By: Bivins S.B. No. 1712
97S0847/1
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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 are equal to the prevailing
2-1 wage for that occupation in the local labor market area.
2-2 SECTION 3. Section 303.003, Labor Code, is amended by
2-3 amending Subsection (b) and adding Subsection (f) to read as
2-4 follows:
2-5 (b) The skills development fund may be used by public
2-6 community and technical colleges and the Texas Engineering
2-7 Extension Service as start-up or emergency funds for the following
2-8 job-training purposes:
2-9 (1) developing customized training programs for
2-10 businesses and trade unions; and
2-11 (2) sponsoring small and medium-sized business
2-12 networks and consortiums.
2-13 (f) The Texas Engineering Extension Service shall focus
2-14 training efforts under this chapter on programs that:
2-15 (1) are statewide in nature;
2-16 (2) cover more than one community college district; or
2-17 (3) are not available from the local community college
2-18 district.
2-19 SECTION 4. Section 303.004, Labor Code, is amended to read
2-20 as follows:
2-21 Sec. 303.004. Fund Review. The Texas Higher Education
2-22 Coordinating Board shall review all customized training programs
2-23 biennially to verify that state funds are being used appropriately
2-24 by public community and technical colleges and the Texas
2-25 Engineering Extension Service under this chapter.
3-1 SECTION 5. This Act takes effect September 1, 1997.
3-2 SECTION 6. The importance of this legislation and the
3-3 crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an
3-4 emergency and an imperative public necessity that the
3-5 constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several
3-6 days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended.