75R11598 SAW-D                           

         By Coleman                                            H.B. No. 3259

         Substitute the following for H.B. No. 3259:

         By Yarbrough                                      C.S.H.B. No. 3259

                                A BILL TO BE ENTITLED

 1-1                                   AN ACT

 1-2     relating to training and apprenticeships in allied health

 1-3     professions for certain recipients of temporary assistance for

 1-4     needy families.

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

 1-6           SECTION 1.  (a)  In this section, "allied health profession"

 1-7     means a health care profession in which a person receives special

 1-8     training in the performance of supportive health care work.  The

 1-9     term does not include a physician, podiatrist, or dentist.

1-10           (b)  The Texas Workforce Commission shall use money from the

1-11     skills development fund created under Section 303.003, Labor Code,

1-12     to establish a pilot program to provide training and

1-13     apprenticeships in allied health professions to certain recipients

1-14     of financial assistance under Chapter 31, Human Resources Code.

1-15           (c)  To implement the program, the commission shall award

1-16     grants to public community and technical colleges that have formed

1-17     partnerships with public or private hospitals, hospital districts,

1-18     or other health-related businesses, networks, or consortiums.

1-19           (d)  Not later than January 31, 1999, the commission shall

1-20     submit a report on the effectiveness of the pilot program to the

1-21     presiding officer of each house of the 76th Legislature.

1-22           (e)  This section expires September 1, 1999.

1-23           SECTION 2.  Section 303.003(b), Labor Code, is amended to

1-24     read as follows:

 2-1           (b)  The skills development fund may be used by public

 2-2     community and technical colleges as start-up or emergency funds for

 2-3     the following job-training purposes:

 2-4                 (1)  developing customized training programs for

 2-5     businesses and trade unions; [and]

 2-6                 (2)  sponsoring small and medium-sized business

 2-7     networks and consortiums; and

 2-8                 (3)  providing training and apprenticeships in allied

 2-9     health professions for certain recipients of financial assistance

2-10     under Chapter 31, Human Resources Code.

2-11           SECTION 3.  This Act takes effect September 1, 1997.

2-12           SECTION 4.  The importance of this legislation and the

2-13     crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an

2-14     emergency and an imperative public necessity that the

2-15     constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several

2-16     days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended.