By: Fraser S.B. No. 1780
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT
1-1 relating to the creation of the high priority program fund to
1-2 support vocational and technical education.
1-3 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
1-4 SECTION 1. Subtitle H, Title 3, Education Code, is amended
1-5 by adding Chapter 151 to read as follows:
1-6 CHAPTER 151. HIGH PRIORITY PROGRAM FUND
1-7 Sec. 151.001. DEFINITIONS. In this section:
1-8 (1) "Coordinating board" means the Texas Higher
1-9 Education Coordinating Board.
1-10 (2) "High priority program" means a technical or
1-11 vocational program offered by a public junior college or public
1-12 technical institute that:
1-13 (A) is specifically intended to meet the
1-14 workforce training demands of business and industry as determined
1-15 by the coordinating board;
1-16 (B) is determined to be of particular importance
1-17 in a specific junior college district or to the state; and
1-18 (C) requires a significant investment to achieve
1-19 or maintain its purpose.
1-20 (3) "High priority program fund" means the fund
1-21 established under this chapter to assist in the design,
1-22 development, upgrade, revision, or expansion of high priority
1-23 programs.
1-24 (4) "Public junior college" and "public technical
2-1 institute" have the meanings assigned by Section 61.003.
2-2 Sec. 151.002. ESTABLISHMENT; PURPOSE. (a) It is essential
2-3 to this state's economic growth that this state provide a qualified
2-4 and trained workforce for maintaining and expanding the global
2-5 competitiveness of the state's business and industry, for retaining
2-6 existing business and industry, and for attracting new business and
2-7 industry to this state. The high priority program fund is
2-8 established as a means to accomplish this purpose.
2-9 (b) Providing appropriated funds to public junior colleges
2-10 and public technical institutes for high priority programs is
2-11 important to this state's welfare and, consequently, is an
2-12 important public purpose for the expenditure of state funds. The
2-13 high priority program fund is intended to enhance the state's
2-14 economic growth by:
2-15 (1) enhancing the competitiveness of business and
2-16 industry in this state by providing workforce training that is
2-17 responsive to the specific needs of business and industry; and
2-18 (2) encouraging the location, retention, and expansion
2-19 of business and industry in this state.
2-20 Sec. 151.003. ADMINISTRATION; GUIDELINES AND PROCEDURES.
2-21 (a) The coordinating board shall administer the high priority
2-22 program fund.
2-23 (b) The coordinating board shall determine whether a public
2-24 junior college or public technical institute is eligible to receive
2-25 an award from the fund. To be eligible to receive an award, a
2-26 public junior college or public technical institute must
3-1 demonstrate to the coordinating board that:
3-2 (1) the program proposed for funding meets an
3-3 immediate business or industry need of particular importance in the
3-4 junior college district or this state;
3-5 (2) the award will enhance the state's vocational and
3-6 technical education system;
3-7 (3) an award from the fund is necessary to assist the
3-8 public junior college or public technical institute in the
3-9 successful design, development, upgrade, revision, or expansion of
3-10 the program; and
3-11 (4) the development of the program will provide an
3-12 economic benefit to the residents of the public junior college
3-13 district or of this state.
3-14 (c) The coordinating board, in consultation with public
3-15 junior colleges and public technical institutes, shall adopt
3-16 guidelines and procedures for the administration of this chapter.
3-17 Sec. 151.004. FUNDING. (a) The high priority program fund
3-18 is funded by appropriations if made, or by available funds, and by
3-19 gifts, grants, and donations made for that purpose.
3-20 (b) From money appropriated from the fund, the comptroller
3-21 shall issue warrants to each eligible public junior college or
3-22 public technical institute in the amount certified by the
3-23 coordinating board to the comptroller.
3-24 (c) The money may be expended by the public junior college
3-25 or public technical institute only to support the development,
3-26 design, upgrade, renovation, or expansion of specific high priority
4-1 programs for which the award is made and may not be expended for
4-2 the general support of ongoing instruction at the public junior
4-3 college or public technical institute. The money may be expended
4-4 for facilities if necessary for the development, upgrade, revision,
4-5 or expansion of a program and approved by the coordinating board.
4-6 (d) Money appropriated from the high priority program fund
4-7 may be used to match a grant provided by private industry for a
4-8 particular program at an eligible public junior college or public
4-9 technical institute.
4-10 (e) Supplies, materials, services, or equipment purchased by
4-11 a public junior college or public technical institute with money
4-12 received under this chapter are not subject to the authority of the
4-13 General Services Commission.
4-14 Sec. 151.005. PROGRESS REPORTS. A public junior college or
4-15 public technical institute receiving money under this chapter shall
4-16 report on the progress of the funded high priority program to the
4-17 coordinating board not later than September 1 of each year of the
4-18 program, until the coordinating board provides that further
4-19 progress reports are not required.
4-20 Sec. 151.006. MERIT REVIEW. The coordinating board shall
4-21 evaluate the effectiveness of this chapter and programs receiving
4-22 money under this chapter and report its findings to the Legislative
4-23 Budget Board not later than September 1 of the second year of each
4-24 state fiscal biennium.
4-25 SECTION 2. This Act takes effect September 1, 1999.
4-26 SECTION 3. The importance of this legislation and the
5-1 crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an
5-2 emergency and an imperative public necessity that the
5-3 constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several
5-4 days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended.