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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to the expansion of the Texas Innovative Adult Career |
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Education (ACE) Grant Program to include certain nonprofit |
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organizations providing job training to veterans. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Section 136.001, Education Code, is amended by |
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adding Subdivision (5) to read as follows: |
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(5) "Veteran" means a person who has served in: |
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(A) the army, navy, air force, coast guard, or |
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marine corps of the United States; |
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(B) the state military forces as defined by |
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Section 431.001, Government Code, other than the Texas State Guard; |
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or |
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(C) an auxiliary service of one of those branches |
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of the armed forces. |
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SECTION 2. Section 136.005, Education Code, is amended to |
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read as follows: |
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Sec. 136.005. TEXAS INNOVATIVE ADULT CAREER EDUCATION (ACE) |
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GRANT PROGRAM. (a) The grant administrator shall establish and |
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administer the Texas Innovative Adult Career Education (ACE) Grant |
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Program to provide grants to: |
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(1) eligible nonprofit workforce intermediary and job |
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training organizations; and |
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(2) eligible nonprofit organizations providing job |
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training to veterans. |
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(a-1) In awarding grants under the program, the grant |
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administrator shall take into consideration the recommendations of |
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the program advisory board. |
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(b) Grants may be awarded under this chapter from the Texas |
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Innovative Adult Career Education (ACE) Grant fund only to develop, |
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support, or expand programs of eligible nonprofit workforce |
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intermediary and job training organizations and of eligible |
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nonprofit organizations providing job training to veterans to |
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prepare low-income students or veterans, as applicable, to enter |
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careers in high-demand and significantly higher-earning |
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occupations. |
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SECTION 3. Section 136.006, Education Code, is amended by |
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adding Subsection (a-1) and amending Subsection (b) to read as |
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follows: |
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(a-1) To be eligible for a grant under the program, a |
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nonprofit organization providing job training services to veterans |
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must: |
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(1) apply to the grant administrator in the manner |
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prescribed by the grant administrator; |
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(2) provide to veterans, in partnership with public |
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junior colleges, public state colleges, or public technical |
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institutes: |
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(A) job training; and |
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(B) a continuum of services designed to move a |
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program participant from application to employment, including |
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outreach, assessment, case management, support services, and |
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career placement; |
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(3) be governed by a board or other governing |
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structure that includes recognized leaders of broad-based |
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community organizations and executive-level or managerial-level |
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members of the local business community; |
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(4) demonstrate to the satisfaction of the program |
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advisory board that the organization's program has achieved or will |
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achieve the following measures of success among program |
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participants: |
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(A) the measures prescribed by Subsections |
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(a)(4)(A)-(C); |
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(B) rapid attainment of civilian workforce |
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credentials; and |
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(C) entry into careers with significantly higher |
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earnings for program participants than previously achieved; and |
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(5) provide matching funds in accordance with rules |
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adopted under this chapter. |
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(b) The matching funds required under Subsection (a)(5) or |
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(a-1)(5) may be obtained from any source available to the |
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organization, including in-kind contributions, community or |
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foundation grants, individual contributions, and local |
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governmental agency operating funds. The grant administrator may |
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adopt rules requiring an organization to demonstrate compliance |
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with the matching funds requirement before the payment of the next |
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installment under an awarded grant. |
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SECTION 4. This Act takes effect September 1, 2021. |
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