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