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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to workforce continuing education offered by public junior |
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colleges. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Chapter 130, Education Code, is amended by |
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adding Subchapter L to read as follows: |
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SUBCHAPTER L. WORKFORCE CONTINUING EDUCATION |
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Sec. 130.301. DEFINITIONS. In this subchapter: |
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(1) "Adult" means a person who: |
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(A) is 17 years of age and has been awarded a high |
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school diploma or its equivalent; or |
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(B) is 18 years of age or older, regardless of the |
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person's previous educational experience. |
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(2) "Coordinating board" means the Texas Higher |
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Education Coordinating Board. |
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(3) "Workforce continuing education" means a program |
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of instruction that: |
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(A) is designed primarily for adults; and |
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(B) is intended, on completion by a participant, |
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to prepare the participant to qualify to apply for and accept an |
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employment offer or a job upgrade within a specific occupational |
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category or to bring the participant's knowledge or skills up to |
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date on new developments in a particular occupation or profession. |
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(4) "Workforce continuing education course" means a |
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course of instruction in workforce continuing education that is |
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approved by the coordinating board. |
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Sec. 130.302. FORMULA FUNDING FOR WORKFORCE CONTINUING |
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EDUCATION COURSES. Notwithstanding Section 130.003 or any other |
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law, contact hours attributable to the enrollment of a student in a |
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workforce continuing education course offered by a public junior |
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college shall be included in the contact hours used to determine the |
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college's proportionate share of state money appropriated and |
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distributed to public junior colleges under Sections 130.003 and |
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130.0031, regardless of whether: |
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(1) the course is taken by a student who is not an |
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adult under Section 130.303; or |
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(2) the college waives all or part of the tuition or |
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fees for the course under Section 130.304. |
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Sec. 130.303. WORKFORCE CONTINUING EDUCATION FOR HIGH |
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SCHOOL STUDENTS. A public junior college may enter into an |
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agreement with a school district, organization, or other person |
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that operates a high school to offer workforce continuing education |
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courses to persons enrolled in a high school who are at least 16 |
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years of age on the census date of the applicable course. For |
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purposes of this section and Section 130.304, a person who is |
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enrolled in a school that is not formally organized as a high school |
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is considered to be enrolled in high school. |
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Sec. 130.304. WAIVER OF TUITION AND FEES FOR CERTAIN |
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WORKFORCE CONTINUING EDUCATION COURSES. A public junior college |
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may waive all or part of the tuition or fees charged to a student for |
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a workforce continuing education course if: |
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(1) the student: |
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(A) is enrolled in high school; |
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(B) is 16 years of age or older, has had the |
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disabilities of minority removed, and is not enrolled in secondary |
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education; or |
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(C) is under the age of 18 and is incarcerated; |
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(2) all or a significant portion of the college's costs |
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for facilities, instructor salaries, equipment, and other expenses |
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for the course are covered by business, industry, or other local |
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public or private entities; or |
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(3) the course is taught in a federal correctional |
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facility and the facilities, equipment, supplies, and other |
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expenses for the course are funded by the federal government. |
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Sec. 130.305. RULES. The coordinating board shall adopt |
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any rules the coordinating board considers necessary for the |
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administration of this subchapter. In adopting those rules, the |
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coordinating board shall use the negotiated rulemaking procedures |
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under Chapter 2008, Government Code. |
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SECTION 2. This Act takes effect September 1, 2017. |