80R13066 KSD-F

By: Otto, Straus, Strama H.B. No. 4065

A BILL TO BE ENTITLED

AN ACT

relating to the establishment by the Texas Workforce Commission of a pilot program to provide grants for the construction of certain facilities for job training and employment services.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:

SECTION 1. Subchapter A, Chapter 302, Labor Code, is amended by adding Section 302.015 to read as follows:

Sec. 302.015. CONSTRUCTION OF JOB TRAINING AND EMPLOYMENT SERVICES FACILITIES; PILOT GRANT PROGRAM. (a) In this section, "qualified workforce community training center" means an organization that:

(1) specializes in the retail sale of donated items;

(2) provides job training and employment services to individuals with disabilities or other barriers to employment;

(3) uses a majority of its revenues for job training and employment programs that create and foster economic development;

(4) maintains at least a 50 percent ratio of employees who have a disability or other barrier to employment;

(5) operates in at least three counties, has multiple locations, and is affiliated with a statewide organization; and

(6) is exempt from federal taxation under Section 501(a), Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as an organization described by Section 501(c)(3) of that code.

(b) The commission shall establish a pilot program under which the commission contracts with the Texas Association of Goodwills for the commission to administer grants to reimburse qualified workforce training centers identified by the Texas Association of Goodwills for costs associated with the construction of new facilities that provide job training or employment services. The contract entered into under this subsection must provide that:

(1) the commission receives an administrative overhead fee of one percent of the amount of each grant awarded under the program; and

(2) each grant awarded under the program is funded only on:

(A) the completion of the facility for which the grant is awarded; and

(B) notification from the commission that the contract terms relating to the award of the grant have been satisfied.

(c) The total amount of grants awarded under this section may not exceed $3 million.

(d) The commission may adopt rules for the administration of this section.

(e) Not later than January 1, 2009, the commission shall report to the legislature regarding the commission's:

(1) assessment of the effectiveness of the pilot program in creating and fostering economic development; and

(2) recommendation regarding the continuation of the program.

(f) This section expires September 1, 2009.

SECTION 2. This Act takes effect immediately if it receives a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution. If this Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this Act takes effect September 1, 2007.