1-1 By: Bivins S.B. No. 1712
1-2 (In the Senate - Filed March 14, 1997; March 24, 1997, read
1-3 first time and referred to Committee on Education; April 3, 1997,
1-4 reported adversely, with favorable Committee Substitute by the
1-5 following vote: Yeas 10, Nays 0; April 3, 1997, sent to printer.)
1-6 COMMITTEE SUBSTITUTE FOR S.B. No. 1712 By: Bivins
1-7 A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
1-8 AN ACT
1-9 relating to authorizing the Texas Engineering Extension Service to
1-10 participate in the skills development fund.
1-11 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
1-12 SECTION 1. Subsection (a), Section 303.001, Labor Code, is
1-13 amended to read as follows:
1-14 (a) The purpose of this chapter is to remove administrative
1-15 barriers that impede the response of public community and technical
1-16 colleges and the Texas Engineering Extension Service to industry
1-17 and workforce training needs and to develop incentives for public
1-18 community and technical colleges and the Texas Engineering
1-19 Extension Service to provide customized assessment and training in
1-20 a timely and efficient manner.
1-21 SECTION 2. Subsection (b), Section 303.002, Labor Code, is
1-22 amended to read as follows:
1-23 (b) A public community or technical college or the Texas
1-24 Engineering Extension Service may recover customized assessment and
1-25 training costs incurred by the institution [college] if:
1-26 (1) there is an actual or projected labor shortage in
1-27 the occupation in which training is provided that is not being met
1-28 by an existing institution or program in the area; and
1-29 (2) the wages at the time of job placement for
1-30 individuals who successfully complete customized training at the
1-31 public community or technical college are equal to the prevailing
1-32 wage for that occupation in the local labor market area.
1-33 SECTION 3. Section 303.003, Labor Code, is amended by
1-34 amending Subsection (b) and adding Subsections (f) and (g) to read
1-35 as follows:
1-36 (b) The skills development fund may be used by public
1-37 community and technical colleges and the Texas Engineering
1-38 Extension Service as start-up or emergency funds for the following
1-39 job-training purposes:
1-40 (1) developing customized training programs for
1-41 businesses and trade unions; and
1-42 (2) sponsoring small and medium-sized business
1-43 networks and consortiums.
1-44 (f) The Texas Engineering Extension Service shall focus
1-45 training efforts under this chapter on programs that:
1-46 (1) are statewide in nature; or
1-47 (2) are not available from the local community college
1-48 district or a consortium of community college districts.
1-49 (g) Nothing in this section shall be construed to prohibit
1-50 the Texas Engineering Extension Service from participating in a
1-51 consortium of junior college districts that provides training under
1-52 this chapter.
1-53 SECTION 4. Section 303.004, Labor Code, is amended to read
1-54 as follows:
1-55 Sec. 303.004. Fund Review. The Texas Higher Education
1-56 Coordinating Board shall review all customized training programs
1-57 biennially to verify that state funds are being used appropriately
1-58 by public community and technical colleges and the Texas
1-59 Engineering Extension Service under this chapter.
1-60 SECTION 5. This Act takes effect September 1, 1997.
1-61 SECTION 6. The importance of this legislation and the
1-62 crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an
1-63 emergency and an imperative public necessity that the
1-64 constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several
2-1 days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended.
2-2 * * * * *