BILL ANALYSIS

H.B. 2729

By: Lucio III

Public Education

Committee Report (Unamended)

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

Interested parties contend that too many career and technology education programs offer industry-based credentials or certificates in areas that are not relevant to workforce needs or that do not lead to middle- and high-wage jobs. H.B. 2729 seeks to ensure that public high school students in career and technology education programs have access to a coherent inventory of industry-recognized credentials and certificates that are aligned to state and regional workforce needs and serve as an entry point to middle- and high-wage jobs.

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. 2729 amends the Education Code to require the Texas Education Agency (TEA), the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board, and the Texas Workforce Commission (TWC), not later than September 1, 2018, to jointly develop and post on their respective websites an inventory of industry-recognized credentials and certificates that may be earned by a public high school student through a career and technology education program and that are aligned to state and regional workforce needs and serve as an entry point to middle- and high-wage jobs. The bill requires the inventory to include for each credential or certificate the associated career cluster, the awarding entity, the level of education required and any additional requirements for the credential or certificate, any fees for obtaining the credential or certificate, and the average wage or salary for jobs that require or prefer the credential or certificate. The bill requires TEA, the coordinating board, and the TWC each year to jointly review and, if necessary, update the inventory and provide a copy of the inventory to each public school district and public institution of higher education that offers a career and technology education program to public high school students.

EFFECTIVE DATE

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