BILL ANALYSIS

C.S.H.B. 493

By: Perez

Higher Education

Committee Report (Substituted)

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

Interested parties suggest that the college credit for heroes program does not do enough to ensure that veterans participating in the program are being awarded the right amount of credit.
C.S.H.B. 493 seeks to address this issue by establishing a reporting requirement 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

C.S.H.B. 493 amends the Labor Code to include in the annual report the Texas Workforce Commission is required to submit to the legislature and governor concerning the college credit for heroes program the number of academic or workforce education semester credit hours awarded under the program and applied toward a degree or certification program at a public institution of higher education during the most recent academic year, disaggregated by the subject area for which the credit hours are awarded, and the number of transfer credit hours awarded under the program and applied toward a degree or certification program at a public institution of higher education during the most recent academic year. The bill applies beginning with the report due not later than November 1, 2018.

EFFECTIVE DATE

January 1, 2018.

COMPARISON OF ORIGINAL AND SUBSTITUTE

While C.S.H.B. 493 may differ from the original in minor or nonsubstantive ways, the following comparison is organized and formatted in a manner that indicates the substantial differences between the introduced and committee substitute versions of the bill.

INTRODUCED	HOUSE COMMITTEE SUBSTITUTE
SECTION 1. Section 302.0031(g), Labor Code, is amended to read as follows: (g) Not later than November 1 of each year, the commission, after consultation with the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board, shall report to the legislature and the governor on: (1) the results of any grants awarded under this section; (2) the best practices for veterans and military servicemembers to achieve maximum academic or workforce education credit at institutions of higher education for military experience, education, and training obtained during military service; (3) measures needed to facilitate the award of academic or workforce education credit by institutions of higher education for military experience, education, and training obtained during military service; [and] (See Subdiv. (5) below.) (4) the number of academic or workforce education semester credit hours awarded under the program and applied toward a degree or certification program at an institution of higher education during the most recent academic year; and (5) other related measures needed to facilitate the entry of trained, qualified veterans and military servicemembers into the workforce.	SECTION 1. Section 302.0031(g), Labor Code, is amended to read as follows: (g) Not later than November 1 of each year, the commission, after consultation with the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board, shall report to the legislature and the governor on: (1) the results of any grants awarded under this section; (2) the best practices for veterans and military servicemembers to achieve maximum academic or workforce education credit at institutions of higher education for military experience, education, and training obtained during military service; (3) measures needed to facilitate the award of academic or workforce education credit by institutions of higher education for military experience, education, and training obtained during military service; [and] (4) other related measures needed to facilitate the entry of trained, qualified veterans and military servicemembers into the workforce; (5) the number of academic or workforce education semester credit hours awarded under the program and applied toward a degree or certification program at an institution of higher education during the most recent academic year, disaggregated by the subject area for which the credit hours are awarded; and (See Subdiv. (4) above.) (6) the number of transfer credit hours awarded under the program and applied toward a degree or certification program at an institution of higher education during the most recent academic year.
SECTION 2. The change in law made by this Act to Section 302.0031(g), Labor Code, applies beginning with the report due under that subsection not later than November 1, 2018.	SECTION 2. Same as introduced version.
SECTION 3. This Act takes effect January 1, 2018.	SECTION 3. Same as introduced version.