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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to certain economic and workforce development programs |
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through which employers may receive grants and subsidies. |
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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 (m) to read as follows: |
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(m) Notwithstanding Subsections (e) and (e-1), during the |
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state fiscal biennium that begins on September 1, 2011, the |
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governor shall transfer $15 million from the fund to the Texas |
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Workforce Commission to fund the Texas Back to Work Program |
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established under Chapter 313, Labor Code, and $30 million from the |
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fund to the skills development fund established under Section |
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303.003, Labor Code. The governor shall begin transferring money |
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as required by this subsection as soon as possible after September |
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1, 2011, and may make more than one transfer if necessary to satisfy |
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the requirements of this subsection. |
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SECTION 2. Chapter 481, Government Code, is amended by |
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adding Subchapter M to read as follows: |
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SUBCHAPTER M. PUBLIC-PRIVATE COMPETITIVENESS INITIATIVE |
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FOR INDUSTRY CLUSTERS |
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Sec. 481.181. DEFINITION. In this subchapter, "industry |
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cluster organization" means an organization whose purpose is to |
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increase the competitiveness of businesses and industries within an |
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industry cluster. |
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Sec. 481.182. PUBLIC-PRIVATE COMPETITIVENESS INITIATIVE |
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FOR INDUSTRY CLUSTERS. (a) The office shall create the |
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Public-Private Competitiveness Initiative for Industry Clusters. |
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(b) The purpose of the initiative is to foster and support |
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the creation of industry cluster organizations. |
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Sec. 481.183. MATCHING GRANTS. The office may award |
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matching grants as provided by this subchapter to accomplish the |
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purposes of the initiative. |
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Sec. 481.184. ELIGIBLE ENTITIES. The following entities |
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are eligible to apply for a grant: |
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(1) a municipality; |
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(2) a county; |
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(3) a chamber of commerce; |
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(4) a public or private institution of higher |
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education; and |
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(5) a business. |
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Sec. 481.185. PROPOSAL. To be awarded a matching grant |
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under the initiative, an eligible entity must submit a proposal, in |
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the form prescribed by the office, to create an industry cluster |
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organization. |
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Sec. 481.186. PRIORITY FOR AWARDS. (a) The office shall |
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develop criteria for selecting proposals for matching grants under |
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the initiative. |
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(b) In developing the criteria, the office shall give |
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priority to proposals that focus on: |
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(1) making this state a stronger exporter of goods and |
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services; |
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(2) enhancing educational and employment |
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opportunities for the workers of this state; and |
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(3) stimulating local economic growth. |
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Sec. 481.187. AMOUNT OF MATCHING GRANT. The amount of the |
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matching grant may not exceed $1 for every $5 obtained for the |
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proposal from other sources by an applicant whose proposal is |
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approved. |
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Sec. 481.188. REPORTING REQUIREMENT. Not later than |
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January 1 of each odd-numbered year, the office shall submit a |
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report to the legislature regarding the activities of the |
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initiative. The report must include the following information: |
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(1) the total number of grants and the total amount of |
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grant money awarded under the initiative; and |
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(2) the distribution of grants awarded among industry |
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clusters in this state. |
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SECTION 3. Section 303.003, Labor Code, is amended by |
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adding Subsection (b-2) to read as follows: |
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(b-2) From money available to the skills development fund |
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program, the commission shall allocate not less than $5 million |
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each state fiscal biennium for businesses with fewer than 100 |
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employees that partner with one of the entities under Subsection |
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(b) to provide job-training skills to the business's employees. A |
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business that receives money for job-training purposes under this |
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subsection may not receive more than: |
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(1) $1,450 per new employee for training costs |
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associated with that employee; and |
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(2) $725 per retained employee for training costs |
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associated with retaining that employee. |
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SECTION 4. Subtitle B, Title 4, Labor Code, is amended by |
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adding Chapter 313 to read as follows: |
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CHAPTER 313. TEXAS BACK TO WORK PROGRAM |
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Sec. 313.001. DEFINITION. In this chapter, "qualified |
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applicant" means a person who made less than $40 per hour at the |
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person's last employment before becoming unemployed. |
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Sec. 313.002. INITIATIVE ESTABLISHED. (a) The Texas Back |
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to Work Program is established within the commission. |
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(b) The purpose of the program is to establish |
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public-private partnerships with employers to transition residents |
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of this state from receiving unemployment compensation to becoming |
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employed as members of the workforce. |
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(c) An employer that participates in the initiative may |
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receive a wage subsidy for hiring one or more qualified applicants |
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who are unemployed at the time of hire. |
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Sec. 313.003. RULES. The executive director may adopt |
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rules as necessary to implement this chapter. |
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SECTION 5. Not later than March 1, 2012, the Texas Economic |
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Development and Tourism Office shall adopt any necessary rules for |
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the Public-Private Competitiveness Initiative for Industry |
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Clusters established under Subchapter M, Chapter 481, Government |
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Code, as added by this Act. |
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SECTION 6. 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, 2011. |