By: Ellis S.B. No. 1309
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT
1-1 relating to the creation, organization, powers, and duties of the
1-2 Texas Youth Corps and its related advisory council; making an
1-3 appropriation.
1-4 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
1-5 SECTION 1. The Texas Youth Corps Act of 1993 is enacted to
1-6 read as follows:
1-7 Sec. 1.01. TEXAS YOUTH CORPS. The Texas Youth Corps is
1-8 created in the Texas Department of Commerce. This Act may be cited
1-9 as the Texas Youth Corps Act of 1993.
1-10 Sec. 1.02. PURPOSE. The purpose of the Texas Youth Corps is
1-11 to:
1-12 (1) build on the existing organizational framework of
1-13 state and local programs and agencies to expand full-time and
1-14 part-time service opportunities for Texas youth;
1-15 (2) encourage young people to serve in programs that
1-16 will benefit the state and improve their life chances through the
1-17 acquisition of literacy and job skills;
1-18 (3) enable Texas youths to make a sustained commitment
1-19 to service by removing barriers to service that have been created
1-20 by high education costs, loan indebtedness, and the cost of
1-21 housing; and
1-22 (4) involve participants in activities that would not
1-23 otherwise be performed by employed workers.
2-1 Sec. 1.03. DEFINITIONS. In this Act:
2-2 (1) "Crew supervisor" means the adult staff individual
2-3 who is responsible for supervising a crew of participants,
2-4 including the crew leader.
2-5 (2) "Economically disadvantaged" with respect to
2-6 youths has the same meaning given such term in Section 4(8) of the
2-7 Job Training Partnership Act (29 U.S.C. Section 1503(8)).
2-8 (3) "Executive director" means the executive director
2-9 of the Texas Department of Commerce.
2-10 (4) "Indian lands" means any real property owned by an
2-11 Indian tribe, any real property held in trust by the United States
2-12 for Indian tribes, and any real property held by Indian tribes that
2-13 is subject to restrictions on alienation imposed by the United
2-14 States government.
2-15 (5) "Indian tribe" means an American Indian tribe,
2-16 band, nation, or other organized group or community, including any
2-17 Alaska Native village or regional or village corporation as defined
2-18 in or established pursuant to the Alaska Native Claims Settlement
2-19 Act (43 U.S.C. Section 1601 et seq.) that is recognized as eligible
2-20 for the special programs and services provided by the United States
2-21 government to American Indians because of their status as American
2-22 Indians.
2-23 (6) "Out-of-school youth" means an individual who:
2-24 (A) has not attained the age of 27;
2-25 (B) has not completed college or the equivalent
3-1 thereof; and
3-2 (C) is not enrolled in an elementary or
3-3 secondary school or institution of higher education.
3-4 (7) "Participant" means an individual enrolled in a
3-5 program that receives assistance under this Act.
3-6 (8) "Placement" means the matching of a participant
3-7 with a specific project.
3-8 (9) "Program" means an activity carried out with
3-9 assistance provided under this Act.
3-10 (10) "Program agency" means:
3-11 (A) a state agency designated to manage a youth
3-12 corps program;
3-13 (B) the governing body of an Indian tribe that
3-14 administers a youth corps program; or
3-15 (C) any applicant administering a youth corps
3-16 program.
3-17 (11) "Project" means an activity that results in a
3-18 specific identifiable service or product that otherwise would not
3-19 be performed or made with existing funds and that does not
3-20 duplicate the routine services or functions of the employer to whom
3-21 participants are assigned.
3-22 (12) "Public land" means any land or water or interest
3-23 therein owned or administered by the United States government or by
3-24 a state agency, an instrumentality of the state, or a local
3-25 government.
4-1 (13) "Sponsoring organization" means an organization
4-2 eligible to receive assistance under this Act that has been
4-3 selected to provide a placement for a participant.
4-4 (14) "Youth corps program" means a program, such as a
4-5 conservation corps or youth service program, that offers full-time,
4-6 productive work to be financed through stipends with visible
4-7 community benefits in a natural-resource or human-service setting
4-8 and that gives participants a mixture of work experience, basic and
4-9 life skills, education, training, and support services.
4-10 Sec. 1.04. STAFFING REQUIREMENTS. (a) The initial staff of
4-11 the Texas Youth Corps will include an executive director, a program
4-12 manager, and an administrative assistant. The executive director
4-13 and the program manager must have experience in the field of youth
4-14 volunteer services or other related programs. The executive
4-15 director must also have managerial experience in the field of youth
4-16 volunteer services or other related programs.
4-17 (b) Subject to appropriation and the approval of the
4-18 executive director of the Texas Department of Commerce, the
4-19 executive director of the Texas Youth Corps shall hire employees
4-20 necessary to carry out the duties of the office.
4-21 Sec. 1.05. DUTIES. The duties of the Texas Youth Corps
4-22 include but are not limited to:
4-23 (1) providing competitive grants for new programs and
4-24 existing programs within the state;
4-25 (2) generating additional service hours each year to
5-1 help meet human, educational, environmental, and public safety
5-2 needs, particularly those needs related to combatting poverty;
5-3 (3) providing training, technical assistance, and
5-4 grant monitoring services to state and local entities receiving
5-5 grants;
5-6 (4) providing training and technical assistance to
5-7 other youth corps not receiving state grants; and
5-8 (5) establishing and specifying the membership and
5-9 role of an advisory committee that shall consist of representatives
5-10 of community-based agencies including community action agencies,
5-11 agencies that serve older adults, and agencies that serve youth and
5-12 representatives of youth, parents, teachers, administrators, school
5-13 board members, labor, and business.
5-14 Sec. 1.06. RULES AND REGULATIONS. (a) Not later than
5-15 January 1, 1994, the executive director shall promulgate
5-16 regulations necessary to implement the program established by this
5-17 Act.
5-18 (b) Not later than October 1, 1993, the executive director
5-19 shall establish procedures to provide program agencies and other
5-20 interested parties, including the general public, with adequate
5-21 notice and an opportunity to comment on and participate in the
5-22 formulation of regulations promulgated under Subsection (a) of this
5-23 section.
5-24 (c) The regulations promulgated under Subsection (a) of this
5-25 section shall include provisions to assure uniform reporting on:
6-1 (1) the activities and accomplishments of youth corps
6-2 programs;
6-3 (2) the demographic characteristics of participants in
6-4 the Texas Youth Corps; and
6-5 (3) such other information as may be necessary to
6-6 prepare the report required by Section 1.07 of this Act.
6-7 Sec. 1.07. REPORTING. The executive director shall report
6-8 to the 74th Legislature its progress in implementing this Act.
6-9 Sec. 1.08. GENERAL AUTHORITY. The executive director may
6-10 make grants to applicants for the creation or expansion of
6-11 year-round or summer youth corps programs.
6-12 Sec. 1.09. ALLOCATION OF FUNDS. (a) The executive director
6-13 shall award grants under this Act on a competitive basis to
6-14 entities that have submitted applications in accordance with
6-15 Section 1.10 of this Act.
6-16 (b) The executive director shall apply the criteria
6-17 described in this Act to determine whether to award a grant to an
6-18 applicant under this Act.
6-19 (c) If more than one applicant applies for funds, the
6-20 executive director shall allocate funds among the applicants as the
6-21 executive director considers equitable.
6-22 (d) The following limitations on the use of grant money
6-23 shall be observed:
6-24 (1) capital equipment purchases cannot exceed 10
6-25 percent of the amount of assistance made available to a program
7-1 agency under this Act; and
7-2 (2) administrative expenses cannot exceed five percent
7-3 of the amount of assistance made available to a program agency
7-4 under this Act.
7-5 Sec. 1.10. APPLICATION. (a) An applicant shall prepare and
7-6 submit to the executive director an application at the time, in the
7-7 manner, and containing the information that the executive director
7-8 may reasonably require, including the information required under
7-9 Subsection (b) of this section.
7-10 (b) An application submitted under Subsection (a) of this
7-11 section shall describe:
7-12 (1) any youth corps program proposed to be conducted
7-13 directly by the applicant with assistance provided under this Act;
7-14 and
7-15 (2) any grant program proposed to be conducted by the
7-16 applicant with assistance provided under this Act for the benefit
7-17 of entities within the state.
7-18 (c) To receive a grant under this Act to conduct a youth
7-19 corps program directly, each applicant shall include in the
7-20 application submitted under Subsection (a) of this section:
7-21 (1) a comprehensive description of the objectives and
7-22 performance goals for the program to be conducted, a plan for
7-23 managing and funding the program, and a description of the types of
7-24 projects to be carried out, including a description of the types
7-25 and duration of training and work experience to be provided by the
8-1 program;
8-2 (2) a plan for the certification of the training
8-3 skills acquired by participants and the awarding of academic credit
8-4 to participants for competencies developed through training
8-5 programs or work experience obtained under this Act;
8-6 (3) an age-appropriate learning component for
8-7 participants that includes procedures that permit participants to
8-8 reflect on service experiences;
8-9 (4) an estimate of the number of participants and crew
8-10 leaders necessary for the proposed program, the length of time that
8-11 the services of such participants and crew leaders will be
8-12 required, the support services that will be required for such
8-13 participants and crew leaders, and a plan for recruiting such
8-14 participants, including educationally and economically
8-15 disadvantaged youth, youth with disabilities, youth with limited
8-16 basic skills or with learning disabilities, homeless youth, youth
8-17 in foster care who are becoming too old for foster care, and youth
8-18 with limited English proficiency;
8-19 (5) a description of the manner of appointment and
8-20 training of sufficient supervisory staff, including participants
8-21 who have displayed exceptional leadership qualities, who shall
8-22 provide for other central elements of a youth corps, such as crew
8-23 structure and a youth development component;
8-24 (6) a description of a plan to ensure the on-site
8-25 presence of knowledgeable and competent supervisory personnel at
9-1 program facilities;
9-2 (7) a description of the limited and emergency medical
9-3 care available at program facilities, transportation from
9-4 administrative facilities to work sites, accommodations for
9-5 individuals with disabilities, and other appropriate services,
9-6 supplies, and equipment that will be provided by the applicant;
9-7 (8) a description of the basic standards of work
9-8 requirements, health, nutrition, sanitation, and safety and the
9-9 manner that the standards shall be enforced;
9-10 (9) a description of the plan to assign participants
9-11 to facilities as near to the homes of the participants as is
9-12 reasonable and practicable;
9-13 (10) an assurance that, prior to the placement of a
9-14 participant under this Act, the program agency will consult with
9-15 any local labor organization representing employees in the area who
9-16 are engaged in the same or similar work as that proposed to be
9-17 carried out by such program;
9-18 (11) a description of formal social counseling
9-19 arrangements to be made available to the participant;
9-20 (12) a plan for ensuring that individuals do not drop
9-21 out of school for the purpose of participating in a youth corps
9-22 program; and
9-23 (13) such other information as the executive director
9-24 shall require.
9-25 (d) The executive director shall establish and implement
10-1 rules describing the manner in which:
10-2 (1) local applicants will be evaluated;
10-3 (2) service programs within the state will be
10-4 coordinated;
10-5 (3) economically and educationally disadvantaged
10-6 youth, including youth with disabilities, youth with limited basic
10-7 skills or with learning disabilities, homeless youth, youth in
10-8 foster care who are becoming too old for foster care, and youth
10-9 with limited English proficiency will be recruited;
10-10 (4) programs that receive assistance under this Act
10-11 will be evaluated;
10-12 (5) cooperation among programs that receive assistance
10-13 under this Act will be encouraged;
10-14 (6) the training skills acquired by each participant
10-15 and the credit provided to each participant for competencies
10-16 developed through training programs or work experience obtained
10-17 under programs that receive assistance under this Act will be
10-18 certified; and
10-19 (7) prior to the placement of a participant under this
10-20 Act, consultation between program agencies and each local labor
10-21 organization representing employees in the area who are engaged in
10-22 the same or similar work as the work that is proposed to be carried
10-23 out by such program will be ensured.
10-24 Sec. 1.11. FOCUS OF PROGRAMS. (a) Programs that receive
10-25 assistance under this Act may carry out activities that:
11-1 (1) in the case of conservation corps programs, focus
11-2 on:
11-3 (A) conservation, rehabilitation, and the
11-4 improvement of wildlife habitat, rangelands, parks, and
11-5 recreational areas;
11-6 (B) urban and rural revitalization, historical
11-7 and cultural site preservation, and reforestation of both urban and
11-8 rural areas;
11-9 (C) fish culture, fishery assistance, and
11-10 wildlife habitat maintenance and improvement;
11-11 (D) road and trail maintenance and improvement;
11-12 (E) erosion, flood, drought, and storm damage
11-13 assistance and controls;
11-14 (F) stream, lake, waterfront, harbor, and port
11-15 improvement;
11-16 (G) wetlands protection and pollution control;
11-17 (H) insect, disease, rodent, and fire prevention
11-18 and control;
11-19 (I) the improvement of abandoned railroad beds
11-20 and rights-of-way;
11-21 (J) energy conservation projects, renewable
11-22 resource enhancement, and recovery of biomass;
11-23 (K) reclamation and improvement of strip-mined
11-24 land;
11-25 (L) forestry and nursery and other plant
12-1 cultivation operations; and
12-2 (M) making public facilities accessible to
12-3 individuals with disabilities;
12-4 (2) in the case of human services corps programs,
12-5 include participant service in:
12-6 (A) state, local, and regional governmental
12-7 agencies;
12-8 (B) nursing homes, hospices, senior centers,
12-9 hospitals, local libraries, parks, recreational facilities, child
12-10 and adult day care centers, programs serving individuals with
12-11 disabilities, and schools;
12-12 (C) law enforcement agencies and penal and
12-13 probation systems;
12-14 (D) private nonprofit organizations that
12-15 primarily focus on social service such as community action
12-16 agencies;
12-17 (E) activities that focus on the rehabilitation
12-18 or improvement of public facilities, neighborhood improvement,
12-19 literacy training that benefits educationally disadvantaged
12-20 individuals, weatherization of and basic repairs to low-income
12-21 housing including housing occupied by older adults, energy
12-22 conservation including solar energy techniques, removal of
12-23 architectural barriers to access to public facilities by
12-24 individuals with disabilities, drug and alcohol abuse education,
12-25 prevention, and treatment, and conservation, maintenance, or
13-1 restoration of natural resources on publicly held lands; and
13-2 (F) any other nonpartisan civic activities and
13-3 services that the executive director determines to be of a
13-4 substantial social benefit in meeting unmet human, educational, or
13-5 environmental needs, particularly needs related to combatting
13-6 poverty, or in the community where volunteer service is to be
13-7 performed; or
13-8 (3) encompass the focuses and services described in
13-9 Subdivisions (1) and (2) of this subsection.
13-10 (b) To be eligible to receive assistance under this Act, the
13-11 activities conducted through programs referred to in Subsection (a)
13-12 of this section shall not be conducted by any:
13-13 (1) business organized for profit;
13-14 (2) labor union;
13-15 (3) partisan political organization;
13-16 (4) organization engaged in religious activities,
13-17 unless such activities do not involve the use of funds provided
13-18 under this Act by program participants and program staff to give
13-19 religious instruction, conduct worship services, or engage in any
13-20 form of proselytization; or
13-21 (5) domestic or personal service company or
13-22 organization.
13-23 (c) No participant shall perform services in any project for
13-24 more than a six-month period. No participant shall remain enrolled
13-25 in projects assisted under this Act for more than 24 months.
14-1 Sec. 1.12. RELATED PROGRAMS. An activity that is operated
14-2 for the same purpose as a program eligible to be carried out under
14-3 this Act is encouraged to use services available under this Act.
14-4 Sec. 1.13. PUBLIC LANDS OR INDIAN LANDS. (a) To be
14-5 eligible to receive assistance through a grant provided under this
14-6 Act, a program shall carry out activities on public lands or Indian
14-7 lands or result in a public benefit.
14-8 (b) A program carried out with assistance provided under
14-9 this Act for conservation, rehabilitation, or improvement of any
14-10 public lands or Indian lands shall be consistent with:
14-11 (1) the provisions of law and policies relating to the
14-12 management and administration of such lands and all other
14-13 applicable provisions of law; and
14-14 (2) all management, operational, and other plans and
14-15 documents that govern the administration of such lands.
14-16 (c) Any land or water conservation program or any related
14-17 program administered by the state is encouraged to use services
14-18 available under this Act to carry out its program.
14-19 Sec. 1.14. TRAINING AND EDUCATION SERVICES. (a) Each
14-20 program agency shall assess the educational level of participants
14-21 at the time of their entrance into the program, using any available
14-22 records or simplified assessment means or methodology and shall,
14-23 where appropriate, refer such participants for testing for specific
14-24 learning disabilities.
14-25 (b) Each program agency shall, through the programs and
15-1 activities administered under this Act, enhance the educational
15-2 skills of participants.
15-3 (c) Each program agency shall use not less than 10 percent
15-4 of the assistance made available to the agency under this Act in
15-5 each fiscal year to provide preservice and inservice training and
15-6 educational materials and services for participants in the program.
15-7 Program participants shall be provided with information concerning
15-8 the benefits to the community that result from the activities
15-9 undertaken by the participants.
15-10 (d) In order to evaluate the basic skills of participants
15-11 and to make academic study available to participants to enable them
15-12 to upgrade literacy skills, to obtain high school diplomas or the
15-13 equivalent of such diplomas, to obtain college degrees, or to
15-14 enhance employable skills, a program agency may enter into
15-15 arrangements with academic institutions or education providers,
15-16 including:
15-17 (1) local education agencies;
15-18 (2) community colleges;
15-19 (3) 4-year colleges;
15-20 (4) area vocational-technical schools; and
15-21 (5) community-based organizations.
15-22 (e) Career and educational guidance and counseling shall be
15-23 provided to a participant during a period of inservice training as
15-24 described in Subsections (c) and (d) of this section. Each
15-25 graduating participant shall be provided with counseling with
16-1 respect to additional study, job skills training, or employment and
16-2 shall be provided job placement assistance when appropriate.
16-3 (f) A program agency shall give priority in providing
16-4 services under Subsections (c), (d), and (e) of this section to
16-5 participants who have not obtained high school diplomas or the
16-6 equivalent.
16-7 (g) Appropriate state and local officials shall certify that
16-8 standards and procedures for awarding academic credit and
16-9 certification of educational attainment in programs conducted under
16-10 Subsections (c) and (d) of this section are consistent with the
16-11 requirements of state and local laws and regulations.
16-12 (h) The standards and procedures described in Subsection (g)
16-13 of this section shall provide that an individual serving in a
16-14 program that receives assistance under this Act:
16-15 (1) who is not a high school graduate, shall
16-16 participate in an educational curriculum so that the individual can
16-17 earn a high school diploma or the equivalent; and
16-18 (2) may arrange to receive academic credit in
16-19 recognition of the education and skills obtained from service
16-20 satisfactorily completed.
16-21 Sec. 1.15. AMOUNT OF AWARD; MATCHING REQUIREMENT. (a) In
16-22 determining the amount of a grant to be awarded to an applicant
16-23 under this Act, the executive director shall consider:
16-24 (1) the number of participants to be served;
16-25 (2) the youth unemployment rate in the community; and
17-1 (3) the type of project or service proposed to be
17-2 carried out with the assistance provided under this Act.
17-3 (b) In order to receive a grant:
17-4 (1) the state's share of the cost of activities for
17-5 which a grant is made to an applicant under this Act shall not
17-6 exceed 75 percent of the total cost of such activities; and
17-7 (2) the applicant shall demonstrate to the
17-8 satisfaction of the executive director that the effectiveness of
17-9 the project will be enhanced by the use of state funds.
17-10 Sec. 1.16. PREFERENCE FOR CERTAIN PROJECTS. (a) In
17-11 considering applications submitted, the executive director shall
17-12 give preference to programs that:
17-13 (1) will provide long-term benefits to the public;
17-14 (2) will instill a work ethic and a sense of public
17-15 service in the participants;
17-16 (3) will be labor-intensive and involve youth
17-17 operating in crews;
17-18 (4) can be planned and initiated promptly; and
17-19 (5) will enhance skills development, educational
17-20 levels, and opportunities for the participants.
17-21 (b) In considering applications under this Act, the
17-22 executive director shall ensure the equitable treatment of urban
17-23 and rural areas.
17-24 Sec. 1.17. AGE AND CITIZENSHIP CRITERIA FOR
17-25 ENROLLMENT. (a) Enrollment in programs that receive assistance
18-1 under this Act shall be limited to individuals who at the time of
18-2 enrollment are:
18-3 (1) not less than 16 years nor more than 25 years of
18-4 age, except that summer programs may include individuals not less
18-5 than 15 years nor more than 21 years of age at the time of
18-6 enrollment of such individuals; and
18-7 (2) Texas citizens or lawful permanent resident aliens
18-8 of the United States residing in Texas.
18-9 (b) Programs that receive assistance under this Act shall
18-10 ensure that educationally and economically disadvantaged youth,
18-11 including youth with disabilities, youth with limited basic skills
18-12 or with learning disabilities, homeless youth, youth in foster care
18-13 who are becoming too old for foster care, and youth with limited
18-14 English proficiency are offered opportunities to enroll.
18-15 (c) Notwithstanding Subdivision (1) of Subsection (a) of
18-16 this section, program agencies may enroll a limited number of
18-17 special corps members over age 25 so that the corps may draw on
18-18 their special skills to fulfill the purposes of this Act. Programs
18-19 are encouraged to consider senior citizens as special corps
18-20 members.
18-21 (d) Program agencies shall use not more than two percent of
18-22 amounts received under this Act to conduct joint projects with
18-23 senior citizen organizations to enable senior citizens to serve as
18-24 mentors for youth participants.
18-25 (e) Nothing in Subsection (a) of this section shall be
19-1 construed to prohibit any program agency from limiting enrollment
19-2 to any age subgroup within the range specified in Subdivision (1)
19-3 of Subsection (a) of this section.
19-4 Sec. 1.18. USE OF VOLUNTEERS. Program agencies may use
19-5 volunteer services for purposes of assisting with projects carried
19-6 out under this Act and may expend funds made available for those
19-7 purposes to the agency, including funds made available under this
19-8 Act, to provide for services or costs incidental to the utilization
19-9 of such volunteers, such as transportation, supplies, recruiting,
19-10 training, and supervision. The use of volunteer services under
19-11 this section shall be subject to the condition that the use does
19-12 not result in the displacement of any participant.
19-13 Sec. 1.19. POSTSERVICE BENEFITS. The program agency may
19-14 provide postservice education and training benefits such as
19-15 scholarships and grants for each participant in an amount that is
19-16 not in excess of $100 per week or $5,000 per year, whichever is
19-17 less.
19-18 Sec. 1.20. LIVING ALLOWANCE. (a) From assistance provided
19-19 under this Act, each participant in a full-time youth corps program
19-20 that receives assistance under this Act shall receive a living
19-21 allowance of not more than an amount equal to 100 percent of the
19-22 poverty line for a family of two as defined in Section 673(2) of
19-23 the Community Services Block Grant Act (42 U.S.C. Section 9902(2)).
19-24 (b) Notwithstanding Subsection (a) of this section, a
19-25 program agency may provide participants with additional amounts
20-1 that are made available from nonstate sources.
20-2 (c) Nothing in this section shall be construed to require a
20-3 program in existence on September 1, 1993, to decrease any
20-4 stipends, salaries, or living allowances provided to participants
20-5 under the program so long as the amount of any such stipends,
20-6 salaries, or living allowances that is in excess of the levels
20-7 provided for in this section is paid from nonstate sources.
20-8 (d) In addition to the living allowance provided under
20-9 Subsection (a) of this section, program agencies are encouraged to
20-10 provide health insurance to each participant in a full-time youth
20-11 corps program who does not otherwise have access to health
20-12 insurance.
20-13 (e) The program agency may deduct, from amounts provided to
20-14 a participant under Subsections (a) and (d) of this section, a
20-15 reasonable portion of the rate for any room and board provided to
20-16 the participant at a residential facility. The deducted funds
20-17 shall be deposited into rollover accounts to be used solely to
20-18 defray the costs of room and board for participants. The amount to
20-19 be deducted must be determined before a contract is let, and this
20-20 information must be provided to each partcipant prior to
20-21 participation in any program.
20-22 (f) The program agency shall establish the amount of the
20-23 deductions and the rates for room and board under Subsection (e) of
20-24 this section after evaluating the costs of providing room and board
20-25 to the participant.
21-1 (g) A program agency may provide facilities, quarters, and
21-2 board and shall provide limited and emergency medical care,
21-3 transportation from administrative facilities to work sites,
21-4 accommodations for individuals with disabilities, and other
21-5 appropriate services, supplies, and equipment to each participant.
21-6 (h) The executive director may provide services, facilities,
21-7 supplies, and equipment, including any surplus food and equipment
21-8 available from other state programs, to any program agency carrying
21-9 out projects under this Act.
21-10 (i) The executive director and program agencies shall
21-11 establish standards and enforcement procedures concerning the
21-12 health and safety of participants for all projects consistent with
21-13 applicable federal, state, and local health and safety standards.
21-14 Sec. 1.21. JOINT PROGRAMS. (a) The executive director may
21-15 develop in cooperation with the heads of other state agencies
21-16 regulations designed to permit where appropriate joint programs in
21-17 which activities supported with assistance made available under
21-18 this Act are coordinated with activities supported with assistance
21-19 made available under programs administered by such agencies.
21-20 (b) Regulations promulgated under Subsection (a) of this
21-21 section shall establish standards for the approval of joint
21-22 programs that meet both the purposes of this Act and the purposes
21-23 of the statutes under which assistance is made available to support
21-24 such projects.
21-25 (c) Program agencies may enter into contracts and other
22-1 appropriate arrangements with government agencies and nonprofit
22-2 organizations for the operation or management of any projects or
22-3 facilities under the program.
22-4 (d) The executive director and program agencies carrying out
22-5 programs under this Act shall coordinate the programs with related
22-6 federal, state, local, and private activities.
22-7 Sec. 1.22. EMPLOYEE STATUS. A participant or crew leader in
22-8 a program that receives assistance under this Act shall not be
22-9 considered a state employee and shall not be subject to the
22-10 provisions of law relating to state employment.
22-11 SECTION 2. Section 9c, Texas Unemployment Compensation Act
22-12 (Article 5221b-7c, Vernon's Texas Civil Statutes), is amended by
22-13 adding Subsection (e) to read as follows:
22-14 (e) In addition to other authorized purposes, the Advance
22-15 Interest Trust Fund may be used for payment of expenses of the
22-16 Texas Youth Corps. Amounts necessary to meet the expenses of the
22-17 Texas Youth Corps may be transferred from the fund to the Texas
22-18 Department of Commerce.
22-19 SECTION 3. There is hereby appropriated for the operation of
22-20 the Texas Youth Corps $9 million from the Advance Interest Trust
22-21 Fund for each year of the biennium beginning September 1, 1993.
22-22 SECTION 4. If legislation consolidating the Texas Department
22-23 of Commerce and the Texas Employment Commission finally passes and
22-24 becomes law, the Texas Youth Corps Act of 1993 shall be
22-25 administered by the new agency.
23-1 SECTION 5. This Act takes effect September 1, 1993.
23-2 SECTION 6. The importance of this legislation and the
23-3 crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an
23-4 emergency and an imperative public necessity that the
23-5 constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several
23-6 days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended.