| |
|
|
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
|
|
|
AN ACT
|
| |
|
|
relating to the establishment of the industry-based certification |
|
|
advisory council and the transfer of certain duties to that |
|
|
advisory council. |
|
|
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
|
|
SECTION 1. Subtitle B, Title 4, Labor Code, is amended by |
|
|
adding Chapter 312 to read as follows: |
|
|
CHAPTER 312. INDUSTRY-BASED CERTIFICATION ADVISORY COUNCIL |
|
|
Sec. 312.001. DEFINITION. In this chapter, "advisory |
|
|
council" means the industry-based certification advisory council |
|
|
established under this chapter. |
|
|
Sec. 312.002. ADVISORY COUNCIL. (a) The industry-based |
|
|
certification advisory council is established to advise the |
|
|
commission regarding the alignment of public high school career and |
|
|
technology education programs with current and future workforce |
|
|
needs in communities, regions, and the state. |
|
|
(b) The advisory council is composed of the following nine |
|
|
members: |
|
|
(1) three members representing industry in this state, |
|
|
one each appointed by the governor, the lieutenant governor, and |
|
|
the speaker of the house of representatives; |
|
|
(2) three members representing public school teachers |
|
|
who teach career and technology education courses or public school |
|
|
administrators, one each appointed by the governor, the lieutenant |
|
|
governor, and the speaker of the house of representatives; and |
|
|
(3) three members representing a public junior |
|
|
college, public state college, or public technical institute, as |
|
|
those terms are defined by Section 61.003, Education Code, one each |
|
|
appointed by the governor, the lieutenant governor, and the speaker |
|
|
of the house of representatives. |
|
|
(c) The members of the advisory council serve staggered |
|
|
four-year terms, with the terms of either four or five members |
|
|
expiring February 1 of each odd-numbered year. |
|
|
(c-1) Notwithstanding Subsection (c), the initial members |
|
|
appointed shall determine by lot which four of the nine initial |
|
|
members will serve terms that expire February 1, 2023, and which |
|
|
five of the nine initial members will serve terms that expire |
|
|
February 1, 2025. This subsection expires January 1, 2026. |
|
|
(d) A vacancy on the advisory council shall be filled in the |
|
|
same manner as the original appointment for that position. |
|
|
(e) A member of the advisory council is not entitled to |
|
|
compensation for service as a member of the advisory council but is |
|
|
entitled to reimbursement for actual and necessary travel expenses |
|
|
incurred in performing functions as a member of the advisory |
|
|
council, as provided in the General Appropriations Act. |
|
|
(f) Using existing resources, the commission shall provide |
|
|
administrative and staff support for the advisory council. |
|
|
SECTION 2. Section 29.189, Education Code, is transferred |
|
|
to Chapter 312, Labor Code, as added by this Act, redesignated as |
|
|
Section 312.003, Labor Code, and amended to read as follows: |
|
|
Sec. 312.003. [Sec. 29.189.] INVENTORY OF CREDENTIALS AND |
|
|
CERTIFICATES. (a) The advisory council [In this section: |
|
|
[(1) "Commission" means the Texas Workforce |
|
|
Commission. |
|
|
[(2) "Coordinating board" means the Texas Higher |
|
|
Education Coordinating Board. |
|
|
[(b) The agency, the coordinating board, and the |
|
|
commission] shall [jointly] develop [and post on their respective |
|
|
Internet websites] an inventory of industry-recognized credentials |
|
|
and certificates that may be earned by a public high school student |
|
|
through a career and technology education program and that: |
|
|
(1) are aligned to state and regional workforce needs; |
|
|
and |
|
|
(2) serve as an entry point to middle- and high-wage |
|
|
jobs. |
|
|
(b) [(c)] The inventory must include for each credential or |
|
|
certificate: |
|
|
(1) the associated career cluster; |
|
|
(2) the awarding entity; |
|
|
(3) the level of education required and any additional |
|
|
requirements for the credential or certificate; |
|
|
(4) any fees for obtaining the credential or |
|
|
certificate; and |
|
|
(5) the average wage or salary for jobs that require or |
|
|
prefer the credential or certificate. |
|
|
(c) In developing the inventory, the advisory council may |
|
|
consult with local workforce boards, the Texas Workforce Investment |
|
|
Council, the Texas Economic Development and Tourism Office, and the |
|
|
Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board. |
|
|
(d) The advisory council shall establish a process for |
|
|
developing the inventory, including the criteria for the inclusion |
|
|
of a credential or certificate in the inventory. |
|
|
(e) The advisory council shall annually review and revise |
|
|
the inventory. |
|
|
(f) Each year, [the agency, the coordinating board, and] the |
|
|
commission [jointly] shall: |
|
|
(1) adopt [review] and, if necessary, review [update] |
|
|
the inventory; and |
|
|
(2) provide a copy of the inventory to the Texas |
|
|
Education Agency and to each school district and public institution |
|
|
of higher education that offers a career and technology education |
|
|
program to public high school students. |
|
|
SECTION 3. As soon as practicable after the effective date |
|
|
of this Act but not later than January 1, 2022, the industry-based |
|
|
certification advisory council established under Chapter 312, |
|
|
Labor Code, as added by this Act, shall develop the initial |
|
|
inventory required under that chapter. |
|
|
SECTION 4. This Act takes effect immediately if it receives |
|
|
a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as |
|
|
provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution. If this |
|
|
Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this |
|
|
Act takes effect September 1, 2021. |
|
|
|
|
|
* * * * * |