75R12364 E                           

         By Coleman                                            H.B. No. 2928

         Substitute the following for H.B. No. 2928:

         By Yarbrough                                      C.S.H.B. No. 2928

                                A BILL TO BE ENTITLED

 1-1                                   AN ACT

 1-2     relating to the creation of the self-sufficiency fund to develop

 1-3     job training for certain recipients of the financial assistance

 1-4     program for persons with dependent children.

 1-5           BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:

 1-6           SECTION 1.  Subtitle B, Title 4, Labor Code, is amended by

 1-7     adding Chapter 308 to read as follows:

 1-8                     CHAPTER 308.  SELF-SUFFICIENCY FUND

 1-9           Sec. 308.001.  SELF-SUFFICIENCY FUND.  (a)  Subject to the

1-10     availability of funds, the self-sufficiency fund is created as an

1-11     account in the  general revenue fund for use by public community

1-12     and technical colleges, community-based organizations, and state

1-13     extension agencies for the following job-training purposes:

1-14                 (1)  developing customized job-training programs for

1-15     certain recipients of financial assistance under Chapter 31, Human

1-16     Resources Code;

1-17                 (2)  developing customized job-training programs for

1-18     businesses and trade unions; and

1-19                 (3)  sponsoring small and medium-sized business

1-20     networks and consortiums.

1-21           (b)  The job-training programs described by Subsection (a)(1)

1-22     must be specifically designed to enable the recipients to find and

1-23     apply for existing jobs and will involve employers who participate

1-24     in setting curricula and standards and commit to hire graduates of

 2-1     training programs.

 2-2           (c)  Training programs funded by the self-sufficiency fund

 2-3     must ensure that participants in the program meet applicable state

 2-4     and federal work requirements.  Participants  in a program funded

 2-5     by the self-sufficiency fund shall be considered to be meeting the

 2-6     work requirements under Section 31.012, Human Resources Code.

 2-7           (d)  Training programs funded by the self-sufficiency fund

 2-8     shall work with employers to place graduates of training programs

 2-9     in employment with wages reasonably calculated to make the graduate

2-10     independent of financial assistance under Chapter 31, Human

2-11     Resources Code, and food assistance under Chapter 33, Human

2-12     Resources Code.

2-13           (e)  The commission shall administer the self-sufficiency

2-14     fund.  The executive director, or a person appointed by the

2-15     executive director who is knowledgeable in the administration of

2-16     grants, is responsible for the distribution of money from the fund.

2-17           (f)  The executive director shall develop criteria to ensure

2-18     that employers and training resources work together to propose

2-19     training and employment for a specific number of clients.

2-20           (g)  The funds may also be used for support services as

2-21     necessary for participants to prepare for and participate in

2-22     training activities and to make the transition from training

2-23     activities to employment.

2-24           (h)  To the greatest extent practicable, money from the

2-25     self-sufficiency fund shall be spent in all areas of the state.

2-26           (i)  In this section, "community-based organization" has the

2-27     meaning assigned by 20 U.S.C. Section 1201a and its subsequent

 3-1     amendments.  A community-based organization participating in a

 3-2     program funded by the self-sufficiency fund may be a faith-based

 3-3     organization.

 3-4           SECTION 2.  The importance of this legislation and the

 3-5     crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an

 3-6     emergency and an imperative public necessity that the

 3-7     constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several

 3-8     days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended,

 3-9     and that this Act take effect and be in force from and after its

3-10     passage, and it is so enacted.