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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to state agency employment openings and aptitude |
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assessments. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Section 656.002, Government Code, is amended by |
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amending Subsections (b), (c), and (e) and adding Subsections (f) |
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and (g) to read as follows: |
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(b) The online system for listing state agency employment |
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openings maintained by the Texas Workforce Commission must allow an |
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applicant for employment to: |
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(1) complete a single state application and the |
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standardized aptitude test described by Section 656.028 online; and |
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(2) enter the application and the standardized |
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aptitude test into an online database from which the applicant may |
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electronically send the application and the standardized aptitude |
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test to multiple state agencies. |
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(c) The Texas Workforce Commission shall: |
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(1) prescribe a standard electronic format for the |
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online application and standardized aptitude test described by |
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Subsection (b); and |
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(2) ensure that the commission's online system allows |
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an applicant to submit and a state agency to receive an online |
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application and the standardized aptitude test for state agency |
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employment. |
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(e) This section does not prohibit a state agency from |
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accepting an application for an employment opening, the |
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standardized aptitude test, or a specialized aptitude test in a |
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manner other than the manner described by this section. |
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(f) The online system must inform an applicant that the |
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applicant is not required to complete the standardized aptitude |
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test to apply for an employment opening. |
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(g) The online system must list the classified positions for |
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which the standardized aptitude test will be accepted. |
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SECTION 2. Subchapter B, Chapter 656, Government Code, is |
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amended by adding Section 656.028 to read as follows: |
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Sec. 656.028. APTITUDE ASSESSMENTS. (a) In this section: |
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(1) "Career education and training program" has the |
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meaning assigned by Section 2308A.001. |
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(2) "Specialized aptitude test" means an assessment of |
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the competencies and skills needed for a specific state agency |
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position that are not measured by the standardized aptitude test, |
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including a skills demonstration, skills-based questionnaire, |
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skills-based interview, and any other valid skills measurement |
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strategy. |
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(3) "Standardized aptitude test" means the uniform |
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assessment that measures the skill set of a job applicant developed |
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by the state auditor under this section. |
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(b) Each state agency shall at least once each calendar year |
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review each classified position in the state agency to determine |
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the skills needed for each position. The state agency shall compile |
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a list of skills for each position identified under this subsection |
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and submit the list to the state auditor. |
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(c) The state auditor shall review each list of skills for |
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each position submitted under Subsection (b) and determine the |
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skills shared across state agency classified positions. The state |
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auditor shall develop, in consultation with state agencies, a |
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standardized aptitude test to determine whether a job applicant has |
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the shared skills. The state auditor may contract with a person |
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that specializes in certification of occupation-based skills |
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assessments to develop, certify, or evaluate the results of the |
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standardized aptitude test. |
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(d) The Texas Workforce Commission shall make the |
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standardized aptitude test available on the online state agency |
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employment applications system described by Section 656.002. |
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(e) If a state agency determines a specialized aptitude test |
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would improve the agency's hiring process, the agency must consult |
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with the Tri-Agency Workforce Initiative established by Chapter |
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2308A to align the career education and training programs and state |
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workforce development strategies developed under Section 2308A.006 |
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with the competencies and skills measured by the test. |
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(f) A state agency may not consider the fact that an |
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applicant for employment did not complete the standardized aptitude |
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test in making a hiring determination. |
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(g) The state auditor shall adopt rules necessary to |
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implement this section, including rules that require a state agency |
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to accept the standardized aptitude test as an alternative to a |
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hiring requirement that relates to an applicant's education or |
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experience, as determined appropriate by the state auditor. |
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SECTION 3. Each state agency shall complete the initial |
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review required by Section 656.028(b), Government Code, as added by |
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this Act, and submit the list of skills for each position to the |
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state auditor not later than December 1, 2024. |
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SECTION 4. This Act takes effect September 1, 2023. |