JKM C.S.H.B. 3259 75(R)BILL ANALYSIS ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT C.S.H.B. 3259 By: Coleman 4-20-97 Committee Report (Substituted) BACKGROUND Federal welfare reform establishes time-limits for recipients of public assistance and requires them to find employment. Unfortunately, many of these recipients lack the skills to obtain employment with a sustainable wage, a key element to permanent self-sufficiency. In addition, health care is faced with a growing need to train allied health professionals to provide care in the cost controlled managed care setting. The combination of these two demands provides opportunity to meet the two needs with one solution. PURPOSE This bill would require the Texas Workforce Commission to establish a pilot program to provide training and apprenticeships in allied health professions to certain recipients of financial assistance. RULEMAKING AUTHORITY It is the committee's opinion that this bill does not expressly grant rulemaking authority to a state officer, department, agency or institution. SECTION BY SECTION ANALYSIS SECTION 1. Subsection (a) defines "allied health profession". Subsection (b) directs the Texas Workforce Commission to use money from the skills development fund under Section 303.003, Labor Code, to establish pilot programs to provide training and apprenticeships in allied health professions to recipients of financial aid under Chapter 31, Human Resources Code. Subsection (c) directs the commission to award grants to public community and technical colleges that have formed partnerships with certain health-related entities. Subsection (d) directs the commission to submit a report on the program to the 76th Legislature no later than January 31, 1999. Subsection (e) provides an expiration date for this section. SECTION 2. Amends Section 303.003 (b), Labor Code, to allow community and technical colleges to use the skills development fund as start-up and emergency funds for providing training and apprenticeships in allied health professions for certain recipients of financial assistance. SECTION 3. Effective date. SECTION 4. Emergency clause. COMPARISON OF ORIGINAL TO SUBSTITUTE SECTION 1. -CSHB 3259 defines "allied health profession", rather than "allied health professionals", leaving the definition open to include nurses. CSHB 3259 addresses how the program will be implemented in SECTION 1, rather than in SECTION 2 as in HB 3259. CSHB 3259 adds Subsection (b) to direct the Texas Workforce Commission to use money from the skills development fund under Section 303.003, Labor Code, to establish pilot programs to provide training and apprenticeships in allied health professions to recipients of financial aid under Chapter 31, Human Resources Code. CSHB 3259 adds Subsection (c) to direct the commission to award grants to public community and technical colleges that have formed partnerships with certain health-related entities. CSHB 3259 adds subsection (d) to direct the commission to submit a report on the program to the 76th Legislature no later than January 31, 1999. CSHB 3259 adds subsection (e) which provides an expiration date for this section. SUBSECTION 2. HB 3259 amended Chapter 302, Subchapter A, Labor Code, by adding Section 302.004 which required the commission to establish a pilot program and laid out specific requirements for awarding contracts, adopting rules, and qualifications of participants; CSHB 3259 addresses the implementation of the program in SECTION 1. CSHB 3259 amends Section 303.003(b), Labor Code which provides for use of skills development fund for start-up or emergency funds for training.