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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) has completed sophomore year of high school; |
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(B) 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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(C) is 18 years of age or older, regardless of the |
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person's previous educational experience. |
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(2) "Avocational course" means a course of study in a |
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subject or activity that is usually engaged in by a person in |
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addition to the person's regular work or profession for recreation |
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or in relation to a hobby. The term includes a community interest |
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course. |
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(3) "Coordinating board" means the Texas Higher |
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Education Coordinating Board. |
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(4) "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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(5) "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. The term does not include an |
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avocational course. |
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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 the college waives all or part of |
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the tuition or 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) A public junior college may offer, or may |
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enter into an agreement with a school district, organization, or |
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other person that operates a high school to offer, workforce |
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continuing education courses to a person who: |
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(1) is enrolled in high school on the completion of the |
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person's sophomore year; |
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(2) is enrolled in a school that is not formally |
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organized as a high school and is at least 16 years of age; or |
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(3) is attending high school while incarcerated, is at |
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least 16 years of age, and is not eligible for release from |
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incarceration before the person's 18th birthday. |
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(b) Courses eligible under this section do not include |
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learning frameworks courses, basic employability skills courses, |
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or basic learning skills courses. |
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(c) Community interest continuing education courses are not |
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eligible for formula funding under Section 130.302, but public |
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junior colleges may offer such courses using local funds. |
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Sec. 130.304. WAIVER OF TUITION AND FEES FOR WORKFORCE |
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CONTINUING EDUCATION COURSES. A public junior college may waive |
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all or part of the tuition or fees charged to a student for a |
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workforce continuing education course. |
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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. |