1-1 By: Fraser S.B. No. 1780 1-2 (In the Senate - Filed March 12, 1999; March 15, 1999, read 1-3 first time and referred to Committee on Education; May 6, 1999, 1-4 reported favorably by the following vote: Yeas 7, Nays 0; 1-5 May 6, 1999, sent to printer.) 1-6 A BILL TO BE ENTITLED 1-7 AN ACT 1-8 relating to the creation of the high priority program fund to 1-9 support vocational and technical education. 1-10 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: 1-11 SECTION 1. Subtitle H, Title 3, Education Code, is amended 1-12 by adding Chapter 151 to read as follows: 1-13 CHAPTER 151. HIGH PRIORITY PROGRAM FUND 1-14 Sec. 151.001. DEFINITIONS. In this section: 1-15 (1) "Coordinating board" means the Texas Higher 1-16 Education Coordinating Board. 1-17 (2) "High priority program" means a technical or 1-18 vocational program offered by a public junior college or public 1-19 technical institute that: 1-20 (A) is specifically intended to meet the 1-21 workforce training demands of business and industry as determined 1-22 by the coordinating board; 1-23 (B) is determined to be of particular importance 1-24 in a specific junior college district or to the state; and 1-25 (C) requires a significant investment to achieve 1-26 or maintain its purpose. 1-27 (3) "High priority program fund" means the fund 1-28 established under this chapter to assist in the design, 1-29 development, upgrade, revision, or expansion of high priority 1-30 programs. 1-31 (4) "Public junior college" and "public technical 1-32 institute" have the meanings assigned by Section 61.003. 1-33 Sec. 151.002. ESTABLISHMENT; PURPOSE. (a) It is essential 1-34 to this state's economic growth that this state provide a qualified 1-35 and trained workforce for maintaining and expanding the global 1-36 competitiveness of the state's business and industry, for retaining 1-37 existing business and industry, and for attracting new business and 1-38 industry to this state. The high priority program fund is 1-39 established as a means to accomplish this purpose. 1-40 (b) Providing appropriated funds to public junior colleges 1-41 and public technical institutes for high priority programs is 1-42 important to this state's welfare and, consequently, is an 1-43 important public purpose for the expenditure of state funds. The 1-44 high priority program fund is intended to enhance the state's 1-45 economic growth by: 1-46 (1) enhancing the competitiveness of business and 1-47 industry in this state by providing workforce training that is 1-48 responsive to the specific needs of business and industry; and 1-49 (2) encouraging the location, retention, and expansion 1-50 of business and industry in this state. 1-51 Sec. 151.003. ADMINISTRATION; GUIDELINES AND PROCEDURES. 1-52 (a) The coordinating board shall administer the high priority 1-53 program fund. 1-54 (b) The coordinating board shall determine whether a public 1-55 junior college or public technical institute is eligible to receive 1-56 an award from the fund. To be eligible to receive an award, a 1-57 public junior college or public technical institute must 1-58 demonstrate to the coordinating board that: 1-59 (1) the program proposed for funding meets an 1-60 immediate business or industry need of particular importance in the 1-61 junior college district or this state; 1-62 (2) the award will enhance the state's vocational and 1-63 technical education system; 1-64 (3) an award from the fund is necessary to assist the 2-1 public junior college or public technical institute in the 2-2 successful design, development, upgrade, revision, or expansion of 2-3 the program; and 2-4 (4) the development of the program will provide an 2-5 economic benefit to the residents of the public junior college 2-6 district or of this state. 2-7 (c) The coordinating board, in consultation with public 2-8 junior colleges and public technical institutes, shall adopt 2-9 guidelines and procedures for the administration of this chapter. 2-10 Sec. 151.004. FUNDING. (a) The high priority program fund 2-11 is funded by appropriations and by gifts, grants, and donations 2-12 made for that purpose. 2-13 (b) From money appropriated from the fund, the comptroller 2-14 shall issue warrants to each eligible public junior college or 2-15 public technical institute in the amount certified by the 2-16 coordinating board to the comptroller. 2-17 (c) The money may be expended by the public junior college 2-18 or public technical institute only to support the development, 2-19 design, upgrade, renovation, or expansion of specific high priority 2-20 programs for which the award is made and may not be expended for 2-21 the general support of ongoing instruction at the public junior 2-22 college or public technical institute. The money may be expended 2-23 for facilities if necessary for the development, upgrade, revision, 2-24 or expansion of a program and approved by the coordinating board. 2-25 (d) Money appropriated from the high priority program fund 2-26 may be used to match a grant provided by private industry for a 2-27 particular program at an eligible public junior college or public 2-28 technical institute. 2-29 (e) Supplies, materials, services, or equipment purchased by 2-30 a public junior college or public technical institute with money 2-31 received under this chapter are not subject to the authority of the 2-32 General Services Commission. 2-33 Sec. 151.005. PROGRESS REPORTS. A public junior college or 2-34 public technical institute receiving money under this chapter shall 2-35 report on the progress of the funded high priority program to the 2-36 coordinating board not later than September 1 of each year of the 2-37 program, until the coordinating board provides that further 2-38 progress reports are not required. 2-39 Sec. 151.006. MERIT REVIEW. The coordinating board shall 2-40 evaluate the effectiveness of this chapter and programs receiving 2-41 money under this chapter and report its findings to the Legislative 2-42 Budget Board not later than September 1 of the second year of each 2-43 state fiscal biennium. 2-44 SECTION 2. This Act takes effect September 1, 1999. 2-45 SECTION 3. The importance of this legislation and the 2-46 crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an 2-47 emergency and an imperative public necessity that the 2-48 constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several 2-49 days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended. 2-50 * * * * *