Texas 2023 - 88th Regular

Texas House Bill HB1780 Compare Versions

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1	1	88R1166 SGM-D
2	2	By: Hinojosa H.B. No. 1780
3	3
4	4
5	5	A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
6	6	AN ACT
7	7	relating to the creation by the Texas Workforce Commission of a
8	8	program to assist with transitioning certain workers to clean
9	9	energy jobs.
10	10	BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
11	11	SECTION 1. Subtitle B, Title 4, Labor Code, is amended by
12	12	adding Chapter 319 to read as follows:
13	13	CHAPTER 319. TEXAS JUST TRANSITION SKILLS DEVELOPMENT WORKFORCE
14	14	PROGRAM
15	15	Sec. 319.001. DEFINITIONS. In this chapter:
16	16	(1) "Program" means the Texas Just Transition Skills
17	17	Development Workforce Program established under this chapter.
18	18	(2) "Program commissioners" means the commissioners
19	19	of the Tri-Agency Workforce Initiative and the Texas Commission on
20	20	Environmental Quality.
21	21	(3) "Tri-Agency Workforce Initiative" means the joint
22	22	commission established under Chapter 2308A, Government Code,
23	23	consisting of commissioners of the Texas Education Agency, the
24	24	Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board, and the Texas Workforce
25	25	Commission.
26	26	Sec. 319.002. TEXAS JUST TRANSITION SKILLS DEVELOPMENT
27	27	WORKFORCE PROGRAM. (a) The commission, in consultation with the
28	28	program commissioners, shall develop and administer the program
29	29	under which a network of participating frontline organizations
30	30	across this state provide direct and sustained support to prepare
31	31	members of economically disadvantaged communities, environmental
32	32	justice communities, communities of color, foster care
33	33	communities, and displaced fossil fuel workers for training and
34	34	entry into clean energy jobs in solar energy, wind energy, energy
35	35	efficiency, transportation electrification, and related
36	36	industries.
37	37	(b) The program must:
38	38	(1) leverage participating frontline organizations to
39	39	ensure members of disadvantaged communities and workers served
40	40	under the program have dedicated and sustained support and training
41	41	necessary for entry into clean energy jobs; and
42	42	(2) facilitate the development of formal partnerships
43	43	between participating frontline organizations and trade groups,
44	44	labor unions, and clean energy employers to ensure members of
45	45	communities and workers served under the program have priority
46	46	access to pre-apprenticeship, apprenticeship, and other employment
47	47	opportunities.
48	48	Sec. 319.003. PROGRAM NETWORK. (a) The program
49	49	administrator selected under Section 319.004 shall establish a
50	50	network of frontline organizations across this state to provide
51	51	direct and sustained support and training to members of communities
52	52	and workers served under the program.
53	53	(b) Each frontline organization selected to participate in
54	54	the network must agree to:
55	55	(1) provide:
56	56	(A) community education and outreach about
57	57	workforce and training opportunities to ensure members of
58	58	communities and workers served under the program are aware of clean
59	59	energy workforce and training opportunities;
60	60	(B) training, pre-apprenticeship,
61	61	apprenticeship, and skill development, including soft skills, math
62	62	skills, technical skills, and other development needed for members
63	63	of communities and workers served under the program to enter clean
64	64	energy-related training and pre-apprenticeship and apprenticeship
65	65	programs and career paths;
66	66	(C) targeted outreach and recruitment to ensure
67	67	people of color are invited, supported, and given assistance with
68	68	applying for community-based and labor-based training
69	69	opportunities, including pre-apprenticeship and apprenticeship
70	70	programs; and
71	71	(D) direct assistance and counseling to program
72	72	participants in training and apprenticeships to help connect
73	73	participants to career options with renewable energy companies,
74	74	energy efficiency companies, and other clean energy employers and
75	75	to provide a direct resource for industries to identify qualified
76	76	workers to meet program hiring or subcontracting requirements;
77	77	(2) develop partnerships with labor organizations to
78	78	ensure members of communities and workers served under the program
79	79	are recruited, placed, and supported in labor-based training
80	80	programs, such as workforce development programs and
81	81	pre-apprenticeship and apprenticeship programs;
82	82	(3) implement a stipend program for program
83	83	participants in clean energy-related training and apprenticeships
84	84	that includes funds to assist with participants' transportation or
85	85	child-care costs and costs for other needed services or supplies;
86	86	and
87	87	(4) engage in job placement activities, including
88	88	outreach to public agencies, utilities, and clean energy companies,
89	89	the creation of formal partnerships with employers, employment
90	90	interview preparation activities, and on-the-job support and
91	91	counseling.
92	92	Sec. 319.004. PROGRAM ADMINISTRATOR. (a) The program
93	93	commissioners shall select an individual or a community-based
94	94	organization to serve as program administrator to coordinate the
95	95	work of participating frontline organizations under the program to
96	96	ensure consistent execution, performance, partnerships, marketing,
97	97	and program access across this state.
98	98	(b) In selecting the program administrator, the program
99	99	commissioners shall:
100	100	(1) consult with representatives from communities and
101	101	workers served under the program; and
102	102	(2) ensure that the individual or organization
103	103	selected to serve as program administrator has strong capabilities
104	104	in program management and knowledge of industry trends and
105	105	activities, workforce development best practices, and community
106	106	development.
107	107	Sec. 319.005. CLEAN JOBS TRAINING CURRICULUM. (a) The
108	108	program commissioners shall create and adopt a training curriculum
109	109	designed to prepare workers to enter the clean energy field,
110	110	including solar energy, wind energy, energy efficiency,
111	111	electrification, site assessment, sales, and administration. The
112	112	training curriculum must include broad occupational training to
113	113	provide career entry into the general construction and building
114	114	trades sector.
115	115	(b) In creating the training curriculum, the program
116	116	commissioners shall consult and collaborate with:
117	117	(1) the Texas Workforce Investment Council;
118	118	(2) the Texas Economic Development and Tourism Office;
119	119	(3) the Texas Department of Criminal Justice;
120	120	(4) the Texas Education Agency;
121	121	(5) the Health and Human Services Commission;
122	122	(6) the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board;
123	123	(7) the Texas Juvenile Justice Department;
124	124	(8) the Texas Veterans Commission;
125	125	(9) the commission;
126	126	(10) the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality;
127	127	(11) the Railroad Commission of Texas;
128	128	(12) the State Energy Conservation Office;
129	129	(13) representatives of frontline organizations;
130	130	(14) workforce development providers;
131	131	(15) representatives of labor unions;
132	132	(16) representatives of building trades; and
133	133	(17) clean energy employers, including employers from
134	134	the solar energy, wind energy, energy efficiency, transportation
135	135	electrification, and infrastructure industries.
136	136	(c) A participating frontline organization that receives
137	137	funding to provide training under the program, including a
138	138	community-based or labor-based training provider, must use the
139	139	training curriculum developed under this section for the delivery
140	140	of that training.
141	141	Sec. 319.006. RULES. The commission shall adopt rules as
142	142	necessary for the administration of this chapter.
143	143	SECTION 2. Not later than November 1, 2023, the
144	144	commissioners of the Texas Education Agency, the Texas Higher
145	145	Education Coordinating Board, the Texas Workforce Commission, and
146	146	the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality shall select a
147	147	program administrator as required under Section 319.004, Labor
148	148	Code, as added by this Act, for the Texas Just Transition Skills
149	149	Development Workforce Program created by this Act.
150	150	SECTION 3. Not later than March 1, 2024, the Texas Workforce
151	151	Commission shall submit to the legislature a report reflecting the
152	152	training curriculum adopted under Section 319.005, Labor Code, as
153	153	added by this Act.
154	154	SECTION 4. This Act takes effect September 1, 2023.