H.B. No. 3062
 
 
 
 
AN ACT
  relating to the Jobs and Education for Texans Grant Program.
         BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
         SECTION 1.  Section 134.001, Education Code, is amended by
  adding Subdivision (1) to read as follows:
               (1)  "Commission" means the Texas Workforce
  Commission.
         SECTION 2.  Section 134.002(a), Education Code, is amended
  to read as follows:
         (a)  The commission [comptroller] shall establish and
  administer the Jobs and Education for Texans (JET) fund as a
  dedicated account in the general revenue fund.
         SECTION 3.  Section 134.003, Education Code, is amended to
  read as follows:
         Sec. 134.003.  ADVISORY BOARD. (a) An advisory board of
  education and workforce stakeholders is created to assist the
  commission [comptroller] in administering this chapter.
         (b)  The advisory board is composed of six [seven] members
  who serve two-year terms and are appointed as follows:
               (1)  one member appointed by the governor;
               (2)  one member appointed by the lieutenant governor;
               (3)  one member appointed by the speaker of the house of
  representatives;
               (4)  one member appointed by the Texas Higher Education
  Coordinating Board;
               (5)  one member appointed by the commission [Texas
  Workforce Commission]; and
               (6)  the chair of the commission [one member of the
  public appointed by the comptroller; and
               [(7)  the comptroller], who serves as the presiding
  officer.
         (c)  The advisory board shall meet at least once each
  quarter, or as needed, to review received applications and
  recommend awarding grants under this chapter.
         SECTION 4.  Section 134.004, Education Code, is amended to
  read as follows:
         Sec. 134.004.  JOBS AND EDUCATION FOR TEXANS (JET) GRANT
  PROGRAM. (a) The commission [comptroller] shall establish and
  administer the Jobs and Education for Texans (JET) Grant Program to
  provide grants to public junior colleges, [and] 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. The commission [comptroller]
  shall award the grants on the advice and recommendations of the
  advisory board.
         (b)  Grants may 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, [and] public
  technical institutes, and independent school districts described
  under Section 134.007 that meet the requirements of Section
  134.006.
         SECTION 5.  Sections 134.006(a), (c), and (d), Education
  Code, are amended to read as follows:
         (a)  The commission [comptroller] may award a grant for the
  development of new career and technical education courses or
  programs at public junior colleges, [and] public technical
  institutes, and independent school districts.
         (c)  In awarding a grant under this section, the commission
  [comptroller] shall primarily consider the potential economic
  returns to the state from the development of the career and
  technical education course or program.  The commission
  [comptroller] may also consider whether the course or program:
               (1)  is part of a new, emerging industry or high-demand
  occupation;
               (2)  offers new or expanded dual credit career and
  technical educational opportunities in public high schools; or
               (3)  is provided in cooperation with other public
  junior colleges or public technical institutes across existing
  service areas.
         (d)  To be eligible to receive a grant under this section, a
  public junior college, [or] public technical institute, or
  independent school district described under Section 134.007 must
  provide matching funds in accordance with rules adopted under
  Section 134.008. The matching funds may be obtained from any source
  available to the public junior college, public [or] technical
  institute, or independent school district, including [in-kind
  contributions,] industry consortia, community or foundation
  grants, individual contributions, and local governmental agency
  operating funds.
         SECTION 6.  Chapter 134, Education Code, is amended by
  adding Section 134.007 to read as follows:
         Sec. 134.007.  GRANTS AWARDED TO INDEPENDENT SCHOOL
  DISTRICT. The commission may 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.  Section 134.008, Education Code, is amended to
  read as follows:
         Sec. 134.008.  RULES. The commission [comptroller] shall
  adopt rules as necessary for the administration of this chapter.
         SECTION 8.  (a)  Not later than September 1, 2015:
               (1)  the administration of the Jobs and Education for
  Texans Grant Program shall be transferred from the comptroller to
  the Texas Workforce Commission;
               (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 the Texas
  Workforce Commission until superseded by a rule or other
  appropriate act of the Texas Workforce Commission;
               (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 the Texas Workforce
  Commission, and the Texas Workforce Commission 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 the Texas Workforce Commission; 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 the Texas Workforce
  Commission.
         (b)  Before the transfer of the administration of the Jobs
  and Education for Texans Grant Program, the comptroller and the
  Texas Workforce Commission shall coordinate the transfer of powers
  and duties, including records, appropriations, disbursements,
  compliance audits, monitoring and enforcement, and other items, to
  ensure a smooth transition.
         SECTION 9.  An independent school district may 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.  This Act takes effect immediately if it
  receives a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each
  house, as provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution.  
  If this Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate
  effect, this Act takes effect September 1, 2015.
 
 
  ______________________________ ______________________________
     President of the Senate Speaker of the House     
 
 
         I certify that H.B. No. 3062 was passed by the House on April
  23, 2015, by the following vote:  Yeas 137, Nays 2, 2 present, not
  voting.
 
  ______________________________
  Chief Clerk of the House   
 
 
         I certify that H.B. No. 3062 was passed by the Senate on May
  20, 2015, by the following vote:  Yeas 31, Nays 0.
 
  ______________________________
  Secretary of the Senate    
  APPROVED:  _____________________
                     Date          
   
            _____________________
                   Governor