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AN ACT
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relating to measures to facilitate the timely graduation of and |
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attainment of marketable skills by students in public higher |
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education. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Subchapter Z, Chapter 51, Education Code, is |
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amended by adding Section 51.9358 to read as follows: |
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Sec. 51.9358. DESIGNATION OF SUPPORT SERVICES LIAISON |
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OFFICER TO ASSIST STUDENTS. (a) In this section: |
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(1) "Coordinating board" means the Texas Higher |
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Education Coordinating Board. |
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(2) "Institution of higher education" has the meaning |
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assigned by Section 61.003. |
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(b) Each institution of higher education shall designate at |
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least one employee of the institution to act as a liaison officer |
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for current or incoming students at the institution. The liaison |
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officer shall provide to the students comprehensive information |
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regarding support services and other resources available to the |
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students, including: |
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(1) resources to access: |
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(A) medical and behavioral health coverage and |
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services; and |
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(B) public benefit programs, including programs |
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related to food security, affordable housing, and housing |
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subsidies; |
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(2) public benefit program case management assistance |
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and counseling; |
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(3) parenting and child care resources; |
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(4) employment assistance; |
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(5) financial counseling and tax preparation |
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assistance; |
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(6) transportation assistance; |
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(7) student academic success strategies; and |
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(8) any other resources developed by the institution |
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to assist the students. |
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(c) An institution of higher education may designate under |
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Subsection (b) the same employee to act as liaison officer as the |
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employee designated under Section 51.9356 to act as liaison officer |
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for current and incoming students at the institution who were |
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formerly in the conservatorship of the Department of Family and |
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Protective Services. |
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SECTION 2. Section 51.9685(a)(2), Education Code, is |
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amended to read as follows: |
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(2) "Institution of higher education" has [and "public
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junior college" have] the meaning [meanings] assigned by Section |
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61.003. |
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SECTION 3. Section 51.9685, Education Code, is amended by |
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amending Subsections (b), (c), and (g) to read as follows: |
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(b) Except as otherwise provided by Subsection (c), each |
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student enrolled in an associate or bachelor's degree program at an |
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institution of higher education shall file a degree plan with the |
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institution after the 12th class day but before [not later than] the |
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end of the [second regular] semester or term immediately following |
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the semester or term in which the student earned a cumulative total |
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of 30 [45] or more semester credit hours for coursework |
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successfully completed by the student, including transfer courses, |
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international baccalaureate courses, dual credit courses, and any |
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other course for which the institution the student attends has |
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awarded the student college course credit, including course credit |
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awarded by examination. |
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(c) A student to whom Subsection (b) [this section] applies |
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who begins the student's first semester or term at an institution of |
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higher education with 30 [45] or more semester credit hours of |
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course credit for courses described by Subsection (b) shall file a |
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degree plan with the institution after the 12th class day but before |
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[not later than] the end of that [the student's second regular] |
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semester or term [at the institution]. |
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(g) The Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board, in |
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consultation with institutions of higher education, shall [may] |
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adopt rules as necessary for the administration of this section, |
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including rules to ensure compliance with this section. In |
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adopting those rules, the coordinating board shall use the |
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negotiated rulemaking procedures under Chapter 2008, Government |
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Code. |
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SECTION 4. Section 56.074, Education Code, is amended to |
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read as follows: |
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Sec. 56.074. ELIGIBLE INSTITUTION; PARTICIPATION |
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REQUIREMENTS. (a) An eligible institution is: |
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(1) an institution of higher education; or |
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(2) a private or independent college, university, |
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association, agency, institution, or facility that is located in |
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this state which meets program standards and accreditation |
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comparable to public institutions as determined by the board. |
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(b) To participate in the Texas college work-study program, |
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an eligible institution must: |
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(1) provide employment to an eligible student in |
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nonpartisan and nonsectarian activities; |
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(2) provide, insofar as is practicable, employment to |
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an eligible student that is related to the student's academic |
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interests; |
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(3) use work-study program positions only to |
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supplement and not supplant positions normally filled by persons |
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not eligible to participate in the work-study program; |
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(4) provide from sources other than federal college |
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work-study program funds a percentage of an employed student's |
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wages that is equal to the percentage of a student's wages that the |
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eligible institution would be required to provide to the student in |
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that academic year under the federal college work-study program; |
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and |
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(5) provide from sources other than federal college |
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work-study funds 100 percent of other employee benefits for the |
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employed student. |
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SECTION 5. Section 56.078, Education Code, is amended to |
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read as follows: |
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Sec. 56.078. FUNDING. Funding to cover the state's |
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contribution toward the funding of the work-study program under |
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this subchapter and the Texas WORKS internship program under |
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Subchapter E-1 is payable from funds appropriated for that purpose. |
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SECTION 6. Section 56.082, Education Code, is amended to |
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read as follows: |
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Sec. 56.082. ANNUAL REPORT. Not later than January 1 of |
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each year, the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board shall |
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submit to the governor, the lieutenant governor, the speaker of the |
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house of representatives, and the standing legislative committees |
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with primary jurisdiction over higher education and post on the |
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coordinating board's Internet website a report on the Texas college |
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work-study program and the Texas WORKS internship program under |
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Subchapter E-l. The report must include the total number of |
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students employed through the programs [program], disaggregated |
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by: |
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(1) race, ethnicity, and gender; |
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(2) major and certificate or degree program; |
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(3) classification as a freshman, sophomore, junior, |
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or senior or the equivalent; |
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(4) enrollment in a full course load or less than a |
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full course load, as determined by the coordinating board; |
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(5) the employment position's location on or off |
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campus; and |
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(6) the employer's status as a for-profit or nonprofit |
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entity. |
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SECTION 7. Chapter 56, Education Code, is amended by adding |
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Subchapter E-1 to read as follows: |
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SUBCHAPTER E-1. TEXAS WORKING OFF-CAMPUS: REINFORCING KNOWLEDGE |
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AND SKILLS (WORKS) INTERNSHIP PROGRAM |
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Sec. 56.0851. DEFINITIONS. In this subchapter: |
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(1) "Coordinating board" means the Texas Higher |
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Education Coordinating Board. |
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(2) "Eligible wages" means gross wages paid to an |
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individual student in the student's program employment. |
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(3) "Program" or "Texas WORKS internship program" |
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means the Texas Working Off-Campus: Reinforcing Knowledge and |
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Skills (WORKS) Internship Program. |
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Sec. 56.0852. PROGRAM NAME. The student financial |
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assistance program authorized by this subchapter is the Texas |
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Working Off-Campus: Reinforcing Knowledge and Skills (WORKS) |
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Internship Program. |
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Sec. 56.0853. PURPOSE. The purpose of the program is to |
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provide jobs funded in part by the State of Texas to enable students |
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employed through the program to attend public or private |
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institutions of higher education in Texas while exploring career |
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options and strengthening marketable skills. |
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Sec. 56.0854. ADMINISTRATION. (a) The coordinating board |
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shall administer the program and collaborate with eligible |
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employers to provide students employed through the program with |
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employment funded in part by the state. |
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(b) The coordinating board shall establish criteria to |
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ensure that: |
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(1) a participating employer is reimbursed under the |
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program at the rate established by the coordinating board only for |
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fully paid eligible wages; and |
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(2) marketable skills to be strengthened or gained |
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through a student's internship position are identified. |
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(c) The coordinating board shall develop a standard |
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contract establishing the roles and responsibilities of eligible |
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employers, base wages and minimum work hours for students employed |
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through the program, and any other provisions identified by the |
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coordinating board as necessary to administer the program. The |
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coordinating board shall use the standard contract as a model for |
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the memorandum of understanding required to be entered into by |
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eligible employers. |
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(d) The coordinating board may use funds appropriated for |
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the Texas college work-study program and the Texas WORKS internship |
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program to establish and maintain an online portal for use by |
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students and participating entities in fulfilling their |
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responsibilities for participation in the Texas WORKS internship |
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program. The coordinating board may use funds appropriated for the |
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Texas college work-study program and the Texas WORKS internship |
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program to cover the expenses and personnel costs of administering |
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and assessing the Texas WORKS internship program. |
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(e) If funding for the program is insufficient to cover the |
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cost of all students eligible for the program, as provided by |
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coordinating board rule, priority for funding is based on |
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eligibility criteria established by coordinating board rule to |
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further the purposes of the program. |
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(f) Funds received by students employed through the program |
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as eligible wages are not considered as financial aid for the |
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academic year in which the funds are earned. |
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Sec. 56.0855. ELIGIBLE EMPLOYER. (a) The coordinating |
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board may enter into agreements with employers that participate in |
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the program. |
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(b) To be eligible to enter into an agreement with the |
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coordinating board to participate in the program, an employer must: |
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(1) except as provided by Subsection (c), be a private |
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nonprofit or for-profit entity or a governmental entity; |
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(2) demonstrate the administrative and financial |
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capacity to carry out the employer's responsibilities under the |
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program, including the ability to pay full wages and benefits to a |
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student employed through the program; |
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(3) enter into a memorandum of understanding with the |
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coordinating board; |
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(4) provide employment to a student employed through |
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the program in nonpartisan and nonsectarian activities that relate |
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to the student's long-term career interests; |
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(5) use program positions only to supplement and not |
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supplant positions normally filled by persons who are not eligible |
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to participate in the program, as provided by coordinating board |
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rule; |
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(6) provide the entirety of an employed student's |
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wages and employee benefits; |
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(7) submit eligible wages to the coordinating board |
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for reimbursement; and |
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(8) comply with other requirements adopted by the |
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coordinating board under this subchapter. |
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(c) An employer is not eligible to participate in the |
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program if the employer is: |
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(1) a public or private institution of higher |
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education in Texas; or |
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(2) a career school or college, as defined by Section |
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132.001. |
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Sec. 56.0856. ADOPTION OF RULES. (a) The coordinating |
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board shall adopt reasonable rules, consistent with the purpose of |
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the program, to enforce the requirements, conditions, and |
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limitations provided by this subchapter. |
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(b) The coordinating board shall adopt rules necessary to |
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ensure compliance with the Civil Rights Act of 1964, Title VI (Pub. |
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L. No. 88-352), concerning nondiscrimination in admissions or |
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employment. |
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Sec. 56.0857. ONLINE LIST OF TEXAS WORKS EMPLOYMENT |
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OPPORTUNITIES. The coordinating board shall: |
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(1) establish and maintain an online listing of Texas |
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WORKS internship program employment opportunities available to |
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students, sortable by employer, and include other relevant features |
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such as job description, job field, or skills required, as |
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appropriate; and |
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(2) ensure that the list is easily accessible to the |
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public through a clearly identifiable link that appears in a |
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prominent place on the coordinating board's Internet website. |
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SECTION 8. Section 130.0104(c), Education Code, is amended |
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to read as follows: |
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(c) In complying with the requirements regarding the filing |
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of a degree plan under [Notwithstanding] Section 51.9685, [before
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the beginning of the regular semester or term immediately following
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the semester or term in which] a student enrolled [successfully
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completes a cumulative total of 30 or more semester credit hours for
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coursework] in a multidisciplinary studies associate degree |
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program established under this section [, the student] must meet |
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with an academic advisor to complete a degree plan [, as defined by
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Section 51.9685(a)(1),] that: |
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(1) accounts for all remaining credit hours required |
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for the completion of the degree program; and |
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(2) emphasizes: |
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(A) the student's transition to a particular |
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four-year college or university that the student chooses; and |
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(B) preparations for the student's intended |
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field of study or major at the four-year college or university. |
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SECTION 9. Sections 51.9685(c-1) and 56.076(b), Education |
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Code, are repealed. |
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SECTION 10. (a) Except as provided by Subsection (b) of this |
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section, this Act applies beginning with the 2020 summer term. |
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(b) Section 51.9358, Education Code, as added by this Act, |
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and Sections 51.9685 and 130.0104, Education Code, as amended by |
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this Act, apply beginning with the 2019-2020 academic year. |
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SECTION 11. As soon as practicable after the effective date |
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of this Act, the commissioner of the Texas Higher Education |
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Coordinating Board shall develop the rules and procedures necessary |
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for the implementation of Subchapter E-1, Chapter 56, Education |
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Code, as added by this Act. |
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SECTION 12. This Act takes effect immediately if it |
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receives a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each |
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house, as provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution. |
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If this Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate |
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effect, this Act takes effect September 1, 2019. |
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______________________________ |
______________________________ |
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President of the Senate |
Speaker of the House |
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I certify that H.B. No. 3808 was passed by the House on April |
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25, 2019, by the following vote: Yeas 126, Nays 7, 1 present, not |
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voting; that the House refused to concur in Senate amendments to |
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H.B. No. 3808 on May 24, 2019, and requested the appointment of a |
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conference committee to consider the differences between the two |
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houses; and that the House adopted the conference committee report |
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on H.B. No. 3808 on May 26, 2019, by the following vote: Yeas 132, |
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Nays 11, 1 present, not voting. |
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______________________________ |
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Chief Clerk of the House |
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I certify that H.B. No. 3808 was passed by the Senate, with |
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amendments, on May 22, 2019, by the following vote: Yeas 31, Nays |
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0; at the request of the House, the Senate appointed a conference |
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committee to consider the differences between the two houses; and |
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that the Senate adopted the conference committee report on H.B. No. |
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3808 on May 26, 2019, by the following vote: Yeas 31, Nays 0. |
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______________________________ |
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Secretary of the Senate |
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APPROVED: __________________ |
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Date |
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__________________ |
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Governor |