By: Hinojosa S.B. No. 756
 
 
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
 
AN ACT
  relating to the administration of the Jobs and Education for Texans
  (JET) Grant Program.
         BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
         SECTION 1.  Section 134.001, Education Code, is amended by
  adding Subdivision (1-a) to read as follows:
               (1-a)  "Nonprofit organization" means an organization
  exempt from federal income taxation under Section 501(a), Internal
  Revenue Code of 1986, as an organization described by Section
  501(c)(3) of that code.
         SECTION 2.  Section 134.003, Education Code, is amended by
  amending Subsection (b) and adding Subsection (b-1) to read as
  follows:
         (b)  The advisory board is composed of eight [six] members
  who serve two-year terms and are appointed as follows:
               (1)  one member appointed by the governor;
               (2)  one member appointed by the lieutenant governor;
               (3)  one member appointed by the speaker of the house of
  representatives;
               (4)  one member appointed by the Texas Higher Education
  Coordinating Board;
               (5)  one member appointed by the commissioner of
  education;
               (6)  two members [one member] appointed by the
  commission, one of whom must represent a nonprofit organization
  located in this state that provides, or has experience in
  providing, training services that prepare low-income students for
  careers in high-demand occupations; and
               (7) [(6)]  the chair of the commission, who serves as
  the presiding officer.
         (b-1)  Before appointing the members described by Subsection
  (b)(6), the commission shall publish a request for applications and
  must consider appointing qualified individuals from among the
  resulting applicant pool.
         SECTION 3.  Section 134.004, Education Code, is amended to
  read as follows:
         Sec. 134.004.  JOBS AND EDUCATION FOR TEXANS (JET) GRANT
  PROGRAM. (a)  The commission shall establish and administer the
  Jobs and Education for Texans (JET) Grant Program to provide grants
  to public junior colleges, public technical institutes, public
  state colleges, eligible nonprofit organizations, and independent
  school districts described under Section 134.007 that apply to the
  advisory board in the manner prescribed by the advisory board. The
  commission shall award the grants on the advice and recommendations
  of the advisory board.
         (b)  Grants may be awarded under this chapter from the Jobs
  and Education for Texans (JET) fund for the following purposes:
               (1)  to develop, support, or expand programs of
  nonprofit organizations that meet the requirements of Section
  134.005 and that prepare low-income students for careers in
  high-demand occupations; and
               (2)  to defray the start-up costs associated with the
  development of new career and technical education programs at
  public junior colleges, public technical institutes, public state
  colleges, and independent school districts described under Section
  134.007 that meet the requirements of Section 134.006.
         SECTION 4.  Chapter 134, Education Code, is amended by
  adding Section 134.005 to read as follows:
         Sec. 134.005.  GRANTS TO NONPROFIT ORGANIZATIONS FOR
  INNOVATIVE AND SUCCESSFUL PROGRAMS. (a)  The commission may award
  a grant to a nonprofit organization eligible under Subsection (b)
  for the development, support, or expansion of programs to prepare
  low-income students for careers in high-demand occupations.
         (b)  To be eligible to receive a grant under this section, a
  nonprofit organization must:
               (1)  provide a program to offer assistance to
  low-income students in preparing for, applying to, and enrolling in
  a public junior college or public technical institute;
               (2)  be governed by a board or other governing
  structure that includes recognized leaders of broad-based
  community organizations and members of the local business
  community;
               (3)  demonstrate to the satisfaction of the advisory
  board that the organization's program has achieved or will achieve
  the following measures of success among program participants to the
  extent applicable to the type of program the organization provides:
                     (A)  above-average completion of developmental
  education among participating public junior college or public
  technical institute students;
                     (B)  above-average persistence rates among
  participating public junior college or public technical institute
  students;
                     (C)  above-average certificate or degree
  completion rates by participating students within a three-year
  period compared to demographically comparable public junior
  college and public technical institute students; and
                     (D)  employment of participating students at an
  average full-time starting wage that is equal to or greater than
  the prevailing wage for the occupation entered; and
               (4)  provide matching funds in accordance with rules
  adopted under Section 134.008.
         (c)  The matching funds required under Subsection (b)(4) may
  be obtained from any source available to the nonprofit
  organization, including in-kind contributions, community or
  foundation grants, individual contributions, and local
  governmental agency operating funds.
         (d)  Grants awarded under this section must be awarded in a
  manner that takes a balanced geographical distribution into
  consideration.
         SECTION 5.  This Act takes effect September 1, 2019.