By Reyna of Dallas H.B. No. 2646
75R8587 CAG-F
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
1-1 AN ACT
1-2 relating to authorizing the Texas Engineering Extension Service to
1-3 participate in the skills development fund.
1-4 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
1-5 SECTION 1. Section 303.001(a), Labor Code, is amended to
1-6 read as follows:
1-7 (a) The purpose of this chapter is to remove administrative
1-8 barriers that impede the response of public community and technical
1-9 colleges and the Texas Engineering Extension Service to industry
1-10 and workforce training needs and to develop incentives for public
1-11 community and technical colleges and the Texas Engineering
1-12 Extension Service to provide customized assessment and training in
1-13 a timely and efficient manner.
1-14 SECTION 2. Section 303.002(b), Labor Code, is amended to
1-15 read as follows:
1-16 (b) A public community or technical college or the Texas
1-17 Engineering Extension Service may recover customized assessment and
1-18 training costs incurred by the institution [college] if:
1-19 (1) there is an actual or projected labor shortage in
1-20 the occupation in which training is provided that is not being met
1-21 by an existing institution or program in the area; and
1-22 (2) the wages at the time of job placement for
1-23 individuals who successfully complete customized training at the
1-24 public community or technical college or the Texas Engineering
2-1 Extension Service are equal to the prevailing wage for that
2-2 occupation in the local labor market area.
2-3 SECTION 3. Section 303.003, Labor Code, is amended by
2-4 amending Subsection (b) and adding Subsection (f) to read as
2-5 follows:
2-6 (b) The skills development fund may be used by public
2-7 community and technical colleges or the Texas Engineering Extension
2-8 Service as start-up or emergency funds for the following
2-9 job-training purposes:
2-10 (1) developing customized training programs for
2-11 businesses and trade unions; and
2-12 (2) sponsoring small and medium-sized business
2-13 networks and consortiums.
2-14 (f) The Texas Engineering Extension Service shall focus the
2-15 service's training activities under this chapter on programs that:
2-16 (1) are conducted statewide;
2-17 (2) are conducted in two or more junior college
2-18 districts; or
2-19 (3) are not conducted in any junior college district.
2-20 SECTION 4. Section 303.004, Labor Code, is amended to read
2-21 as follows:
2-22 Sec. 303.004. FUND REVIEW. The Texas Higher Education
2-23 Coordinating Board shall review all customized training programs
2-24 biennially to verify that state funds are being used appropriately
2-25 by public community and technical colleges and the Texas
2-26 Engineering Extension Service under this chapter.
2-27 SECTION 5. The importance of this legislation and the
3-1 crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an
3-2 emergency and an imperative public necessity that the
3-3 constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several
3-4 days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended,
3-5 and that this Act take effect and be in force from and after its
3-6 passage, and it is so enacted.