BILL ANALYSIS

H.B. 4451

By: Bhojani

International Relations & Economic Development

Committee Report (Unamended)

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

According to the U.S. Department of Labor, there were 22,404 active Texas apprentices through the second quarter of fiscal year 2022. The Coalition for Apprenticeship Partners in Economic Development's data shows that almost 81 percent of apprentices in Texas were in programs related to construction and extraction or installation, maintenance, and repair occupations. These trades, which are in demand in Texas, along with other key industries' trades, help bolster the state's economy with millions of jobs. An assessment of workforce alignment between Texas apprenticeship programs and identified workforce needs would help guide the state's efforts to ensure that state-supported apprenticeship programs address both current and future workforce needs. H.B. 4451 seeks to resolve this issue by requiring the Texas Workforce Commission to work with the state's 28 local workforce development boards to determine the availability of apprenticeships aligned with the industries represented in workforce boards' target occupations lists.

CRIMINAL JUSTICE IMPACT

It is the committee's opinion that this bill does not expressly create a criminal offense, increase the punishment for an existing criminal offense or category of offenses, or change the eligibility of a person for community supervision, parole, or mandatory supervision.

RULEMAKING AUTHORITY

It is the committee's opinion that this bill does not expressly grant any additional rulemaking authority to a state officer, department, agency, or institution.

ANALYSIS

H.B. 4451 amends the Labor Code to require the Texas Workforce Commission (TWC), in consultation with each local workforce development board, to prepare and submit to the legislature a report on available apprenticeship programs in Texas and make recommendations to expand the availability of apprenticeship programs in emerging and high-demand industries not later than September 1 of each year. The bill requires the report to do the following:

· include data on the following:

o the total number of active apprenticeship programs and active apprentices, categorized by the industries included in the North American Industry Classification System; and

o the total occupational demand for each industry, categorized by each occupation in the industry for which an apprenticeship program may be established; and

· make recommendations to expand available apprenticeship programs for emerging and high-demand industries with higher employment demand relative to the total number of active apprentices and apprenticeship programs.

H.B. 4451 authorizes TWC to collaborate and consult with the Texas Workforce Investment Council or the Apprenticeship and Training Advisory Committee, as designated by the council, to develop recommendations for the report. The bill requires TWC to provide a copy of the report to the council or advisory committee at the same time as the report on an apprenticeship-related instruction cost study and funding distribution for apprenticeship-related instruction programs.

H.B. 4451 requires TWC to prepare and submit the initial report on available apprenticeship programs not later than September 1, 2024.

EFFECTIVE DATE

September 1, 2023.