87R6478 CXP-F
 
  By: Parker H.B. No. 3003
 
 
 
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
 
AN ACT
  relating to the establishment of the Texas Reskilling and
  Upskilling through Education (TRUE) Initiative to support
  workforce education at public junior colleges.
         BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
         SECTION 1.  Chapter 61, Education Code, is amended by adding
  Subchapter T-2 to read as follows:
  SUBCHAPTER T-2. TEXAS RESKILLING AND UPSKILLING THROUGH EDUCATION
  (TRUE) INITIATIVE
         Sec. 61.881.  DEFINITION. In this subchapter, "initiative"
  means the Texas Reskilling and Upskilling through Education (TRUE)
  Initiative established under this subchapter.
         Sec. 61.882.  INITIATIVE: ESTABLISHMENT; ADMINISTRATION;
  PURPOSE. (a) The Texas Reskilling and Upskilling through
  Education (TRUE) Initiative is established.
         (b)  The board shall administer the initiative in accordance
  with this subchapter and rules adopted under this subchapter.
         (c)  Under the initiative, using funds appropriated or
  otherwise available for the purpose, the board shall award grants
  to public junior colleges for creating, redesigning, or expanding
  workforce training programs that lead to postsecondary industry
  certifications or other workforce credentials required for
  high-demand occupations.
         Sec. 61.883.  USE OF GRANT. (a) A grant awarded to a public
  junior college under this subchapter may be used only for the
  support and maintenance of educational and general activities that
  promote workforce learning at the college, including:
               (1)  providing training in new or redesigned
  accelerated programs that teach high-demand skills and lead to
  postsecondary industry certifications or other workforce
  credentials valued in growing occupations that pay a living wage;
               (2)  developing new industry-aligned, high-demand
  postsecondary industry certifications or other workforce
  credentials and certificate programs or other courses of
  instruction leading to those certifications or credentials; and
               (3)  expanding institutional capacity to provide
  high-demand postsecondary industry certifications or other
  workforce credentials for target occupations included on regional
  or statewide target occupations lists established by appropriate
  workforce agencies.
         (b)  Money received by a public junior college under the
  grant program in a fiscal year that is not used by the college in
  that fiscal year may be held and used by the college in subsequent
  fiscal years for the purposes prescribed in this section.
         Sec. 61.884.  RECOGNIZED CERTIFICATIONS OR CREDENTIALS. (a)
  The board, in collaboration with public junior colleges, the Texas
  Workforce Commission, and private employers, shall identify new
  high-demand skills needed to earn postsecondary industry
  certifications or other workforce credentials valued in
  high-demand occupations.
         (b)  The board, in consultation with public junior colleges,
  shall:
               (1)  identify new postsecondary industry
  certifications or other workforce credentials developed using
  grant funds under the initiative; and
               (2)  establish methods for collecting and reporting
  data related to the certifications or credentials identified under
  Subdivision (1).
         (c)  A public junior college awarded a grant under this
  subchapter may recommend outcomes related to the achievement or
  development of postsecondary industry certifications or other
  workforce credentials identified under this section to be
  considered by the board for inclusion in the state's long-range
  master plan for higher education developed under Section 61.051.
         (d)  In devising its funding formulas and making its
  recommendations to the legislature relating to institutional
  appropriations of funds for public junior colleges under Section
  61.059, the board shall incorporate the consideration of the
  achievement or development of postsecondary industry
  certifications and other workforce credentials identified under
  this section.
         Sec. 61.885.  GRANTS, GIFTS, AND DONATIONS. The board may
  solicit, accept, and spend grants, gifts, and donations from any
  public or private source for the purposes of this subchapter.
         Sec. 61.886.  RULES. The board shall adopt rules for the
  administration of this subchapter, including rules requiring
  public junior colleges awarded a grant under this subchapter to
  report necessary information to the board.
         SECTION 2.  (a) The Texas Higher Education Coordinating
  Board shall adopt rules to administer Subchapter T-2, Chapter 61,
  Education Code, as added by this Act, as soon as practicable after
  the effective date of this Act.
         (b)  The Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board shall
  award grants to public junior colleges under Subchapter T-2,
  Chapter 61, Education Code, as added by this Act, beginning with the
  2022 fall semester.
         SECTION 3.  This Act takes effect immediately if it receives
  a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as
  provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution. If this
  Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this
  Act takes effect September 1, 2021.