88R6305 LRM-D
By: Oliverson H.B. No. 3924
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT
relating to state agency employment openings and aptitude
assessments.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
SECTION 1. Section 656.002, Government Code, is amended by
amending Subsections (b), (c), and (e) and adding Subsections (f)
and (g) to read as follows:
(b) The online system for listing state agency employment
openings maintained by the Texas Workforce Commission must allow an
applicant for employment to:
(1) complete a single state application and the
standardized aptitude test described by Section 656.028 online; and
(2) enter the application and the standardized
aptitude test into an online database from which the applicant may
electronically send the application and the standardized aptitude
test to multiple state agencies.
(c) The Texas Workforce Commission shall:
(1) prescribe a standard electronic format for the
online application and standardized aptitude test described by
Subsection (b); and
(2) ensure that the commission's online system allows
an applicant to submit and a state agency to receive an online
application and the standardized aptitude test for state agency
employment.
(e) This section does not prohibit a state agency from
accepting an application for an employment opening, the
standardized aptitude test, or a specialized aptitude test in a
manner other than the manner described by this section.
(f) The online system must inform an applicant that the
applicant is not required to complete the standardized aptitude
test to apply for an employment opening.
(g) The online system must list the classified positions for
which the standardized aptitude test will be accepted.
SECTION 2. Subchapter B, Chapter 656, Government Code, is
amended by adding Section 656.028 to read as follows:
Sec. 656.028. APTITUDE ASSESSMENTS. (a) In this section:
(1) "Career education and training program" has the
meaning assigned by Section 2308A.001.
(2) "Specialized aptitude test" means an assessment of
the competencies and skills needed for a specific state agency
position that are not measured by the standardized aptitude test,
including a skills demonstration, skills-based questionnaire,
skills-based interview, and any other valid skills measurement
strategy.
(3) "Standardized aptitude test" means the uniform
assessment that measures the skill set of a job applicant developed
by the Texas Workforce Commission under this section.
(b) Each state agency shall at least once each calendar year
review each classified position in the state agency to determine
the skills needed for each position. The state agency shall compile
a list of skills identified under this subsection and submit the
list to the Texas Workforce Commission.
(c) The Texas Workforce Commission shall review each list of
skills submitted under Subsection (b) and determine the skills
shared across state agency classified positions. The commission
shall develop, in consultation with state agencies, a standardized
aptitude test to determine whether a job applicant has the shared
skills. The commission may contract with a person that specializes
in certification of occupation-based skills assessments to
develop, certify, or evaluate the results of the standardized
aptitude test.
(d) The Texas Workforce Commission shall make the
standardized aptitude test available on the online state agency
employment applications system described by Section 656.002.
(e) If a state agency determines a specialized aptitude test
would improve the agency's hiring process, the agency must consult
with the Tri-Agency Workforce Initiative established by Chapter
2308A to align the career education and training programs and state
workforce development strategies developed under Section 2308A.006
with the competencies and skills measured by the test.
(f) A state agency may not consider the fact that an
applicant for employment did not complete the standardized aptitude
test in making a hiring determination.
(g) The Texas Workforce Commission shall adopt rules
necessary to implement this section.
SECTION 3. Each state agency shall complete the initial
review required by Section 656.028(b), Government Code, as added by
this Act, and submit the list of skills to the Texas Workforce
Commission not later than December 1, 2024.
SECTION 4. This Act takes effect September 1, 2023.