1-1     By:  Seaman, et al. (Senate Sponsor - Armbrister)     H.B. No. 1418
 1-2           (In the Senate - Received from the House May 5, 1999;
 1-3     May 6, 1999, read first time and referred to Committee on
 1-4     Education; May 14, 1999, reported favorably by the following vote:
 1-5     Yeas 6, Nays 0; May 14, 1999, sent to printer.)
 1-6                            A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
 1-7                                   AN ACT
 1-8     relating to optional career and technology education programs
 1-9     offered by public school districts and a study of career and
1-10     technology education programs.
1-11           BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
1-12           SECTION 1.  Subchapter F, Chapter 29, Education Code, is
1-13     amended by adding Section 29.187 to read as follows:
1-14           Sec. 29.187.  DISTRICT CAREER AND TECHNOLOGY PROGRAM AND
1-15     CERTIFICATE.  (a)  In addition to the authority granted under
1-16     Section 29.183, the board of trustees of a school district may
1-17     develop and offer a program under which a student may receive
1-18     specific training in a career and technology profession and obtain
1-19     a career and technology certificate issued by the district in
1-20     addition to a diploma or certificate of coursework completion under
1-21     Section 28.025.  In developing the program, the board of trustees
1-22     shall consider the state plan for career and technology education
1-23     required under Section 29.182.
1-24           (b)  The board of trustees of a school district may contract
1-25     with an entity listed in Section 29.184(a) for assistance in
1-26     developing the program or providing instruction to district
1-27     students participating in the program.
1-28           (c)  The board of trustees of a school district may also
1-29     contract with a local business or local workforce development board
1-30     for assistance in developing or operating a program under this
1-31     section. A program developed with the assistance of a local
1-32     business or local workforce development board may provide training
1-33     in areas of technology unique to the local area.
1-34           (d)  The board of trustees of a school district may provide
1-35     insurance to protect a business that contracts with the district
1-36     under Subsection (c) against liability for a bodily injury
1-37     sustained by or the death of a district student while working for
1-38     the business as part of the program established under this section.
1-39     The amount of insurance the district provides must be reasonable
1-40     considering the financial condition of the district.  The insurance
1-41     must be:
1-42                 (1)  from a reliable insurance company authorized to do
1-43     business in the state; and
1-44                 (2)  on a form approved by the commissioner of
1-45     insurance.
1-46           (e)  The board of trustees of a school district must submit a
1-47     proposed program under this section to the agency in accordance
1-48     with criteria established by agency rule.
1-49           SECTION 2.  (a)  The Council on Workforce and Economic
1-50     Competitiveness, in cooperation with the Texas Education Agency and
1-51     the Texas Workforce Commission, shall conduct a study to determine
1-52     the effectiveness of career and technology education programs in
1-53     improving the academic and professional success of students.  The
1-54     study must include:
1-55                 (1)  a review and evaluation of the impact of career
1-56     and technology education programs on retaining students in school;
1-57                 (2)  a review and evaluation of career and technology
1-58     education programs to determine which programs provide students
1-59     with the most effective transition into postsecondary education and
1-60     high-skill, high-wage jobs; and
1-61                 (3)  development of a catalog of career and technology
1-62     programs that effectively assist students with the transition into
1-63     postsecondary education and high-skill, high-wage jobs.
1-64           (b)  The Council on Workforce and Economic Competitiveness,
 2-1     in cooperation with the Texas Education Agency and the Texas
 2-2     Workforce Commission, shall submit a report of the results and
 2-3     findings of the study required by this section to the governor, the
 2-4     lieutenant governor, and the speaker of the house of
 2-5     representatives not later than December 1, 2000.
 2-6           SECTION 3.  (a)  Section 29.187, Education Code, as added by
 2-7     this Act, applies beginning with the 2000-2001 school year.
 2-8           (b)  Section 2 of this Act takes effect immediately.
 2-9           SECTION 4.  The importance of this legislation and the
2-10     crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an
2-11     emergency and an imperative public necessity that the
2-12     constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several
2-13     days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended,
2-14     and that this Act take effect and be in force according to its
2-15     terms, and it is so enacted.
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