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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to the establishment of the Texas Adult Career Education |
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Grant Program to support community-based initiatives that assist |
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unemployed and underemployed adults in receiving postsecondary |
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education necessary to obtain employment in local, high-demand |
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occupations. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Chapter 403, Government Code, is amended by |
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adding Subchapter O to read as follows: |
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SUBCHAPTER O. OTHER PROGRAMS ADMINISTERED BY COMPTROLLER |
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Sec. 403.351. TEXAS ADULT CAREER EDUCATION GRANT PROGRAM. |
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(a) In this section, "nonprofit organization" means an |
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organization exempt from federal income taxation under Section |
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501(a), Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as an organization described |
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by Section 501(c)(3) of that code. |
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(b) The comptroller shall establish and administer the |
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Texas Adult Career Education Grant Program to provide grants to |
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eligible nonprofit organizations that apply to the comptroller in |
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the manner prescribed by the comptroller. The purpose of the |
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program is to provide grants to enable eligible nonprofit |
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organizations, in partnership with public junior colleges, to |
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administer community-based initiatives that: |
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(1) are designed to provide unemployed and |
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underemployed adults with the postsecondary education necessary to |
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obtain living-wage careers in high-demand occupations in the local |
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community; and |
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(2) use methodologies proven to achieve measurable |
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results in developing the skill sets of unemployed and |
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underemployed adults to enable those persons and their families to |
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achieve financial independence. |
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(c) To be eligible for a grant under this section, a |
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nonprofit organization must: |
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(1) be governed by a board or other governing |
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structure that includes recognized community leaders of |
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broad-based community organizations and members of the local |
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business community; and |
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(2) demonstrate to the satisfaction of the comptroller |
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that the organization's programs have achieved the following |
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measures of success among program participants to the extent |
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applicable to the types of programs conducted or to be conducted by |
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the organization: |
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(A) above average completion of developmental |
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education among public junior college students; |
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(B) above average persistence rates among public |
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junior college students; |
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(C) above average certificate or degree |
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completion rates within a three-year period among first-time |
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demographically comparable public junior college students; |
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(D) increased reading and mathematics |
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performance; |
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(E) employment at an average full-time starting |
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wage that is: |
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(i) at least 50 percent of the local median |
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household income; and |
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(ii) equal to or greater than the |
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prevailing wage for the occupation entered; and |
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(F) increased tax receipts and decreased |
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reliance on public assistance as a result of employment |
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opportunities created through program participation sufficient to |
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offset the amount of public money used to finance the |
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organization's programs. |
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(d) A grant received under this section may be used only: |
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(1) to support programs that: |
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(A) prepare unemployed or underemployed adults |
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for career employment in private and public sector jobs that are |
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identified by local businesses as being in high demand and that |
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provide a living wage, health benefits, and opportunities for |
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career advancement; |
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(B) assist unemployed or underemployed adults in |
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earning transferable degree credits at public junior colleges; |
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(C) provide unemployed or underemployed adults |
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with an educational path to the completion of a certificate or |
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degree program at a public junior college that is based on each |
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individual's academic need at the time of enrollment, including |
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adult education, high school equivalency certificate preparation, |
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literacy and English as a second language classes, developmental |
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education, and transferable degree credit course work; and |
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(D) provide unemployed or underemployed adults |
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with child care, counseling, case management, mentoring, |
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transportation, emergency assistance, financial assistance toward |
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the cost of tuition, fees, and books, and other assistance; and |
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(2) as state matching funds used to match local public |
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or private funding to support programs described by Subdivision |
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(1). |
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(e) From grant money received by a nonprofit organization |
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under this section, the organization may not spend more than $3,000 |
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in a calendar year on a single individual receiving assistance |
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under a program described by Subsection (d)(1). |
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(f) The comptroller shall adopt rules for the |
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administration of this section. |
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SECTION 2. As soon as practicable after the effective date |
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of this Act, the comptroller of public accounts shall adopt rules |
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for the administration of the Texas Adult Career Education Grant |
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Program under Section 403.351, Government Code, as added by this |
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Act. |
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SECTION 3. This Act takes effect immediately if it receives |
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a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as |
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provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution. If this |
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Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this |
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Act takes effect September 1, 2009. |