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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to establishing a Texas Service Corps to provide student |
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loan relief, job training, and work experience, in exchange for |
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providing community service in underserved areas. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Subtitle B, Title 4, Labor Code, is amended by |
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adding Chapter 318 to read as follows: |
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CHAPTER 318. TEXAS SERVICE CORPS |
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Sec.318.001 ESTABLISHING A TEXAS SERVICE CORPS. (a) It is |
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hereby established a Texas Service Corps, administered by the Texas |
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Workforce Commission. The Service Corps shall provide interested |
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applicants with service opportunities deemed most likely to further |
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an applicant's stated educational and professional interests. The |
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services to be provided include, but are not limited to: |
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(i) green jobs in service of activities or industries that |
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contribute substantially to preserving or restoring environmental |
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quality; |
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(ii) health services by applicants with the necessary |
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qualifications to provide medical, dental, psychological, or other |
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related services as deemed appropriate by Service Corps |
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administration; |
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(iii) services that benefit the developmental and |
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educational needs of early childhood; and |
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(iv) services that provide exposure to, and participation |
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in, the Arts or Humanities. |
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(b) Individuals who complete a term of service, shall be |
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eligible for an education grant to be used for either tuition costs |
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at eligible Texas institutions of higher learning or student loan |
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repayment. |
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(c) Funding for the education grant shall be comprised of |
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any federal dollars allocated for implementing community service |
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programs, with necessary additional funding allocated through |
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Texas budgetary procedures. |
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(d) The Texas Service Corps shall, in consultation with |
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administrative agencies deemed relevant and necessary by the Texas |
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Legislature, have the following powers and duties: |
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(i) to recruit and select Service Corps professionals for |
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service in eligible institutions, facilities, or professions; |
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(ii) to place Service Corps professionals in eligible |
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institutions and facilities pursuant to agreements with the |
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appropriate eligible institutions and facilities; |
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(iii) to develop criteria for the selection of applicants |
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for placement under this program including, but not limited to, the |
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individual's academic achievement, previous work experience in the |
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relevant industry or related services, a demonstrated interest in |
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working with vulnerable populations or providing community |
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service; |
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(iv) to accept and expend any grants, awards or other funds |
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or appropriations as may be available to effectuate the purposes of |
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this Act subject to the limitations as to the approval of |
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expenditures and audit as prescribed for state funds by STATE |
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finance law; and |
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(v) to do any and all other things necessary to carry out its |
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functions, powers and duties and to effectuate the purposes of this |
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Act. |
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(e) The nature and extent of a proposed service project |
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shall be submitted in writing to the appropriate delegated |
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oversight entity prior to expending any public funds. |
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SECTION 2. This Act takes effect immediately if it receives |
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a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as |
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provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution. If this |
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Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this |
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Act takes effect September 1, 2021. |