AUTHOR'S / SPONSOR'S STATEMENT OF INTENT

 

The Jobs and Education for Texans (JET) Grant Program awards grants to certain public junior colleges and public technical institutes to help fund the start-up costs associated with the development of new career and technical education (CTE) programs at these institutions. In order to receive funding from the JET Grant Program an institution must match funds in a number of ways, including by industry consortia, community or foundation grants, individual contributions, or local governmental agency operating funds. Interested parties have observed a need to extend the program to independent school districts for the purpose of furthering career and technical education development at all levels of education. By extending the program to independent school districts, the state will further validate the expressed need for CTE degrees. H.B. 3062 seeks to address that fostering need, while transferring the administration of the Jobs and Education for Texans (JET) Grant program from the comptroller of public accounts (comptroller) to the Texas Workforce Commission (TWC).

 

Administration of the program was initially delegated to the comptroller. However, experience in administering the JET program underscores the need for more comprehensive understanding of the employment market to best target awards. TWC administers a variety of programs designed to equip job seekers for work opportunities, particularly as new industries begin or expand operations in Texas. TWC would substantially benefit from a transfer of the JET program from the comptroller to TWC. A transfer of the JET program to TWC would bolster TWC’s capacity-building mission and prepare out-of-work Texans for jobs.

 

H.B. 3062 amends current law relating to the Jobs and Education for Texans Grant Program.

 

RULEMAKING AUTHORITY

 

Rulemaking authority previously granted to the comptroller of the State of Texas is transferred to the Texas Workforce Commission in in SECTION 7 (Section 134.008, Education Code) of this bill.

 

SECTION BY SECTION ANALYSIS

 

SECTION 1. Amends Section 134.001, Education Code, by adding Subdivision (1), to define "commission" to mean the Texas Workforce Commission (TWC).

 

SECTION 2. Amends Section 134.002(a), Education Code, to require TWC, rather than the comptroller of public accounts of the State of Texas (comptroller), to  establish and administer the Jobs and Education for Texans (JET) fund as a dedicated account in the general revenue fund.

 

SECTION 3. Amends  Section 134.003, Education Code, as follows:

 

Sec. 134.003.  ADVISORY BOARD. (a) Provides that an  advisory board of education and workforce stakeholders is created to assist TWC, rather than the comptroller, in administering this chapter.

 

 

(b) Provides that the advisory board is composed of six, rather than seven, members who serve two-year terms and are appointed as follows:

 

(1)-(4) Makes no change to these subdivisions;

 

(5) one member appointed by TWC; and

 

(6) the chair of TWC who serves as the presiding officer, rather than one member of the public appointed by the comptroller, and the comptroller.

 

Makes nonsubstantive changes.

 

(c) Requires the advisory board to meet at least once each quarter, or as needed, to review received applications and recommend awarding grants under this chapter.

 

SECTION 4. Amends Section 134.004, Education Code, as follows:

 

Sec. 134.004. JOBS AND EDUCATION FOR TEXANS (JET) GRANT PROGRAM. (a) Requires TWC, rather than the comptroller, to establish and administer the Jobs and Education for Texans (JET) Grant Program to provide grants to public junior colleges, public technical institutes, and independent school districts described under Section 134.007 that apply to the advisory board in the manner prescribed by the advisory board. Requires TWC, rather than comptroller, to award the grants on the advice and recommendations of the advisory board.

 

(b) Authorizes grants to be awarded under this chapter from the Jobs and Education for Texans (JET) fund  to defray the start-up costs associated with the development of new career and technical education programs at public junior colleges, public technical institutes, and independent school districts described under Section 134.007 that meet the requirements of Section 134.006. Makes nonsubstantive changes.

 

SECTION 5. Amends Sections 134.006(a), (c), and (d), Education Code, as follows:

 

(a) Authorizes TWC, rather than the comptroller, to award a grant for the development of new career and technical education courses or programs at public junior colleges, public technical institutes, and independent school districts. Makes a nonsubstantive change.

 

(c) Changes references from comptroller to TWC.

 

(1)-(3) Makes no change these subdivisions.

 

(d) Requires a public junior college, public technical institute, or independent school district described under Section 134.007 to provide matching funds in accordance with rules adopted under Section 134.008 to be eligible to receive a grant under this section. Authorizes the matching funds to be obtained from any source available to the public junior college, public technical institute, or independent school district, including industry consortia, community or foundation grants, individual contributions, and local governmental agency operating funds. Deletes a reference to in-kind contributions.

 

SECTION 6. Amends Chapter 134, Education Code, by adding Section 134.007, as follows:

 

Sec. 134.007. GRANTS AWARDED TO INDEPENDENT SCHOOL DISTRICT. Authorizes TWC to award a grant to an independent school district under this chapter if the district has entered into a partnership with a public junior college or public technical institute for the purpose of:

 

(1) promoting career and technical education to the district's students; or

 

(2) offering dual credit courses to the district's students.

 

SECTION 7. Amends Section 134.008, Education Code, as follows:

 

Sec. 134.008. RULES. Requires TWC, rather than the comptroller, to adopt rules as necessary for the administration of this chapter.

 

SECTION 8. (a) Provides that, not later than September 1, 2015:

 

(1) Requires the administration of the Jobs and Education for Texans Grant Program to be transferred from the comptroller to TWC;

 

(2) all rules, forms, policies, procedures, or decisions of the comptroller that are related to the Jobs and Education for Texans Grant Program are continued in effect as rules, forms, policies, procedures, or decisions of TWC until superseded by a rule or other appropriate act of TWC;

 

(3) all money, obligations, memoranda of understanding, leases, rights, and contracts, including grant agreements, of the comptroller related to the Jobs and Education for Texans Grant Program are transferred to TWC, and TWC assumes, without a change in status, the position of the comptroller in all transferred contracts, including grant agreements, related to the Jobs and Education for Texans Grant Program;

 

(4) records in the custody of the comptroller related to the Jobs and Education for Texans Grant Program are transferred to and become the property of TWC; and

 

(5) a reference in law or administrative rule to the comptroller relating to the administration of the Jobs and Education for Texans Grant Program means TWC.

 

(b) Requires the comptroller and TWC to coordinate the transfer of powers and duties, including records, appropriations, disbursements, compliance audits, monitoring and enforcement, and other items, to ensure a smooth transition before the transfer of the administration of the Jobs and Education for Texans Grant Program.

 

SECTION 9. Authorizes an independent school district to be awarded a grant in accordance with Section 134.007, Education Code, as added by this Act, beginning with the 2016-2017 academic year.

 

SECTION 10. Effective date: upon passage or September 1, 2015.