By Oliveira, Chavez, Solis of Cameron                 H.B. No. 3656
         76R11011 JMM-F                           
                                A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
 1-1                                   AN ACT
 1-2     relating to the participation of community-based organizations in
 1-3     the skills development fund.
 1-4           BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
 1-5           SECTION 1.  Section 303.001, Labor Code, is amended to read
 1-6     as follows:
 1-7           Sec. 303.001.  PURPOSE; DEFINITIONS [DEFINITION].  (a)  The
 1-8     purpose of this chapter is to remove administrative barriers that
 1-9     impede the response of public community and technical colleges,
1-10     community-based organizations, and the Texas Engineering Extension
1-11     Service to industry and workforce training needs and to develop
1-12     incentives for public  community and technical colleges,
1-13     community-based organizations, and the Texas Engineering Extension
1-14     Service to provide customized assessment and training in a timely
1-15     and efficient manner.
1-16           (b)  For purposes of this chapter:
1-17                 (1)  "Assessment" [, "assessment"] means the evaluation
1-18     of an employer's workforce needs and requirements.
1-19                 (2)  "Community-based organization" means a private
1-20     nonprofit organization, including a development corporation and
1-21     faith-based organization, that:
1-22                       (A)  provides for education, vocational
1-23     education, rehabilitation, job training, or internship services or
1-24     programs; and
 2-1                       (B)  is exempt from the payment of federal income
 2-2     taxes under Section 501(a) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986,
 2-3     and its subsequent amendments, by being listed as an exempt entity
 2-4     under Section 501(c)(3) of that code.
 2-5           SECTION 2.  Section 303.003, Labor Code, is amended by
 2-6     amending Subsection (b) and adding Subsection (h) to read as
 2-7     follows:
 2-8           (b)  The skills development fund may be used by public
 2-9     community and technical colleges, community-based organizations,
2-10     and [or] the Texas Engineering Extension Service as start-up or
2-11     emergency funds for the following job-training purposes:
2-12                 (1)  developing customized training programs for
2-13     businesses and trade unions; and
2-14                 (2)  sponsoring small and medium-sized business
2-15     networks and consortiums.
2-16           (h)  A community-based organization may apply for money to
2-17     participate in a training program only in partnership with a
2-18     community and technical college or the Texas Engineering Extension
2-19     Service.  A community-based organization providing services
2-20     regulated by the state shall provide evidence of any certification,
2-21     license, or registration required by law.
2-22           SECTION 3.  (a)  This Act takes effect September 1, 1999.
2-23           (b)  The change in law made by this Act to Section 303.003,
2-24     Labor Code, applies only to a grant awarded by the Texas Workforce
2-25     Commission on or after the effective date of this Act.  A grant
2-26     awarded before that date is governed by the law in effect on the
2-27     date the grant was awarded, and the former law is continued in
 3-1     effect for that purpose.
 3-2           SECTION 4.  The importance of this legislation and the
 3-3     crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an
 3-4     emergency and an imperative public necessity that the
 3-5     constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several
 3-6     days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended.