By: Ellis S.B. No. 1491
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT
1-1 relating to the creation of the self-sufficiency fund to develop
1-2 job training for certain recipients of the financial assistance
1-3 program for persons with dependent children.
1-4 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
1-5 SECTION 1. Subtitle B, Title 4, Labor Code, is amended by
1-6 adding Chapter 308 to read as follows:
1-7 CHAPTER 308. SELF-SUFFICIENCY FUND
1-8 Sec. 308.001. SELF-SUFFICIENCY FUND. (a) Subject to the
1-9 availability of funds, the self-sufficiency fund is created as an
1-10 account in the general revenue fund for use by public community
1-11 and technical colleges, community-based organizations, and state
1-12 extension agencies for the following job-training purposes:
1-13 (1) developing customized job-training programs for
1-14 certain recipients of financial assistance under Chapter 31, Human
1-15 Resources Code;
1-16 (2) developing customized job-training programs for
1-17 businesses and trade unions; and
1-18 (3) sponsoring small and medium-sized business
1-19 networks and consortiums.
1-20 (b) The job-training programs described by Subsection (a)(1)
1-21 must be specifically designed to enable the recipients to find and
1-22 apply for existing jobs and will involve employers who participate
1-23 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 by
2-5 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.
3-1 (i) In this section, "community-based organization" has the
3-2 meaning assigned by 20 U.S.C. Section 1201a, and its subsequent
3-3 amendments. A community-based organization participating in a
3-4 program funded by the self-sufficiency fund may be a faith-based
3-5 organization.
3-6 SECTION 2. The importance of this legislation and the
3-7 crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an
3-8 emergency and an imperative public necessity that the
3-9 constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several
3-10 days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended,
3-11 and that this Act take effect and be in force from and after its
3-12 passage, and it is so enacted.
3-13 COMMITTEE AMENDMENT NO. 1
3-14 Amend S.B. No. 1491 as follows:
3-15 (1) In SECTION 1 of the bill, in added Section 308.001(c),
3-16 Labor Code, at the beginning of the first sentence (Senate
3-17 Engrossment, page 2, line 2), strike "Training programs funded by
3-18 the self-sufficiency fund" and substitute "An entity that receives
3-19 money from the self-sufficiency fund for a training program".
3-20 (2) In SECTION 1 of the bill, in added Section 308.001,
3-21 Labor Code (Senate Engrossment, page 2, lines 7-12), strike
3-22 Subsection (d) and substitute the following:
3-23 (d) An entity that receives money from the self-sufficiency
3-24 fund for a training program shall work with employers to place
3-25 graduates of that training program in employment with wages that
4-1 are reasonably calculated to make those graduates independent of
4-2 financial assistance under Chapter 31, Human Resources Code, and
4-3 the food stamp program administered under Chapter 33, Human
4-4 Resources Code.
4-5 (3) In SECTION 1 of the bill, in added Section 308.001(f),
4-6 Labor Code (Senate Engrossment, page 2, line 18), strike
4-7 "resources" and substitute "sources".
4-8 (4) Add the following appropriately numbered SECTIONS to the
4-9 bill and renumber the existing SECTIONS of the bill accordingly:
4-10 SECTION ____. Section 302.062(g), Labor Code, is amended to
4-11 read as follows:
4-12 (g) Block grant funding under this section does not apply
4-13 to:
4-14 (1) the work and family policies program under Chapter
4-15 81;
4-16 (2) a program under the skills development fund
4-17 created under Chapter 303;
4-18 (3) the job counseling program for displaced
4-19 homemakers under Chapter 304;
4-20 (4) the Communities in Schools program under Chapter
4-21 305;
4-22 (5) the reintegration of offenders program under
4-23 Chapter 306;
4-24 (6) a program under the self-sufficiency fund created
4-25 under Chapter 308;
5-1 (7) apprenticeship programs under Chapter 133 [33],
5-2 Education Code;
5-3 (8) [(7)] the inmate employment counseling program
5-4 under Section 499.051(f), Government Code;
5-5 (9) [(8)] the continuity of care program under Section
5-6 501.095, Government Code;
5-7 (10) [(9)] employment programs under Chapter 31, Human
5-8 Resources Code;
5-9 (11) [(10)] the senior citizens employment program
5-10 under Chapter 101, Human Resources Code;
5-11 (12) [(11)] the programs described by Section
5-12 302.021(b)(3);
5-13 (13) [(12)] the community service program under the
5-14 National and Community Service Act of 1990 (42 U.S.C. Section 12501
5-15 et seq.);
5-16 (14) [(13)] the trade adjustment assistance program
5-17 under Part 2, Subchapter II, Trade Act of 1974 (19 U.S.C. Section
5-18 2271 et seq.);
5-19 (15) [(14)] the programs to enhance the employment
5-20 opportunities of veterans; and
5-21 (16) [(15)] the functions of the State Occupational
5-22 Information Coordinating Committee.
5-23 SECTION ____. Section 303.003(b), Labor Code, is amended to
5-24 read as follows:
5-25 (b) The skills development fund may be used by public
6-1 community and technical colleges as start-up or emergency funds for
6-2 the following job-training purposes:
6-3 (1) developing customized training programs for
6-4 businesses and trade unions; [and]
6-5 (2) sponsoring small and medium-sized business
6-6 networks and consortiums; and
6-7 (3) providing training or internships for certain
6-8 recipients of financial assistance under Chapter 31, Human
6-9 Resources Code.
6-10 SECTION ____. (a) In this section:
6-11 (1) "Allied health profession" means a health care
6-12 profession in which a person receives special training in the
6-13 performance of supportive health care work. The term does not
6-14 include a physician, podiatrist, or dentist.
6-15 (2) "Community-based organization" has the meaning
6-16 assigned by Section 308.001, Labor Code.
6-17 (b) The Texas Workforce Commission shall use money from the
6-18 skills development fund created under Section 303.003, Labor Code,
6-19 or from the self-sufficiency fund created under Section 308.001,
6-20 Labor Code, to establish a pilot program to provide training and
6-21 internships in allied health professions to certain recipients of
6-22 financial assistance under Chapter 31, Human Resources Code.
6-23 (c) To implement the program, the commission shall award
6-24 grants to community-based organizations and public community and
6-25 technical colleges that have formed partnerships with public or
7-1 private hospitals, hospital districts, or other health-related
7-2 businesses, networks, or consortiums.
7-3 (d) Not later than January 31, 1999, the commission shall
7-4 submit a report on the effectiveness of the pilot program to the
7-5 presiding officer of each house of the 76th Legislature.
7-6 (e) This section expires September 1, 1999.
7-7 75R15606 SAW-D Seaman