By Christian H.B. No. 2017
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
1-1 AN ACT
1-2 relating to the designation of certain state employees as liaisons
1-3 to faith-based organizations for the purpose of promoting community
1-4 services for the needy and to the promotion of cooperation and
1-5 coordination among certain organizations by local workforce
1-6 development boards.
1-7 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
1-8 SECTION 1. Chapter 21, Human Resources Code, is amended by
1-9 adding Section 21.0061 to read as follows:
1-10 Sec. 21.0061. LIAISONS TO FAITH-BASED ORGANIZATIONS. (a)
1-11 The commissioner shall designate one department employee in each of
1-12 the department's administrative regions to serve as a liaison to
1-13 faith-based organizations in the region with the potential ability
1-14 to provide community services for the needy.
1-15 (b) The commissioner shall ensure that the primary function
1-16 of each employee designated as a liaison under this section is to:
1-17 (1) communicate with faith-based organizations
1-18 regarding the need for private community services to benefit
1-19 persons in need of assistance who would otherwise require
1-20 financial or other assistance under public programs administered by
1-21 the department;
1-22 (2) promote the involvement of faith-based
1-23 organizations in working to meet community needs for assistance;
1-24 and
2-1 (3) coordinate the department's efforts to promote
2-2 involvement of faith-based organizations in providing community
2-3 services with similar efforts of other state agencies.
2-4 SECTION 2. Section 2308.303(a), Government Code, is amended
2-5 to read as follows:
2-6 (a) A board shall:
2-7 (1) serve as a single point of contact for local
2-8 businesses to communicate their skill needs and to influence the
2-9 direction of all workforce development programs in the workforce
2-10 development area;
2-11 (2) serve as a private industry council under the Job
2-12 Training Partnership Act (29 U.S.C. Section 1501 et seq.);
2-13 (3) develop a local plan to address the workforce
2-14 development needs of the workforce development area that:
2-15 (A) is responsive to the goals, objectives, and
2-16 performance standards established by the governor;
2-17 (B) targets services to meet local needs,
2-18 including the identification of industries and employers likely to
2-19 employ workers who complete job training programs; and
2-20 (C) ensures that the workforce development
2-21 system, including the educational system, has the flexibility to
2-22 meet the needs of local businesses;
2-23 (4) designate the board or another entity as the
2-24 board's fiscal agent to be responsible and accountable for the
2-25 management of all workforce development funds available to the
2-26 board;
2-27 (5) create local career development centers under
3-1 Section 2308.312;
3-2 (6) review plans for workforce education to ensure
3-3 that the plans address the needs of local businesses and recommend
3-4 appropriate changes in the delivery of education services;
3-5 (7) assume the functions and responsibilities of local
3-6 workforce development advisory boards, councils, and committees
3-7 authorized by federal or state law, including private industry
3-8 councils, quality workforce planning committees, job service
3-9 employer committees, and local general vocational program advisory
3-10 committees;
3-11 (8) monitor and evaluate the effectiveness of the
3-12 career development centers, state agencies and other contractors
3-13 providing workforce training and services, and vocational and
3-14 technical education programs operated by local education agencies
3-15 and institutions of higher education to ensure that performance is
3-16 consistent with state and local goals and objectives; and
3-17 (9) promote cooperation and coordination among public
3-18 organizations, community organizations, charitable organizations,
3-19 religious organizations, and private businesses providing workforce
3-20 development, in a manner consistent with the nondiscrimination
3-21 principles and safeguards stated in 42 U.S.C. Section 604a.
3-22 SECTION 3. The importance of this legislation and the
3-23 crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an
3-24 emergency and an imperative public necessity that the
3-25 constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several
3-26 days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended,
3-27 and that this Act take effect and be in force from and after its
4-1 passage, and it is so enacted.