By: Hinojosa S.B. No. 1351
 
  (Zerwas)
 
   
 
 
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
 
AN ACT
  relating to transferring to the Texas Workforce Commission certain
  duties of the comptroller related 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(a), Education Code, is amended
  to read as follows:
         (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 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.
         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.
         (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 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 junior college or technical institute, including
  [in-kind contributions,] industry consortia, community or
  foundation grants, individual contributions, and local
  governmental agency operating funds.
         SECTION 6.  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 7.  (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 of
  public accounts 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 of public
  accounts 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 8.  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.