BILL ANALYSIS

C.S.H.B. 1032

By: Thierry

International Relations & Economic Development

Committee Report (Substituted)

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

Career and technical education (CTE) allows schools to personalize a student's academic curriculum based on the student's career interests and unique learning needs. At the high school level, CTE courses connect students with postsecondary programs of study or additional training which may include specialized technical instruction. These pathways provide access to quality programs and workforce opportunities, including industry-based certifications, work-based learning, and internships to prepare students for in-demand, high-skill, high-wage careers. C.S.H.B. 1032 seeks to help students gain hands-on training and real-world experience through job shadows and paid internships. The bill also seeks to provide districts with the flexibility to use their existing career and technical education allotment to form partnerships with local nonprofits for paid apprenticeship and internship opportunities.

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 this bill does not expressly grant any additional rulemaking authority to a state officer, department, agency, or institution.

ANALYSIS

C.S.H.B. 1032 amends the Education Code to authorize the board of trustees of a public school district, for purposes of encouraging employers to participate with districts in providing career and technology education (CTE), to contract with a community-based organization for the following purposes:

· to match students in grade 11 or 12 who are participating in a CTE program with paid internships or similar programs provided by private employers; and

· to reimburse private employers for all or part of the cost of providing such internships or programs using funds provided to the organization by the district.

The bill defines "community-based organization" by reference to Labor Code provisions governing the skills development fund and provides for contract requirements, including a requirement to ensure that each student employed under an applicable internship or program is paid at least the minimum wage. The bill authorizes a contracted organization to serve as the employer of record for a student employed under an internship or program. Completion of an internship or program may satisfy a requirement to complete a practicum as part of a district's CTE program.

C.S.H.B. 1032 authorizes the use of a district's CTE allotment under the foundation school program to provide funding to a contracted organization for the reimbursement of private employers. The bill specifies that such expenditures are attributable to the minimum 55 percent of allotment funds that must be used to provide CTE programs in grades 7 through 12.

EFFECTIVE DATE

September 1, 2021.

COMPARISON OF ORIGINAL AND SUBSTITUTE

While C.S.H.B. 1032 may differ from the original in minor or nonsubstantive ways, the following summarizes the substantial differences between the introduced and committee substitute versions of the bill.

The substitute does not include Labor Code provisions requiring the Texas Workforce Commission (TWC) by rule to establish and develop additional skills development fund programs under which a district or open-enrollment charter school that includes an eligible high school may provide customized workforce training opportunities designed specifically to meet certain regional needs identified by the TWC.

The substitute does not include provisions relating to eligibility for the additional programs and evaluation and reporting requirements.

The substitute does not include a provision making certain community-based organizations ineligible for reimbursement for an expense under a contract with a school district relating to paid internships or similar programs under certain conditions.