BILL ANALYSIS

H.B. 157

By: Gervin-Hawkins

Public Education

Committee Report (Unamended)

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

Interested parties note that persons with high school equivalency certificates were not included among the persons eligible for admission to the abbreviated educator preparation program for certification in trade and industrial workforce training provided for by the legislature in the most recent regular session. H.B. 157 seeks to address this issue by including these persons among the persons eligible for the program.

CRIMINAL JUSTICE IMPACT

It is the committee's opinion that this bill does not expressly create a criminal offense, increase the punishment for an existing criminal offense or category of offenses, or change the eligibility of a person for community supervision, parole, or mandatory supervision.

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. 157 amends the Education Code to include as a person eligible for admission to an abbreviated educator preparation program for a person seeking certification in trade and industrial workforce training a person who has been issued a high school equivalency certificate, granted the person meets the other eligibility requirements. The bill specifies that the program eligibility requirement to have seven years of full-time wage-earning experience within the preceding 10 years in an approved occupation for which instruction is offered includes experience obtained while serving in the U.S. armed services.

EFFECTIVE DATE

On passage, or, if the bill does not receive the necessary vote, December 1, 2017.