By Pitts H.B. No. 2915 Line and page numbers may not match official copy. Bill not drafted by TLC or Senate E&E. A BILL TO BE ENTITLED 1-1 AN ACT 1-2 relating to the provision of high-level information technology 1-3 support and the collection of fees to defray the costs of such 1-4 support. 1-5 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: 1-6 SECTION 1. Section 302.002, Labor Code, is amended by adding 1-7 subsection (f) to read as follows: 1-8 Sec. 302.002. General Workforce Development Powers and 1-9 Duties of Commission and Executive Director. (a) The executive 1-10 director shall: 1-11 (1) to the extent feasible under federal law, 1-12 consolidate the administrative and programmatic functions of the 1-13 programs under the authority of the commission to achieve efficient 1-14 and effective delivery of services; 1-15 (2) administer each program and implement 1-16 corresponding federal and state legislation consolidated under the 1-17 authority of the commission under this chapter and other applicable 1-18 state law; 1-19 (3) determine the organization and methods of 1-20 procedure of the division in accordance with applicable state and 1-21 federal legislation; 2-1 (4) appoint and prescribe the duties of all officers, 2-2 administrators, accountants, attorneys, experts, and other 2-3 employees as necessary in the performance of the division's duties; 2-4 (5) delegate authority to persons appointed under this 2-5 section as the executive director considers reasonable and proper 2-6 for the effective administration of the division; 2-7 (6) bond any person who handles money or signs checks 2-8 for the division; 2-9 (7) implement workforce training and services policies 2-10 and programs, consistent with recommendations from the council and 2-11 as approved by the governor; 2-12 (8) serve as an advocate at the state and federal 2-13 levels for local workforce development boards; 2-14 (9) contract with local workforce development boards 2-15 for program planning and service delivery; 2-16 (10) provide training and professional development 2-17 services for division staff, local workforce development boards, 2-18 and the staff of those boards; 2-19 (11) support research and demonstration projects 2-20 designed to develop new programs and approaches to service 2-21 delivery; 2-22 (12) provide technical assistance and support to local 2-23 workforce development boards; 2-24 (13) prepare an annual agency performance report for 2-25 submission to the governor, the legislature, the commission, and 3-1 the council; 3-2 (14) design and administer a statewide comprehensive 3-3 labor market information system; 3-4 (15) serve as the chair of the State Occupational 3-5 Information Coordinating Committee; and 3-6 (16) perform other functions and duties as may be 3-7 required by law or assigned by the commission. 3-8 (b) The executive director may make expenditures, enter into 3-9 contracts with public, private, and nonprofit organizations, 3-10 require reports, conduct investigations, and take other action the 3-11 executive director or commission considers necessary or suitable to 3-12 fulfill the division's administrative duties. 3-13 (c) The executive director may enter interagency contracts 3-14 and memoranda of understanding with other state agencies for the 3-15 performance of administrative functions of the agency. 3-16 (d) The commission shall adopt rules in accordance with 3-17 Chapter 2001, Government Code, as necessary for the proper 3-18 administration of the division. 3-19 (e) The executive director may obligate funds from the 3-20 skills development fund in a manner consistent with the rules 3-21 adopted by the commission for that program. The executive director 3-22 shall report to the governor, the legislature, the commission, and 3-23 the council on a quarterly basis regarding actions taken under this 3-24 subsection. 3-25 (f) In addition to the services provided under Subsection 4-1 (a)(12), the executive director may enter into contracts with local 4-2 workforce development boards or other entities to establish service 4-3 level agreements and charge fees for services based on service 4-4 level options selected by those entities. All such fees collected 4-5 shall be used by the commission solely for the purpose of defraying 4-6 costs incurred in providing those services. 4-7 SECTION 2. This act takes effect September 1, 1999. 4-8 SECTION 3. EMERGENCY. The importance of this legislation 4-9 and the crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an 4-10 emergency and an imperative public necessity that the 4-11 constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several 4-12 days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended.