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.