85R10025 KSD-F

By: Ashby, Clardy, Phillips, Stephenson, H.B. No. 2994

Blanco, et al.

A BILL TO BE ENTITLED

AN ACT

relating to workforce continuing education offered by public junior colleges.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:

SECTION 1. Chapter 130, Education Code, is amended by adding Subchapter L to read as follows:

SUBCHAPTER L. WORKFORCE CONTINUING EDUCATION

Sec. 130.301. DEFINITIONS. In this subchapter:

(1) "Adult" means a person who:

(A) is 17 years of age and has been awarded a high school diploma or its equivalent; or

(B) is 18 years of age or older, regardless of the person's previous educational experience.

(2) "Coordinating board" means the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board.

(3) "Workforce continuing education" means a program of instruction that:

(A) is designed primarily for adults; and

(B) is intended, on completion by a participant, to prepare the participant to qualify to apply for and accept an employment offer or a job upgrade within a specific occupational category or to bring the participant's knowledge or skills up to date on new developments in a particular occupation or profession.

(4) "Workforce continuing education course" means a course of instruction in workforce continuing education that is approved by the coordinating board.

Sec. 130.302. FORMULA FUNDING FOR WORKFORCE CONTINUING EDUCATION COURSES. Notwithstanding Section 130.003 or any other law, contact hours attributable to the enrollment of a student in a workforce continuing education course offered by a public junior college shall be included in the contact hours used to determine the college's proportionate share of state money appropriated and distributed to public junior colleges under Sections 130.003 and 130.0031, regardless of whether:

(1) the course is taken by a student who is not an adult under Section 130.303; or

(2) the college waives all or part of the tuition or fees for the course under Section 130.304.

Sec. 130.303. WORKFORCE CONTINUING EDUCATION FOR HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS. A public junior college may enter into an agreement with a school district, organization, or other person that operates a high school to offer workforce continuing education courses to persons enrolled in a high school who are at least 16 years of age on the census date of the applicable course. For purposes of this section and Section 130.304, a person who is enrolled in a school that is not formally organized as a high school is considered to be enrolled in high school.

Sec. 130.304. WAIVER OF TUITION AND FEES FOR CERTAIN WORKFORCE CONTINUING EDUCATION COURSES. A public junior college may waive all or part of the tuition or fees charged to a student for a workforce continuing education course if:

(1) the student:

(A) is enrolled in high school;

(B) is 16 years of age or older, has had the disabilities of minority removed, and is not enrolled in secondary education; or

(C) is under the age of 18 and is incarcerated;

(2) all or a significant portion of the college's costs for facilities, instructor salaries, equipment, and other expenses for the course are covered by business, industry, or other local public or private entities; or

(3) the course is taught in a federal correctional facility and the facilities, equipment, supplies, and other expenses for the course are funded by the federal government.

Sec. 130.305. RULES. The coordinating board shall adopt any rules the coordinating board considers necessary for the administration of this subchapter. In adopting those rules, the coordinating board shall use the negotiated rulemaking procedures under Chapter 2008, Government Code.

SECTION 2. This Act takes effect September 1, 2017.