1-1 By: Lucio S.B. No. 429
1-2 (In the Senate - Filed January 26, 2001; January 29, 2001,
1-3 read first time and referred to Committee on Business and Commerce;
1-4 March 26, 2001, reported adversely, with favorable Committee
1-5 Substitute by the following vote: Yeas 7, Nays 0; March 26, 2001,
1-6 sent to printer.)
1-7 COMMITTEE SUBSTITUTE FOR S.B. No. 429 By: Lucio
1-8 A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
1-9 AN ACT
1-10 relating to the funding and administration of certain activities of
1-11 the Council on Workforce and Economic Competitiveness.
1-12 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
1-13 SECTION 1. Subsection (b), Section 2308.065, Government
1-14 Code, is amended to read as follows:
1-15 (b) A state agency represented on the council shall provide
1-16 funds for the support of the council in proportion to the agency's
1-17 financial participation in the workforce development system. The
1-18 council, with the governor's approval, shall establish a funding
1-19 formula to determine the level of support each agency must provide.
1-20 SECTION 2. Section 2308.101, Government Code, is amended to
1-21 read as follows:
1-22 Sec. 2308.101. GENERAL DUTIES. (a) The council shall:
1-23 (1) promote the development of a well-educated, highly
1-24 skilled workforce in this state;
1-25 (2) advocate the development of an integrated
1-26 workforce development system to provide quality services addressing
1-27 the needs of business and workers in this state;
1-28 (3) recommend to the governor the designation or
1-29 redesignation of workforce development areas for the local planning
1-30 and delivery of workforce development;
1-31 (4) identify and recommend to the governor incentives
1-32 to encourage the consolidation, on a regional labor market basis,
1-33 of:
1-34 (A) local boards, councils, and committees; and
1-35 (B) service delivery areas authorized under [the
1-36 Job Training Partnership Act (29 U.S.C. Section 1501 et seq.) or
1-37 other] federal workforce legislation;
1-38 (5) review plans for local workforce development and
1-39 make recommendations to the governor for approval;
1-40 (6) evaluate the effectiveness of the workforce
1-41 development system;
1-42 (7) use the administrative records of the state's
1-43 unemployment compensation program and other sources as appropriate
1-44 in evaluating the workforce development system;
1-45 (8) encourage, support, or develop research and
1-46 demonstration projects designed to develop new programs and
1-47 approaches to service delivery;
1-48 (9) recommend measures to ensure that occupational
1-49 skills training is:
1-50 (A) provided in occupations that are locally in
1-51 demand; and
1-52 (B) directed toward high-skill and high-wage
1-53 jobs;
1-54 (10) monitor the operation of the state's workforce
1-55 development system to assess the degree to which the system is
1-56 effective in achieving state and local goals and objectives;
1-57 (11) develop and recommend to the governor criteria
1-58 for the establishment of local workforce development boards;
1-59 (12) carry out the federal and state duties and
1-60 responsibilities of advisory councils under applicable federal and
1-61 state workforce development laws or regulations;
1-62 (13) report periodically to the governor and the
1-63 legislature; and
1-64 (14) provide annual reports to the governor and the
2-1 legislature, including an annual report analyzing work development
2-2 programs that focus on welfare to work initiatives.
2-3 (b) The council shall provide the information required to be
2-4 reported under Subsections (a)(13) and (14) and Section 2308.104(a)
2-5 to the Texas Workforce Commission. The Texas Workforce Commission
2-6 shall include information provided under this subsection that
2-7 relates to the administration and operation of the state's
2-8 workforce development system with other information the commission
2-9 provides to the public on the Internet.
2-10 SECTION 3. Section 2308.104, Government Code, is amended to
2-11 read as follows:
2-12 Sec. 2308.104. STRATEGIC PLAN. (a) The council shall
2-13 develop and recommend to the governor and report to the legislature
2-14 a single strategic plan that establishes the framework for the
2-15 budgeting and operation of the workforce development system,
2-16 including school to careers and welfare to work components,
2-17 administered by agencies represented on the council. The council
2-18 shall annually report to the governor and the legislature on the
2-19 implementation of the strategic plan.
2-20 (b) The council shall engage in strategic planning by
2-21 selecting or developing two types of performance measures as
2-22 described by Subsections (c) and (d). To the fullest extent
2-23 possible, all measures must be selected from those already
2-24 developed and approved before September 1, 2001, by one or more
2-25 state agencies that administer workforce programs. The council may
2-26 develop a new measure only if the council:
2-27 (1) identifies a gap in accountability; or
2-28 (2) determines that at least one state agency
2-29 administering a workforce program cannot report under the measures
2-30 developed and approved before September 1, 2001.
2-31 (c) The first type of performance measure consists of formal
2-32 measures identifying outcomes that are essentially consistent
2-33 across all workforce programs. Job placement rates, job retention
2-34 rates, and wage rates may be included among those measures. The
2-35 council may develop or select not more than five formal measures.
2-36 The council shall develop or select each formal measure in
2-37 consultation with the state agencies required to report under this
2-38 subsection. Once approved by the governor and the Legislative
2-39 Budget Board, a formal measure becomes part of the state's
2-40 performance budget and accounting system and applies to each state
2-41 agency that administers a workforce program.
2-42 (d) The second type of performance measure consists of less
2-43 formal measures to provide information determined by the council to
2-44 be essential in development of the strategic plan under this
2-45 section. Employer participation rates, customer satisfaction
2-46 levels, and educational attainment may be included among those
2-47 measures. The council shall develop or select each less formal
2-48 measure with the approval of the governor and in consultation with
2-49 the state agencies required to report under this subsection. The
2-50 Legislative Budget Board shall provide technical assistance to the
2-51 council to ensure that the measures and associated reporting
2-52 criteria are consistent with the state's performance budget and
2-53 accounting system. The council may exempt a state agency that
2-54 administers a workforce program from any requirement to use a less
2-55 formal measure.
2-56 (e) In addition to the other requirements of this chapter,
2-57 the strategic plan recommended by the council must recognize and
2-58 address literacy and basic education as activities that are
2-59 critical to the well-being of individuals and the state without
2-60 regard to whether the training and education is directed at
2-61 preparing an individual for employment.
2-62 (f) [(c)] The council shall include in the strategic plan
2-63 goals, objectives, and performance measures for the workforce
2-64 development system that involve programs of all state agencies that
2-65 administer workforce programs [are represented on the council].
2-66 (g) [(d)] On approval of the plan by the governor, an agency
2-67 administering a workforce program [represented on the council]
2-68 shall use the strategic plan to develop the agency's operational
2-69 plan.
3-1 SECTION 4. Section 2308.151, Government Code, is amended by
3-2 adding Subsection (c) to read as follows:
3-3 (c) The council shall establish, with the approval of the
3-4 governor, a funding formula to determine the level of support each
3-5 agency administering a workforce program must provide to operate
3-6 the automated follow-up and evaluation system required by this
3-7 section.
3-8 SECTION 5. (a) This Act takes effect September 1, 2001.
3-9 (b) The Council on Workforce and Economic Competitiveness
3-10 and the Legislative Budget Board shall complete the development,
3-11 review, and approval, as appropriate, of the performance measures
3-12 required by Section 2308.104, Government Code, as amended by this
3-13 Act, on or before September 1, 2002.
3-14 * * * * *