88R5772 KSD-F By: Ordaz H.B. No. 1703 A BILL TO BE ENTITLED AN ACT relating to the workforce development evaluation system administered by the Texas Workforce Commission. BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: SECTION 1. Section 302.001, Labor Code, is amended by amending Subdivision (1) and adding Subdivision (1-a) to read as follows: (1) "Career education and training program" has the meaning assigned by Section 2308A.001, Government Code. (1-a) "Director" means the director of the division. SECTION 2. Section 302.081(a), Labor Code, is amended to read as follows: (a) The commission shall maintain and operate an automated follow-up and evaluation system derived from appropriate available information, including: (1) unemployment insurance wage records maintained by the commission; and (2) student follow-up information available through the Texas Education Agency and Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board. SECTION 3. Sections 302.082(b) and (c), Labor Code, are amended to read as follows: (b) Evaluation data in the system must include the following information disaggregated by race, ethnicity, sex, income, and location: (1) placement rates; (2) wages paid; (3) retention in employment statistics; (4) the number of education and training-related placements; [and] (5) data regarding the attainment of employment paying a self-sufficient wage, as determined under Section 2308A.012, Government Code, following completion of a career education and training program; and (6) other appropriate factors, including public welfare dependency and the pursuit of additional education. (c) The commission may develop a method for collecting occupational information to supplement wage record information collected by the commission under Section 204.0025. The commission may request employers, providers, and other appropriate sources to provide placement, employment, and earnings information to the commission. SECTION 4. Section 302.083, Labor Code, is amended by amending Subsection (a) and adding Subsections (a-1) and (c) to read as follows: (a) At least annually, the commission shall issue an analysis, by occupation and by the provider of the job placement performance, of each career education and training [workforce development] program for the previous one-year, three-year, and five-year periods to: (1) each provider of workforce education or workforce training and services; (2) the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board for each provider of workforce education approved and administered by the coordinating board; (3) each local workforce development board for each provider of workforce training and services in the workforce development area; and (4) the division. (a-1) An analysis issued under Subsection (a) must include: (1) analysis regarding the attainment of employment paying a self-sufficient wage, as determined under Section 2308A.012, Government Code, following completion of a career education and training program; and (2) detailed information on the services provided with each offered program. (c) The commission may share individual-level outcome information resulting from an analysis issued under Subsection (a) with state agencies represented on the council through secure means that may be accessed only by authorized employees of those agencies. SECTION 5. This Act takes effect September 1, 2023.