECOGNIZED CERTIFICATIONS OR CREDENTIALS. (a)
76- The board, in collaboration with eligible institutions, the Texas
77- Workforce Commission, and private employers, shall identify
78- existing and develop new postsecondary industry certifications or
79- other workforce credentials valued in high-demand occupations.
80- (b) The board, in consultation with eligible institutions,
51+ The board, in collaboration with public junior colleges, the Texas
52+ Workforce Commission, and private employers, shall identify new
53+ high-demand skills needed to earn postsecondary industry
54+ certifications or other workforce credentials valued in
55+ high-demand occupations.
56+ (b) The board, in consultation with public junior colleges,
8157 shall:
82- (1) identify postsecondary industry certifications or
83- other workforce credentials developed or redesigned using grant
84- funds under the program; and
58+ (1) identify new postsecondary industry
59+ certifications or other workforce credentials developed using
60+ grant funds under the initiative; and
8561 (2) establish methods for collecting and reporting
8662 data related to the certifications or credentials identified under
8763 Subdivision (1).
88- (c) An eligible institution or a consortium of eligible
89- institutions awarded a grant under this subchapter may recommend
90- outcomes related to the achievement or development of postsecondary
91- industry certifications or other workforce credentials identified
92- under this section to be considered by the board for inclusion in
93- the state's long-range master plan for higher education developed
94- under Section 61.051.
64+ (c) A public junior college awarded a grant under this
65+ subchapter may recommend outcomes related to the achievement or
66+ development of postsecondary industry certifications or other
67+ workforce credentials identified under this section to be
68+ considered by the board for inclusion in the state's long-range
69+ master plan for higher education developed under Section 61.051.
9570 (d) In devising its funding formulas and making its
9671 recommendations to the legislature relating to institutional
97- appropriations of funds for eligible institutions under Section
72+ appropriations of funds for public junior colleges under Section
9873 61.059, the board shall incorporate the consideration of the
9974 achievement or development of postsecondary industry
10075 certifications and other workforce credentials identified under
10176 this section.
10277 Sec. 61.885. GRANTS, GIFTS, AND DONATIONS. The board may
10378 solicit, accept, and spend grants, gifts, and donations from any
10479 public or private source for the purposes of this subchapter.
10580 Sec. 61.886. RULES. The board shall adopt rules for the
10681 administration of this subchapter, including rules requiring
107- eligible institutions awarded a grant under this subchapter to
82+ public junior colleges awarded a grant under this subchapter to
10883 report necessary information to the board.
10984 SECTION 2. (a) The Texas Higher Education Coordinating
11085 Board shall adopt rules to administer Subchapter T-2, Chapter 61,
11186 Education Code, as added by this Act, as soon as practicable after
11287 the effective date of this Act.
11388 (b) The Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board shall
114- award grants under Subchapter T-2, Chapter 61, Education Code, as
115- added by this Act, beginning with the 2021 fall semester.
89+ award grants to public junior colleges under Subchapter T-2,
90+ Chapter 61, Education Code, as added by this Act, beginning with the
91+ 2022 fall semester.
11692 SECTION 3. This Act takes effect immediately if it receives
11793 a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as
11894 provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution. If this
11995 Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this
12096 Act takes effect September 1, 2021.