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.
         _______________________________     _______________________________
             President of the Senate              Speaker of the House
               I certify that H.B. No. 2017 was passed by the House on May
         14, 1999, by a non-record vote.
                                             _______________________________
                                                 Chief Clerk of the House
               I certify that H.B. No. 2017 was passed by the Senate on May
         26, 1999, by the following vote:  Yeas 30, Nays 0.
                                             _______________________________
                                                 Secretary of the Senate
         APPROVED:  _____________________
                            Date
                    _____________________
                          Governor