BILL ANALYSIS

 

 

 

C.S.S.B. 2202

By: Fallon

International Relations & Economic Development

Committee Report (Substituted)

 

 

 

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

 

It has been noted that independent school districts in rural areas may not be in a position to benefit from the Jobs and Education for Texans (JET) grant program, which awards grants to support career and technical education programs but requires partnership with a public junior college, public technical institute, or public state college. C.S.S.B. 2202 seeks to extend the benefits of the program to districts that are not located near a potential postsecondary institution partner by making such districts eligible through partnership with a local manufacturing facility.

 

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 rulemaking authority is expressly granted to the Texas Workforce Commission in SECTION 1 of this bill.

 

ANALYSIS

 

C.S.S.B. 2202 amends the Education Code to authorize the award of a grant under the Jobs and Education for Texans (JET) grant program to an independent school district to provide career and technical education courses or programs to students in the district in partnership with a local manufacturing facility in the area if the district is located in a rural area of Texas in which no public junior college, public technical institute, or public state college is located in close geographic proximity to the district. The bill requires the Texas Workforce Commission (TWC) to adopt rules for the administration of a grant to such a district.

 

C.S.S.B. 2202 requires the TWC, not later than November 1 of each even-numbered year, to prepare and submit to each standing legislative committee with primary jurisdiction over workforce development or higher education a report regarding the grant activities and grant recipients under the JET grant program. The bill requires the report to identify high-demand occupations in Texas and evaluate how JET grants have been used to support courses or programs that prepare students for employment in those occupations and to include certain specified data for the most recent two-year period for which the information is available.

 

EFFECTIVE DATE

 

September 1, 2019.

 

COMPARISON OF SENATE ENGROSSED AND SUBSTITUTE

 

While C.S.S.B. 2202 may differ from the engrossed in minor or nonsubstantive ways, the following summarizes the substantial differences between the engrossed and committee substitute versions of the bill.

 

The substitute does not include a requirement for the TWC to distribute JET grants equally across geographic areas of Texas.