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Texas House Bill HB2768

Texas 2025 - 89th Regular

Texas House Bill HB2768 Compare Versions

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1-89R18729 CXP-F
1+89R10039 CXP-F
22 By: Capriglione H.B. No. 2768
3- Substitute the following for H.B. No. 2768:
4- By: Bhojani C.S.H.B. No. 2768
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77 A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
88 AN ACT
99 relating to the development of a state information technology
1010 apprenticeship credential offered by public junior colleges or
1111 public technical institutes to address shortages in the state
1212 information resources workforce.
1313 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
1414 SECTION 1. Subchapter C, Chapter 2054, Government Code, is
1515 amended by adding Section 2054.0702 to read as follows:
1616 Sec. 2054.0702. STATE INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY
17- APPRENTICESHIP CREDENTIAL. (a) In this section, "public junior
18- college" and "public technical institute" have the meanings
19- assigned by Section 61.003, Education Code.
17+ APPRENTICESHIP CREDENTIAL. (a) In this section, "public technical
18+ institute" has the meaning assigned by Section 61.003, Education
19+ Code.
2020 (b) A state agency may enter into an agreement with a public
2121 junior college district under Section 130.0081, Education Code, or
2222 a public technical institute under Section 135.06, Education Code,
2323 or other applicable law to offer a program leading to a state
2424 information technology apprenticeship credential to address
2525 shortages in the state information resources workforce.
2626 (c) A program offered under this section must:
2727 (1) be approved by the Texas Higher Education
2828 Coordinating Board in accordance with Section 61.0512, Education
2929 Code;
3030 (2) develop the knowledge and skills necessary for a
3131 journey- or senior-level information technology position in a state
3232 agency; and
3333 (3) include a one-year apprenticeship with:
3434 (A) a relevant state agency;
3535 (B) an organization working on a major
3636 information resources project; or
3737 (C) a regional network security center
3838 established under Section 2059.202.
39- (d) An apprenticeship described by Subsection (c)(3) may
40- be:
41- (1) an apprenticeship program registered with the
42- United States Department of Labor; or
43- (2) an industry-recognized apprenticeship program
44- offered by a public junior college or public technical institute
45- that:
46- (A) adheres to academic and workforce standards
47- required by industry; and
48- (B) provides for flexibility in course design and
49- implementation, including flexibility regarding the:
50- (i) number of hours of classroom
51- instruction and on-the-job training required;
52- (ii) competencies required for
53- credentialing; and
54- (iii) goals for the program, as determined
55- by the employer partner and faculty of the institution.
56- (e) The executive director shall update the department's
39+ (d) The executive director shall update the department's
5740 intra-agency career ladder program to ensure that an associate
5841 degree together with a credential awarded under this section may be
5942 substituted for a four-year baccalaureate degree.
60- (f) The classification officer in the office of the state
43+ (e) The classification officer in the office of the state
6144 auditor shall review the state's position classification plan to
6245 determine whether an associate degree together with a credential
6346 awarded under this section may be substituted for a four-year
6447 baccalaureate degree and revise relevant job descriptions
6548 accordingly.
66- (g) If a program offered under this section is not fully
67- funded through tuition and other money available to the public
68- junior college district or public technical institute for that
69- purpose, a state agency may:
70- (1) use any money available to the agency for the
71- purpose of offering the program; and
72- (2) solicit and accept gifts, grants, and donations
73- from any public or private source for the purpose of offering the
74- program.
7549 SECTION 2. This Act takes effect September 1, 2025.