| |
| |
| |
|
|
AN ACT
|
|
|
relating to measures to facilitate the award of postsecondary |
|
|
course credit leading to workforce credentialing based on military |
|
|
experience, education, and training and to prepare veterans for |
|
|
employment in certain industries. |
|
|
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
|
|
SECTION 1. Section 51.3041(b), Education Code, is amended |
|
|
to read as follows: |
|
|
(b) An institution of higher education shall consider, in |
|
|
determining whether to award to a student course credit toward a |
|
|
degree or certificate offered by the institution for the student's |
|
|
completion of certain military training: |
|
|
(1) any official military record presented to the |
|
|
institution by the student that: |
|
|
(A) describes the substance of the training |
|
|
completed by the student; and |
|
|
(B) verifies the student's successful completion |
|
|
of that training; and |
|
|
(2) whether the substance of that training satisfies |
|
|
the purpose of the course for which the student seeks credit as |
|
|
described in the institution's course catalog. |
|
|
SECTION 2. Subchapter B, Chapter 132, Education Code, is |
|
|
amended by adding Section 132.026 to read as follows: |
|
|
Sec. 132.026. MEASURES TO FACILITATE AWARD OF COURSE CREDIT |
|
|
FOR MILITARY SERVICE. (a) The commission shall evaluate programs |
|
|
of study or courses offered by career schools or colleges leading to |
|
|
industry-based certifications or other workforce credentials to |
|
|
identify programs or courses for which skills obtained through |
|
|
military experience, education, and training frequently align. |
|
|
(b) The commission shall publish on its Internet website a |
|
|
list of any programs of study or courses identified by the |
|
|
commission under this section and the relevant military experience, |
|
|
education, or training that may align with those programs or |
|
|
courses. |
|
|
SECTION 3. Section 132.055, Education Code, is amended by |
|
|
adding Subsection (c) to read as follows: |
|
|
(c) In determining whether to approve a career school or |
|
|
college that offers a program of study or course listed on the |
|
|
commission's Internet website under Section 132.026(b), in |
|
|
addition to the criteria prescribed by Subsection (b) of this |
|
|
section, the commission shall require that the career school or |
|
|
college provide credit to a student toward any course time required |
|
|
for the program of study or course for skills obtained by the |
|
|
student through military experience, education, or training, |
|
|
unless the school or college can demonstrate that those skills are |
|
|
not appropriately aligned with the program of study or course. |
|
|
SECTION 4. Subchapter A, Chapter 434, Government Code, is |
|
|
amended by adding Section 434.027 to read as follows: |
|
|
Sec. 434.027. ENERGY INDUSTRY PROGRAM FOR VETERAN |
|
|
PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT. (a) The Texas Veterans Commission shall |
|
|
develop and administer a program to provide assistance to veterans |
|
|
seeking a certification or training to prepare for employment in |
|
|
the energy industry. |
|
|
(b) The commission, in coordination with the General Land |
|
|
Office and Veterans' Land Board, shall conduct an outreach campaign |
|
|
to encourage veterans to participate in the program established |
|
|
under this section. |
|
|
(c) The commission shall adopt rules to implement the |
|
|
program established under this section. |
|
|
SECTION 5. Section 302.0031, Labor Code, is amended by |
|
|
amending Subsection (a) and adding Subsection (i) to read as |
|
|
follows: |
|
|
(a) In this section: |
|
|
(1) "Career school or college" has the meaning |
|
|
assigned by Section 132.001, Education Code. |
|
|
(2) "Institution[, "institution] of higher education" |
|
|
has the meaning assigned by Section 61.003, Education Code. |
|
|
(i) Under the program, the commission shall identify, |
|
|
develop, and support methods to facilitate the award of course time |
|
|
credit by career schools or colleges or other private or nonprofit |
|
|
entities providing programs of study or courses of instruction |
|
|
leading to industry certifications or other workforce credentials |
|
|
to veterans and military servicemembers for military experience, |
|
|
education, or training obtained during military service for |
|
|
programs of study or courses of instruction offered by those |
|
|
schools, colleges, or other entities for which skills obtained |
|
|
through military experience, education, and training align. |
|
|
SECTION 6. This Act takes effect September 1, 2021. |
| |
| |
| |
______________________________ |
______________________________ |
| |
President of the Senate |
Speaker of the House |
| |
| |
|
|
I certify that H.B. No. 33 was passed by the House on April 1, |
|
|
2021, by the following vote: Yeas 148, Nays 0, 1 present, not |
|
|
voting; and that the House concurred in Senate amendments to H.B. |
|
|
No. 33 on May 12, 2021, by the following vote: Yeas 144, Nays 1, 1 |
|
|
present, not voting. |
|
|
|
|
|
______________________________ |
|
|
Chief Clerk of the House |
| |
|
|
I certify that H.B. No. 33 was passed by the Senate, with |
|
|
amendments, on May 4, 2021, by the following vote: Yeas 30, Nays 0. |
|
|
|
|
|
______________________________ |
|
|
Secretary of the Senate |
|
|
APPROVED: __________________ |
|
|
Date |
|
|
|
|
|
__________________ |
|
|
Governor |