1-1 By: Ellis, et al. S.B. No. 353 1-2 (In the Senate - Filed January 23, 2001; January 25, 2001, 1-3 read first time and referred to Committee on Education; 1-4 March 1, 2001, reported adversely, with favorable Committee 1-5 Substitute by the following vote: Yeas 8, Nays 0; March 1, 2001, 1-6 sent to printer.) 1-7 COMMITTEE SUBSTITUTE FOR S.B. No. 353 By: Bivins 1-8 A BILL TO BE ENTITLED 1-9 AN ACT 1-10 relating to certain programs to develop the technology workforce in 1-11 Texas by supporting and promoting higher education in engineering 1-12 and computer science. 1-13 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: 1-14 SECTION 1. Chapter 51, Education Code, is amended by adding 1-15 Subchapter V to read as follows: 1-16 SUBCHAPTER V. TECHNOLOGY WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT 1-17 Sec. 51.831. PURPOSE. The purpose of this subchapter is to 1-18 establish programs to: 1-19 (1) increase the number of engineering and computer 1-20 science graduates from Texas public institutions of higher 1-21 education; and 1-22 (2) increase collaborative efforts between 1-23 universities, engineering and computer science departments, and 1-24 private companies in Texas. 1-25 Sec. 51.832. DEFINITIONS. In this subchapter: 1-26 (1) "Account" means the technology workforce 1-27 development account. 1-28 (2) "Consortium" means the Texas Engineering and 1-29 Technical Consortium. 1-30 (3) "Coordinating board" means the Texas Higher 1-31 Education Coordinating Board. 1-32 (4) "Eligible computer science institution" means a 1-33 general academic teaching institution that offers a baccalaureate 1-34 degree program in computer science. 1-35 (5) "Eligible engineering institution" means a general 1-36 academic teaching institution that offers a baccalaureate degree 1-37 program in engineering that is accredited by the Accreditation 1-38 Board for Engineering and Technology. 1-39 (6) "General academic teaching institution" has the 1-40 meaning assigned by Section 61.003. 1-41 Sec. 51.833. TEXAS ENGINEERING AND TECHNICAL CONSORTIUM. 1-42 (a) Eligible engineering institutions, eligible computer science 1-43 institutions, and private companies as described by Subsection (b) 1-44 may establish and administer the Texas Engineering and Technical 1-45 Consortium as a resource-sharing program operated within an 1-46 eligible institution to: 1-47 (1) provide a forum for eligible institutions and 1-48 private companies to consolidate research grant applications and 1-49 research projects; 1-50 (2) strengthen instruction in engineering and computer 1-51 science; 1-52 (3) institute recruitment, development, and retention 1-53 programs for students in engineering and computer science programs; 1-54 (4) share instructional and research resources; and 1-55 (5) coordinate activities related to engineering and 1-56 computer science instruction, research, and public service. 1-57 (b) The consortium must include at least one eligible 1-58 engineering institution or eligible computer science institution. 1-59 Each participant in the consortium must be: 1-60 (1) an eligible engineering institution; 1-61 (2) an eligible computer science institution; or 1-62 (3) a private company that contributes at least 1-63 $100,000 each year to the consortium. 1-64 (c) At the end of each two-year period or any other period 2-1 determined by the consortium, the consortium may transfer its 2-2 administrative functions to another eligible institution 2-3 participating in the consortium. 2-4 Sec. 51.834. CONSORTIUM ADVISORY COMMITTEE. (a) The 2-5 consortium shall appoint an advisory committee to advise and make 2-6 recommendations to the consortium regarding the operations and 2-7 activities of the consortium. 2-8 (b) The advisory committee must include a representative of 2-9 each consortium participant. 2-10 (c) The advisory committee is subject to Chapter 2110, 2-11 Government Code. 2-12 Sec. 51.835. GIFTS, GRANTS, AND DONATIONS; TECHNOLOGY 2-13 WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT ACCOUNT. (a) The consortium may solicit and 2-14 accept gifts, grants, and donations of any kind and from any 2-15 source, including foundations, corporations, and institutions of 2-16 higher education, for the purpose of implementing this subchapter. 2-17 (b) The consortium shall transfer money received under 2-18 Subsection (a), other than money retained to administer the 2-19 consortium, to the comptroller for deposit to the credit of the 2-20 technology workforce development account. 2-21 (c) The technology workforce development account is an 2-22 account in the general revenue fund. Money in the account may be 2-23 appropriated only for the purpose of awarding grants under this 2-24 subchapter. 2-25 (d) The account consists of gifts, grants, and donations 2-26 deposited to the credit of the account under this section. 2-27 (e) The coordinating board shall administer the account and 2-28 shall adopt any rules necessary to administer the account. 2-29 Sec. 51.836. APPROPRIATIONS; STATE MATCHING PROGRAM. 2-30 (a) The legislature may appropriate money from the undedicated 2-31 portion of the general revenue fund, in addition to money from the 2-32 technology workforce development account, for the purpose of 2-33 awarding grants under this subchapter. 2-34 (b) For a state fiscal biennium, the amount appropriated 2-35 from the undedicated portion of the general revenue fund under 2-36 Subsection (a) may not be less than the sum of: 2-37 (1) the amount of money deposited to the credit of the 2-38 account during that biennium under Section 51.835; and 2-39 (2) the market value of any in-kind contributions 2-40 accepted by the consortium during that biennium under Section 2-41 51.835, as determined by the comptroller based on information 2-42 provided to the comptroller by the consortium and verified by the 2-43 coordinating board. 2-44 (c) Subsection (b) does not prohibit the legislature from 2-45 appropriating an amount under Subsection (a) that exceeds the 2-46 minimum matching amount computed under Subsection (b). 2-47 Sec. 51.837. GRANT PROGRAM. (a) The coordinating board 2-48 shall use money appropriated under Section 51.836 to award grants 2-49 on a competitive, peer-review basis to eligible engineering 2-50 institutions and eligible computer science institutions to: 2-51 (1) increase the number of graduates with 2-52 baccalaureate degrees in engineering and computer science; 2-53 (2) increase the size of engineering and computer 2-54 science programs; 2-55 (3) recruit students to enter engineering and computer 2-56 science programs, including: 2-57 (A) students from groups or backgrounds that are 2-58 traditionally underrepresented in the fields of engineering and 2-59 computer science, including female students; and 2-60 (B) students from public or private junior 2-61 colleges or technical institutes; 2-62 (4) provide scholarships for students in engineering 2-63 and computer science programs; 2-64 (5) provide retention and mentoring programs for 2-65 students in engineering and computer science programs; 2-66 (6) provide supplemental compensation for faculty and 2-67 support personnel in engineering and computer science departments; 2-68 (7) provide research and laboratory equipment to 2-69 engineering and computer science departments; 3-1 (8) provide for distance learning programs in 3-2 engineering and computer science; and 3-3 (9) fund other related activities. 3-4 (b) In awarding grants under this section, the coordinating 3-5 board shall consider with respect to the engineering or computer 3-6 science program of each eligible institution: 3-7 (1) faculty; 3-8 (2) instructional and research resources; 3-9 (3) current enrollment; 3-10 (4) quality of curriculum; 3-11 (5) placement record of graduates; 3-12 (6) past performance in increasing graduates; and 3-13 (7) any other appropriate factor. 3-14 Sec. 51.838. COORDINATING BOARD ADVISORY COMMITTEE. (a) To 3-15 advise the coordinating board regarding grants awarded under this 3-16 subchapter, the coordinating board shall appoint an advisory 3-17 committee consisting of the following 11 members with significant 3-18 expertise in engineering, computer science, or higher education: 3-19 (1) six members who are representatives of private 3-20 companies participating in the consortium; and 3-21 (2) five members who are representatives of higher 3-22 education. 3-23 (b) The advisory committee is subject to Chapter 2110, 3-24 Government Code. 3-25 Sec. 51.839. ANNUAL REPORTS. (a) An eligible engineering 3-26 or computer science institution that is awarded a grant under this 3-27 subchapter shall report to the coordinating board regarding the use 3-28 of that grant not later than September 1 of each year. 3-29 (b) Not later than October 31 of each year, the coordinating 3-30 board shall provide to the governor, the legislature, and the 3-31 consortium participants a report consolidated from reports 3-32 submitted to the coordinating board by eligible institutions under 3-33 this section. 3-34 Sec. 51.840. COMMITTEE TO EVALUATE GRANT PROGRAM; BIENNIAL 3-35 REPORTS. (a) To evaluate the effectiveness of the grant program 3-36 under this subchapter, the coordinating board shall appoint an 3-37 advisory committee consisting of: 3-38 (1) higher education representatives; and 3-39 (2) experts in the fields of engineering and computer 3-40 science. 3-41 (b) The grant program evaluation committee is subject to 3-42 Chapter 2110, Government Code. 3-43 (c) The grant program evaluation committee shall report the 3-44 results of its evaluation to the coordinating board not later than 3-45 September 1 of each even-numbered year. 3-46 (d) The coordinating board shall report the results of the 3-47 evaluation to the governor, the legislature, and the consortium 3-48 participants not later than October 31 of each even-numbered year. 3-49 SECTION 2. This Act takes effect September 1, 2001. 3-50 * * * * *