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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to the establishment and funding of a green job skills |
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training program. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Section 481.078, Government Code, is amended by |
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adding Subsection (l) to read as follows: |
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(l) The fund may be used to make one or more grants to the |
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Texas Workforce Commission to implement the commission's powers and |
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duties relating to a green job skills training program. |
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Subsections (e-1), (f), (g), (h), (i), and (j) do not apply to a |
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grant under this subsection. |
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SECTION 2. Subtitle F, Title 4, Government Code, is amended |
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by adding Chapter 490D to read as follows: |
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CHAPTER 490D. GREEN JOB SKILLS DEVELOPMENT FUND AND TRAINING |
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PROGRAM |
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SUBCHAPTER A. GENERAL PROVISIONS |
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Sec. 490D.001. PURPOSE. The purpose of this chapter is to: |
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(1) promote green industry employment opportunities, |
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including through the establishment of training programs to enhance |
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green job skills; |
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(2) foster regional collaboration for the development |
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of green industry employment opportunities; |
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(3) assist in the development of a highly skilled and |
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productive workforce in the green industry; and |
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(4) assist workers with obtaining education, skills |
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training, and labor market information to enhance their |
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employability, earnings, and standard of living. |
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Sec. 490D.002. DEFINITIONS. In this chapter: |
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(1) "Commission" means the Texas Workforce |
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Commission. |
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(2) "Development fund" means the Texas green job |
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skills development fund. |
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(3) "Green job" means a job in the field of renewable |
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energy or energy efficiency, including a job relating to: |
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(A) energy-efficient building, construction, and |
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retrofitting; |
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(B) renewable electric power; |
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(C) biofuels; |
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(D) deconstruction and reuse of materials; |
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(E) energy efficiency assessments; |
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(F) manufacturing of sustainable products; and |
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(G) manufacturing using sustainable processes |
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and materials. |
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[Sections 490D.003-490D.020 reserved for expansion] |
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SUBCHAPTER B. GREEN JOB SKILLS DEVELOPMENT FUND |
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Sec. 490D.021. TEXAS GREEN JOB SKILLS DEVELOPMENT FUND. |
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(a) The Texas green job skills development fund is an account in |
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the general revenue fund. The account is composed of: |
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(1) legislative appropriations; |
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(2) money received from the Texas enterprise fund |
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under Section 481.078; |
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(3) gifts, grants, donations, and matching funds |
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received under Subsection (b); and |
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(4) other money required by law to be deposited in the |
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account. |
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(b) The commission may solicit and accept gifts, grants, |
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and donations of money from the federal government, local |
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governments, private corporations, or other persons to be used for |
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the purposes of this subchapter. |
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(c) Income from money in the account shall be credited to |
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the account. |
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(d) Money in the development fund may be used only for the |
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purposes of this chapter. |
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[Sections 490D.022-490D.030 reserved for expansion] |
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SUBCHAPTER C. GREEN JOB SKILLS GRANT PROGRAM |
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Sec. 490D.031. ESTABLISHMENT OF GREEN JOB SKILLS GRANT |
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PROGRAM. The commission shall establish a green job skills grant |
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program, funded by the development fund under Section 490D.021, |
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through which the commission may award grants for the |
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implementation, expansion, and operation of green job skills |
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training programs. |
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Sec. 490D.032. GRANT PROGRAM REQUIREMENTS. (a) A training |
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program funded through a grant awarded under this subchapter must: |
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(1) be hosted by a regional partnership that includes |
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at least: |
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(A) one university, college, or technical |
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school; |
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(B) one chamber of commerce, local workforce |
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agency, local employer, or other public or private participating |
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entity; and |
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(C) one economic development authority; |
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(2) assist an eligible individual in obtaining |
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education, skills training, and labor market information to enhance |
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the individual's employability in green industries; and |
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(3) assist in the development of a highly skilled and |
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productive workforce in green industries. |
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(b) A training program awarded a grant under this subchapter |
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shall target a population of eligible individuals for training that |
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includes: |
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(1) workers in high-demand green industries who are in |
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or preparing for high-wage occupations; |
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(2) workers in declining industries who may be |
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retrained for high-wage occupations in a high-demand green |
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industry; |
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(3) agriculture, timber, or energy sector workers who |
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may be retrained for high-wage occupations in a high-demand green |
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industry; |
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(4) veterans or past or present members of the armed |
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forces of the United States, including the state military forces, |
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or a reserve component of the armed forces or the national guard; |
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(5) unemployed workers; or |
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(6) individuals determined by the commission to be |
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disadvantaged and in need of training to obtain employment. |
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(c) A training program may receive funding under this |
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chapter for a period not to exceed three years. |
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Sec. 490D.033. APPLICATION. (a) A regional partnership, |
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as described by Section 490D.032, may apply for a grant under this |
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subchapter in the manner prescribed by the commission. |
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(b) The grant application must require the applicant to |
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provide to the commission the applicant's plan to continue to |
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operate the training program after the grant expires. |
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Sec. 490D.034. ADDITIONAL CONSIDERATIONS IN AWARDING |
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GRANTS. In addition to the factors described by Sections 490D.032 |
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and 490D.033, in determining whether to award a grant to an |
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applicant under this subchapter, the commission shall give |
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preference to a training program that provides certification to a |
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worker who receives green job skills training under the program. |
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Sec. 490D.035. STANDARDS. The commission by rule shall |
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adopt standards for a green job skills training program awarded a |
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grant under this subchapter. |
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SECTION 3. The Texas Workforce Commission shall adopt rules |
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for the program under Subchapter C, Chapter 490D, Government Code, |
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as added by this Act, not later than March 1, 2010. |
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SECTION 4. Implementation of the program under Subchapter |
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C, Chapter 490D, Government Code, as added by this Act, is |
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contingent on appropriation of funding by the legislature. |
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SECTION 5. 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. |