1-1     By:  Oliveira, Chavez, Solis of Cameron               H.B. No. 3656
 1-2          (Senate Sponsor - Madla)
 1-3           (In the Senate - Received from the House April 29, 1999;
 1-4     April 30, 1999, read first time and referred to Committee on
 1-5     Economic Development; May 14, 1999, reported favorably by the
 1-6     following vote:  Yeas 4, Nays 0; May 14, 1999, sent to printer.)
 1-7                            A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
 1-8                                   AN ACT
 1-9     relating to the participation of community-based organizations in
1-10     the skills development fund.
1-11           BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
1-12           SECTION 1.  Section 303.001, Labor Code, is amended to read
1-13     as follows:
1-14           Sec. 303.001.  PURPOSE; DEFINITIONS [DEFINITION].  (a)  The
1-15     purpose of this chapter is to remove administrative barriers that
1-16     impede the response of public community and technical colleges,
1-17     community-based organizations, and the Texas Engineering Extension
1-18     Service to industry and workforce training needs and to develop
1-19     incentives for public  community and technical colleges,
1-20     community-based organizations, and the Texas Engineering Extension
1-21     Service to provide customized assessment and training in a timely
1-22     and efficient manner.
1-23           (b)  For purposes of this chapter:
1-24                 (1)  "Assessment" [, "assessment"] means the evaluation
1-25     of an employer's workforce needs and requirements.
1-26                 (2)  "Community-based organization" means a private
1-27     nonprofit organization, including a development corporation and
1-28     faith-based organization, that:
1-29                       (A)  provides for education, vocational
1-30     education, rehabilitation, job training, or internship services or
1-31     programs; and
1-32                       (B)  is exempt from the payment of federal income
1-33     taxes under Section 501(a) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986,
1-34     and its subsequent amendments, by being listed as an exempt entity
1-35     under Section 501(c)(3) of that code.
1-36           SECTION 2.  Section 303.003, Labor Code, is amended by
1-37     amending Subsection (b) and adding Subsection (h) to read as
1-38     follows:
1-39           (b)  The skills development fund may be used by public
1-40     community and technical colleges, community-based organizations,
1-41     and [or] the Texas Engineering Extension Service as start-up or
1-42     emergency funds for the following job-training purposes:
1-43                 (1)  developing customized training programs for
1-44     businesses and trade unions; and
1-45                 (2)  sponsoring small and medium-sized business
1-46     networks and consortiums.
1-47           (h)  A community-based organization may apply for money to
1-48     participate in a training program only in partnership with a
1-49     community and technical college or the Texas Engineering Extension
1-50     Service.  A community-based organization providing services
1-51     regulated by the state shall provide evidence of any certification,
1-52     license, or registration required by law.
1-53           SECTION 3.  (a)  This Act takes effect September 1, 1999.
1-54           (b)  The change in law made by this Act to Section 303.003,
1-55     Labor Code, applies only to a grant awarded by the Texas Workforce
1-56     Commission on or after the effective date of this Act.  A grant
1-57     awarded before that date is governed by the law in effect on the
1-58     date the grant was awarded, and the former law is continued in
1-59     effect for that purpose.
1-60           SECTION 4.  The importance of this legislation and the
1-61     crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an
1-62     emergency and an imperative public necessity that the
1-63     constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several
1-64     days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended.
 2-1                                  * * * * *