AN ACT
1-1 relating to authorizing the Texas Engineering Extension Service to
1-2 participate in the skills development fund.
1-3 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
1-4 SECTION 1. Subsection (a), Section 303.001, Labor Code, is
1-5 amended to read as follows:
1-6 (a) The purpose of this chapter is to remove administrative
1-7 barriers that impede the response of public community and technical
1-8 colleges and the Texas Engineering Extension Service to industry
1-9 and workforce training needs and to develop incentives for public
1-10 community and technical colleges and the Texas Engineering
1-11 Extension Service to provide customized assessment and training in
1-12 a timely and efficient manner.
1-13 SECTION 2. Subsection (b), Section 303.002, Labor Code, is
1-14 amended to read as follows:
1-15 (b) A public community or technical college or the Texas
1-16 Engineering Extension Service may recover customized assessment and
1-17 training costs incurred by the institution [college] if:
1-18 (1) there is an actual or projected labor shortage in
1-19 the occupation in which training is provided that is not being met
1-20 by an existing institution or program in the area; and
1-21 (2) the wages at the time of job placement for
1-22 individuals who successfully complete customized training at the
1-23 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 Subsections (f) and (g) to read
2-5 as 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 statewide in nature; or
2-17 (2) are not available from a local junior college
2-18 district, a local technical college, or a consortium of junior
2-19 college districts.
2-20 (g) This section does not prohibit the Texas Engineering
2-21 Extension Service from participating in a consortium of junior
2-22 college districts or with a technical college that provides
2-23 training under this chapter.
2-24 SECTION 4. Section 303.004, Labor Code, is amended to read
2-25 as follows:
S.B. No. 1712
3-1 Sec. 303.004. FUND REVIEW. The Texas Higher Education
3-2 Coordinating Board shall review all customized training programs
3-3 biennially to verify that state funds are being used appropriately
3-4 by public community and technical colleges and the Texas
3-5 Engineering Extension Service under this chapter.
3-6 SECTION 5. 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.
_______________________________ _______________________________
President of the Senate Speaker of the House
I hereby certify that S.B. No. 1712 passed the Senate on
April 17, 1997, by the following vote: Yeas 31, Nays 0; and that
the Senate concurred in House amendment on May 6, 1997, by the
following vote: Yeas 31, Nays 0.
_______________________________
Secretary of the Senate
I hereby certify that S.B. No. 1712 passed the House, with
amendment, on May 2, 1997, by the following vote: Yeas 142,
Nays 0, two present not voting.
_______________________________
Chief Clerk of the House
Approved:
_______________________________
Date
_______________________________
Governor