By: Villarreal, Guillen, Rodriguez, Chavez, H.B. No. 1935
      Flores, et al.
 
 
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
 
AN ACT
  relating to the establishment of the Jobs and Education for Texans
  (JET) Grant Program to support adult and postsecondary education
  and workforce development.
         BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
         SECTION 1.  Chapter 403, Government Code, is amended by
  adding Subchapter O to read as follows:
  SUBCHAPTER O. JOBS AND EDUCATION FOR TEXANS (JET) GRANT PROGRAM
         Sec. 403.351.  DEFINITIONS. In this subchapter:
               (1)  "Nonprofit organization" means an organization
  exempt from federal income taxation under Section 501(a), Internal
  Revenue Code of 1986, as an organization described by Section
  501(c)(3) of that code.
               (2)  "Public junior college," "public state college," 
  and "public technical institute" have the meanings assigned by
  Section 61.003, Education Code.
         Sec. 403.352.  JOBS AND EDUCATION FOR TEXANS (JET) FUND. (a)  
  The comptroller shall establish and administer the Jobs and
  Education for Texans (JET) fund as a dedicated account in the
  general revenue fund.
         (b)  The following amounts shall be deposited in the fund:
               (1)  any amounts appropriated by the legislature for
  the fund for purposes of this subchapter;
               (2)  interest earned on the investment of money in the
  fund; and
               (3)  gifts, grants, and other donations received for
  the fund.
         Sec. 403.353.  ADVISORY BOARD. (a)  An advisory board of
  education and workforce stakeholders is created to assist the
  comptroller in administering this subchapter.
         (b)  The advisory board is composed of seven members who
  serve two-year terms and are appointed as follows:
               (1)  one member appointed by the governor;
               (2)  one member appointed by the lieutenant governor;
               (3)  one member appointed by the speaker of the house of
  representatives;
               (4)  one member appointed by the Texas Higher Education
  Coordinating Board;
               (5)  one member appointed by the Texas Workforce
  Commission;
               (6)  one member of the public appointed by the
  comptroller; and
               (7)  the comptroller, who serves as the presiding
  officer.
         (c)  The advisory board shall meet at least once each quarter
  to review received applications and recommend awarding grants under
  this subchapter.
         Sec. 403.354.  JOBS AND EDUCATION FOR TEXANS (JET) GRANT
  PROGRAM. The comptroller shall establish and administer the Jobs
  and Education for Texans (JET) grant program to provide grants to
  public junior colleges, public technical institutes, and eligible
  nonprofit organizations that apply to the advisory board in the
  manner prescribed by the advisory board. The comptroller shall
  award the grants on the advice and recommendations of the advisory
  board.  Grants may be awarded under this subchapter from the JET
  fund for the following purposes:
               (1)  to develop, support, or expand programs of
  nonprofit organizations that meet the requirements of Section
  403.355 and that prepare low-income students for careers in
  high-demand occupations;
               (2)  to defray the startup costs associated with the
  development of new career and technical education programs at
  public junior colleges and public technical institutes that meet
  the requirements of Section 403.356; and
               (3)  to provide scholarships for students in career and
  technical education programs who meet the requirements of Section
  403.357.
         Sec. 403.355.  GRANTS TO NONPROFIT ORGANIZATIONS FOR
  INNOVATIVE AND SUCCESSFUL PROGRAMS. (a)  The comptroller may award
  a grant to a nonprofit organization eligible under Subsection (b)
  for the development, support, or expansion of programs to prepare
  low-income students for careers in high-demand occupations.
         (b)  To be eligible to receive a grant under this section, a
  nonprofit organization must:
               (1)  provide a program to offer assistance to
  low-income students in preparing for, applying to, and enrolling in
  a public junior college or public technical institute;
               (2)  be governed by a board or other governing
  structure that includes recognized leaders of broad-based
  community organizations and members of the local business
  community;
               (3)  demonstrate to the satisfaction of the advisory
  board that the organization's program has achieved or will achieve
  the following measures of success among program participants, to
  the extent applicable to the type of program the organization
  provides:
                     (A)  above average completion of developmental
  education among participating public junior college or public
  technical institute students;
                     (B)  above average persistence rates among
  participating public junior college or public technical institute
  students;
                     (C)  above average certificate or degree
  completion rates by participating students within a three-year
  period compared to demographically comparable public junior
  college and public technical institute students; and
                     (D)  employment of participating students at an
  average full-time starting wage that is equal to or greater than the
  prevailing wage for the occupation entered; and
               (4)  provide matching funds in accordance with rules
  adopted under Section 403.358.
         (c)  The matching funds required under Subsection (b)(4) may
  be obtained from any source available to the nonprofit
  organization, including in-kind contributions, community or
  foundation grants, individual contributions, and local
  governmental agency operating funds.
         (c-1)  In determining which eligible nonprofit organizations
  should be awarded a grant under this section among two or more
  eligible nonprofit organizations offering similar programs, the
  comptroller shall give priority to any of those organizations that
  has an existing program in place to assist veterans.
         (d)  Grants awarded under this section must be awarded in a
  manner that takes a balanced geographical distribution into
  consideration.
         Sec. 403.356.  GRANTS TO EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTIONS FOR CAREER
  AND TECHNICAL EDUCATION PROGRAMS.  (a)  The comptroller may award a
  grant for the development of new career and technical education
  courses or programs at public junior colleges and public technical
  institutes.
         (b)  A grant received under this section may be used only:
               (1)  to support courses or programs that prepare
  students for career employment in occupations that are identified
  by local businesses as being in high demand;
               (2)  to finance initial costs of career and technical
  education course or program development, including the costs of
  constructing or renovating facilities, purchasing equipment, and
  other expenses associated with the development of a new course; and
               (3)  to finance a career and technical education course
  or program that leads to a license, certificate, or postsecondary
  degree.
         (c)  In awarding a grant under this section, the comptroller
  shall primarily consider the potential economic returns to the
  state from the development of the career and technical education
  course or program.  The comptroller may also consider whether the
  course or program:
               (1)  is part of a new, emerging industry or high-demand
  occupation;
               (2)  offers new or expanded dual credit career and
  technical educational opportunities in public high schools; or
               (3)  is provided in cooperation with other public
  junior colleges or public technical institutes across existing
  service areas.
         (d)  To be eligible to receive a grant under this section, a
  public junior college or public technical institute must provide
  matching funds in accordance with rules adopted under Section
  403.358.  The matching funds may be obtained from any source
  available to the college, including in-kind contributions,
  industry consortia, community or foundation grants, individual
  contributions, and local governmental agency operating funds.
         Sec. 403.357.  SCHOLARSHIPS. (a)  The comptroller may award
  a scholarship to a public junior college or public technical
  institute student.
         (b)  To be eligible to receive a scholarship under this
  section, a student must:
               (1)  demonstrate financial need; and
               (2)  be enrolled in a training program for a
  high-demand occupation, as determined by the comptroller on the
  recommendation of the advisory board.
         Sec. 403.358.  RULES. The comptroller shall adopt rules as
  necessary for the administration of this subchapter.
         Sec. 403.359.  STUDY. (a)  The comptroller shall conduct a
  study of the feasibility of:
               (1)  basing a portion of all public postsecondary
  technical training program funding on the economic benefit of the
  program to the state; and
               (2)  for purposes of Subdivision (1), estimating the
  amount of any additional tax revenue generated by employers that
  results from the ability of public junior colleges, public state
  colleges, or public technical institutes to prepare students for
  employment fields for which there is employer demand.
         (b)  The comptroller shall begin the study not later than
  January 1, 2010.  Not later than January 1, 2011, the comptroller
  shall make recommendations to the lieutenant governor and the
  speaker of the house of representatives for legislative action
  based on the results of the study.
         (c)  This section expires September 1, 2011.
         SECTION 2.  Grants provided through the Texas Adult Career
  Education Grant Program established under Section 403.351,
  Government Code, as added by this Act may only benefit a permanent
  legal resident or citizen of the United States.
         SECTION 3.  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, 2009.