BILL ANALYSIS

Senate Research Center	H.B. 4279
87R12758 KJE-F	By: Dominguez (Hinojosa)
	Natural Resources & Economic Development
	5/18/2021
	Engrossed

AUTHOR'S / SPONSOR'S STATEMENT OF INTENT

It has been suggested that allowing the Windham School District, a school district that provides educational services to inmates in the custody of the Texas Department of Criminal Justice, to receive grants through the Jobs and Education for Texans (JET) grant program will assist the district in accomplishing its mission of creating positive education outcomes for inmates. H.B. 4279 seeks to do so.

H.B. 4279 amends current law relating to the eligibility of the Windham School District to participate in the Jobs and Education for Texans (JET) Grant Program.

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 134.004, Education Code, as follows:

Sec. 134.004. JOBS AND EDUCATION FOR TEXANS (JET) GRANT PROGRAM. (a) Requires the Texas Workforce Commission (TWC) to establish and administer the Jobs and Education for Texans (JET) Grant Program to provide grants to public junior colleges, public technical institutes, public state colleges, and school districts, rather than independent school districts, described under Section 134.007 (Grants Awarded to Independent School District) that apply to the advisory board in the manner prescribed by the advisory board.

(b) Makes a conforming change to this subsection.

SECTION 2. Amends Sections 134.006(a), (c), and (d), Education Code, as follows:

(a) Authorizes TWC to award a grant for the development of new career and technical education courses or programs at public junior colleges, public technical institutes, public state colleges, and school districts, rather than independent school districts, described under Section 134.007.

(c) Authorizes TWC to also consider whether the course or program:

(1) makes no changes to this subdivision;

(2) makes a nonsubstantive change to this subdivision;

(3) offers new career and technical educational opportunities not previously available to students enrolled at any campus in the Windham School District; or

(4) creates this subdivision from existing text and makes no further changes.

(d) Makes conforming changes to this subsection.

SECTION 3. Amends Section 134.007, Education Code, as follows:

Sec. 134.007. New heading: GRANTS AWARDED TO SCHOOL DISTRICT. Authorizes TWC to award a grant to a school district, rather than an independent school district, under Chapter 134 (Jobs and Education For Texans (JET) Grant Program) if the district:

(1) is an independent school district and has entered into a partnership with a public junior college, public technical institute, or public state college for the purpose of:

(A) promoting career and technical education to the district's students; or

(B) offering dual credit courses to the district's students; or

(2) is the Windham School District.

Makes nonsubstantive changes.

SECTION 4. Effective date: September 1, 2021.