By George H.B. No. 3585
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 responsibilities of the Texas Council on Workforce
1-3 and Economic Competitiveness.
1-4 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
1-5 SECTION 1. Subsection (5), Section 2308.002, Government Code,
1-6 is amended to read as follows:
1-7 (5) "Workforce education" means articulated
1-8 postsecondary career-path programs and the constituent courses of
1-9 those programs that lead to initial or continuing licensing or
1-10 certification or associate degree-level accreditation and that:
1-11 (A) are subject to:
1-12 (i) initial and ongoing state approval or
1-13 regional or specialized accreditation;
1-14 (ii) a formal state evaluation that
1-15 provides the basis for program continuation or termination;
1-16 (iii) state accountability and performance
1-17 standards; and
1-18 (iv) a regional or statewide documentation
1-19 of the market demand for labor according to employers' needs; or
1-20 (B) are subject to approval by the Texas Higher
1-21 Education Coordinating Board as adult vocational or continuing
1-22 education courses.
1-23 SECTION 2. Subsection (b), Section 2308.052, Government
2-1 Code, is amended to read as follows:
2-2 (b) The council is composed of:
2-3 (1) three voting members who represent education, two
2-4 [one] of whom represents local public education, and one of whom
2-5 represents public postsecondary education[, and one of whom
2-6 represents vocational education];
2-7 (2) five voting members who represent organized labor
2-8 appointed from recommendations made by recognized labor
2-9 organizations;
2-10 (3) five voting members who represent business and
2-11 industry, including business members serving on local workforce
2-12 development boards or private industry councils;
2-13 (4) two voting members who represent community-based
2-14 organizations; and
2-15 (5) the following ex officio voting members:
2-16 (A) the chair of the State Board of Education;
2-17 (B) the chair of the Texas Higher Education
2-18 Coordinating Board;
2-19 (C) the presiding officer of the Texas Board of
2-20 Human Services;
2-21 (D) the presiding officer of the policy advisory
2-22 board of the Texas Department of Economic Development; and
2-23 (E) the chair of the Texas Workforce Commission.
2-24 SECTION 3. Section 2308.102, Government Code, is amended to
2-25 read as follows:
2-26 (a) The council shall assume the duty to:
3-1 (1) develop, with the assistance of each appropriate
3-2 state agency, recommend to the governor, and report to the
3-3 legislature state plans required by applicable federal law in order
3-4 for the state to receive federal funds;
3-5 (2) make policy recommendations to the governor and
3-6 the legislature on goals and priorities for formula and
3-7 discretionary funds for all applicable programs;
3-8 [(3) participate directly in the development of the
3-9 state plan for career and technology education, as required by law,
3-10 and recommend the plan to the Texas Education Agency;]
3-11 (3) [(4)] ensure that general revenue funds previously
3-12 available to the Texas Literacy Council are used to support the
3-13 efforts of local literacy councils in a manner consistent with the
3-14 state strategic plan; and
3-15 [(5) recommend to the State Board of Vocational
3-16 Education the division of federal funds between secondary and
3-17 postsecondary educational agencies under the Carl D. Perkins
3-18 Vocational and Applied Technology Education Act (20 U.S.C. Section
3-19 2301 et seq.); and]
3-20 (4) [(6)] make recommendations to the Texas Workforce
3-21 Commission on unemployment insurance issues pertinent to the
3-22 responsibilities of the council.
3-23 (b) The council shall assume the responsibilities assigned
3-24 to the state advisory council under the following federal laws:
3-25 (1) the Job Training Partnership Act (29 U.S.C.
3-26 Section 1501 et seq.);
4-1 [(2) the Carl D. Perkins Vocational and Applied
4-2 Technology Education Act (20 U.S.C. Section 2301 et seq.);]
4-3 (2) [(3)] the National and Community Service Act of
4-4 1990 (42 U.S.C. Section 12501 et seq.);
4-5 (3) [(4)] the Adult Education Act (20 U.S.C. Section
4-6 1201 et seq.);
4-7 (4) [(5)] the Wagner-Peyser Act (29 U.S.C. Section 49
4-8 et seq.);
4-9 (5) [(6)] Part F, Subchapter IV, Social Security Act
4-10 (42 U.S.C. Section 681 et seq.);
4-11 (6) [(7)] the employment program established under
4-12 Section 6(d)(4), Food Stamp Act of 1977 (7 U.S.C. Section
4-13 2015(d)(4)); and
4-14 (7) [(8)] the National Literacy Act of 1991 (20 U.S.C.
4-15 Section 1201 et seq.).
4-16 (c) The council shall assume the responsibilities formerly
4-17 exercised by the following state advisory councils and committees:
4-18 (1) the State Job Training Coordinating Council;
4-19 [(2) the Texas Council on Vocational Education;]
4-20 (2) [(3)] the Texas Literacy Council; and
4-21 (3) [(4)] the Apprenticeship and Training Advisory
4-22 Committee.
4-23 SECTION 4. Subsection (a), Section 2308.303, Government
4-24 Code, is amended to read as follows:
4-25 (a) A board shall:
4-26 (1) serve as a single point of contact for local
5-1 businesses to communicate their skill needs and to influence the
5-2 direction of all workforce development programs in the workforce
5-3 development area;
5-4 (2) serve as a private industry council under the Job
5-5 Training Partnership Act (29 U.S.C. Section 1501 et seq.);
5-6 (3) develop a local plan to address the workforce
5-7 development needs of the workforce development area that:
5-8 (A) is responsive to the goals, objectives, and
5-9 performance standards established by the governor;
5-10 (B) targets services to meet local needs,
5-11 including the identification of industries and employers likely to
5-12 employ workers who complete job training programs; and
5-13 (C) ensures that the workforce development
5-14 system, including the educational system, has the flexibility to
5-15 meet the needs of local businesses;
5-16 (4) designate the board or another entity as the
5-17 board's fiscal agent to be responsible and accountable for the
5-18 management of all workforce development funds available to the
5-19 board;
5-20 (5) create local career development centers under
5-21 Section 2308.312;
5-22 (6) review plans for workforce education to ensure
5-23 that the plans address the needs of local businesses and recommend
5-24 appropriate changes in the delivery of education services;
5-25 (7) assume the functions and responsibilities of local
5-26 workforce development advisory boards, councils, and committees
6-1 authorized by federal or state law, including private industry
6-2 councils, and [quality workforce planning committees, job service
6-3 employer committees, and local general vocational program advisory
6-4 committees];
6-5 (8) monitor and evaluate the effectiveness of the
6-6 career development centers, state agencies and other contractors
6-7 providing workforce training and services, and vocational and
6-8 technical education programs operated by local education agencies
6-9 and institutions of higher education to ensure that performance is
6-10 consistent with state and local goals and objectives; and
6-11 (9) promote cooperation and coordination among public
6-12 organizations, community organizations, charitable organizations,
6-13 religious organizations, and private businesses providing workforce
6-14 development, in a manner consistent with the nondiscrimination
6-15 principles and safeguards stated in 42 U.S.C. Section 604a.
6-16 SECTION 5. This Act takes effect immediately if it receives
6-17 a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as
6-18 provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution. If this
6-19 Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this
6-20 Act takes effect September 1, 2001.