BILL ANALYSIS

Senate Research Center	H.B. 33
	By: Dominguez et al. (Zaffirini)
	Veteran Affairs & Border Security
	4/14/2021
	Engrossed

AUTHOR'S / SPONSOR'S STATEMENT OF INTENT

The skills that our veterans acquire while serving our country often align with programs offered by universities, community colleges, and trade schools. There is not a way, however, for veterans to identify which of their skills or certifications may be eligible for post-secondary credit. H.B. 33 would address this issue by requiring the Texas Workforce Commission (TWC) to identify programs offered by career schools or colleges for which skills obtained through military experience, education, and training frequently align. TWC would then require that the school provide credit toward any course time for the relevant program, unless the school can demonstrate that those skills are not applicable. What's more, this bill would require the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board to publish the list of the identified programs and approved career schools and colleges on its website.

H.B. 33 amends current law relating to measures to facilitate the award of postsecondary course credit leading to workforce credentialing based on military experience, education, and training.

RULEMAKING AUTHORITY

This bill does not expressly grant any additional rulemaking authority to a state officer, institution, or agency.

SECTION BY SECTION ANALYSIS

SECTION 1. Amends Section 51.3041(b), Education Code, to require an institution of higher education to consider certain criteria pertaining to the student's completion of certain military training in determining whether to award to a student course credit toward a degree or certificate, rather than course credit toward a degree, offered by the institution.

SECTION 2. Amends Subchapter B, Chapter 132, Education Code, by adding Section 132.026, as follows:

Sec. 132.026. MEASURES TO FACILITATE AWARD OF COURSE CREDIT FOR MILITARY SERVICE. (a) Requires the Texas Workforce Commission (TWC) to evaluate programs of study or courses offered by career schools or colleges leading to industry-based certifications or other workforce credentials to identify programs or courses for which skills obtained through military experience, education, and training frequently align.

(b) Requires TWC to publish on its Internet website a list of any programs of study or courses identified by TWC under this section and the relevant military experience, education, or training that may align with those programs or courses.

SECTION 3. Amends Section 132.055, Education Code, by adding Subsection (c), as follows:

(c) Requires TWC, in determining whether to approve a career school or college that offers a program of study or course listed on TWC's Internet website under Section 132.026(b), in addition to the criteria prescribed by Subsection (b) (relating to certain criteria for the programs, curricula, and instruction of a career school or college) of Section 132.055 (Criteria), to require that the career school or college� provide credit to a student toward any course time required for the program of study or course for skills obtained by the student through military experience, education, or training, unless the school or college can demonstrate that those skills are not appropriately aligned with the program of study or course.

SECTION 4. Amends Section 302.0031, Labor Code, by amending Subsection (a) and adding Subsection (i), as follows:

(a) Defines, for the purposes of Section 302.0031 (College Credit for Heroes Program), "career school or college." Makes a nonsubstantive change.

(i) Requires TWC, under the College Credit for Heroes program, to identify, develop, and support methods to facilitate the award of course time credit by career schools or colleges or other private or nonprofit entities providing programs of study or courses of instruction leading to industry certifications or other workforce credentials to veterans and military servicemembers for military experience, education, or training obtained during military service for programs of study or courses of instruction offered by those schools, colleges, or other entities for which skills obtained through military experience, education, and training align.

SECTION 5. Effective date: September 1, 2021.