BILL ANALYSIS

H.B. 1297

By: Alvarado

Economic & Small Business Development

Committee Report (Unamended)

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

Concerned parties assert that the authorities at community and technical colleges in Texas should be aware of whether the workforce training programs offered are enabling graduates to obtain well-paying jobs. Conducting assessments of these training programs could provide such colleges with an understanding of how to more effectively train and prepare uniquely skilled labor pools. H.B. 1297 seeks to increase the knowledge community and technical colleges have on the programs and training offered at the institutions to enhance the effectiveness of these programs and to ultimately impact state economic development.

RULEMAKING AUTHORITY

It is the committee's opinion that this bill does not expressly grant any additional rulemaking authority to a state officer, department, agency, or institution.

ANALYSIS

H.B. 1297 amends the Labor Code to require the Texas A&M Engineering Extension Service and each public community or technical college that provides workforce training under statutory provisions relating to the skills development fund, not later than June 1 of each year, to conduct a review of the service's or college's training programs to determine the effectiveness of the programs in improving the socioeconomic circumstances of participants who complete the programs and to identify strategies for improving the delivery of workforce training in order to more effectively impact economic development in Texas. The bill requires the service and each such community or technical college, not later than June 1 of each year, to submit to the Texas Workforce Commission a detailed written report summarizing the results of the review for inclusion by the commission's executive director in the required report to the governor and the legislature regarding the skills development fund.

EFFECTIVE DATE

On passage, or, if the bill does not receive the necessary vote, September 1, 2013.