H.B. No. 626
 
 
 
 
AN ACT
  relating to the expansion of the Texas Innovative Adult Career
  Education (ACE) Grant Program to include certain nonprofit
  organizations providing job training to veterans.
         BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
         SECTION 1.  Section 136.001, Education Code, is amended by
  adding Subdivision (5) to read as follows:
               (5)  "Veteran" means a person who has served in:
                     (A)  the army, navy, air force, coast guard, or
  marine corps of the United States;
                     (B)  the state military forces as defined by
  Section 431.001, Government Code, other than the Texas State Guard;
  or
                     (C)  an auxiliary service of one of those branches
  of the armed forces.
         SECTION 2.  Section 136.005, Education Code, is amended to
  read as follows:
         Sec. 136.005.  TEXAS INNOVATIVE ADULT CAREER EDUCATION (ACE)
  GRANT PROGRAM. (a)  The grant administrator shall establish and
  administer the Texas Innovative Adult Career Education (ACE) Grant
  Program to provide grants to:
               (1)  eligible nonprofit workforce intermediary and job
  training organizations; and
               (2)  eligible nonprofit organizations providing job
  training to veterans.
         (a-1)  In awarding grants under the program, the grant
  administrator shall take into consideration the recommendations of
  the program advisory board.
         (b)  Grants may be awarded under this chapter from the Texas
  Innovative Adult Career Education (ACE) Grant fund only to develop,
  support, or expand programs of eligible nonprofit workforce
  intermediary and job training organizations and of eligible
  nonprofit organizations providing job training to veterans to
  prepare low-income students or veterans, as applicable, to enter
  careers in high-demand and significantly higher-earning
  occupations.
         SECTION 3.  Section 136.006, Education Code, is amended by
  adding Subsection (a-1) and amending Subsection (b) to read as
  follows:
         (a-1)  To be eligible for a grant under the program, a
  nonprofit organization providing job training services to veterans
  must:
               (1)  apply to the grant administrator in the manner
  prescribed by the grant administrator;
               (2)  provide to veterans, in partnership with public
  junior colleges, public state colleges, or public technical
  institutes:
                     (A)  job training; and
                     (B)  a continuum of services designed to move a
  program participant from application to employment, including
  outreach, assessment, case management, support services, and
  career placement;
               (3)  be governed by a board or other governing
  structure that includes recognized leaders of broad-based
  community organizations and executive-level or managerial-level
  members of the local business community;
               (4)  demonstrate to the satisfaction of the program
  advisory board that the organization's program has achieved or will
  achieve the following measures of success among program
  participants:
                     (A)  the measures prescribed by Subsections
  (a)(4)(A)-(C);
                     (B)  rapid attainment of civilian workforce
  credentials; and
                     (C)  entry into careers with significantly higher
  earnings for program participants than previously achieved; and
               (5)  provide matching funds in accordance with rules
  adopted under this chapter.
         (b)  The matching funds required under Subsection (a)(5) or
  (a-1)(5) may be obtained from any source available to the
  organization, including in-kind contributions, community or
  foundation grants, individual contributions, and local
  governmental agency operating funds.  The grant administrator may
  adopt rules requiring an organization to demonstrate compliance
  with the matching funds requirement before the payment of the next
  installment under an awarded grant.
         SECTION 4.  This Act takes effect September 1, 2021.
 
 
  ______________________________ ______________________________
     President of the Senate Speaker of the House     
 
 
         I certify that H.B. No. 626 was passed by the House on April
  9, 2021, by the following vote:  Yeas 144, Nays 0, 2 present, not
  voting; and that the House concurred in Senate amendments to H.B.
  No. 626 on May 3, 2021, by the following vote:  Yeas 147, Nays 0, 1
  present, not voting.
 
  ______________________________
  Chief Clerk of the House   
 
         I certify that H.B. No. 626 was passed by the Senate, with
  amendments, on April 29, 2021, by the following vote:  Yeas 31,
  Nays 0.
 
  ______________________________
  Secretary of the Senate   
  APPROVED: __________________
                  Date       
   
           __________________
                Governor