BILL ANALYSIS
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Senate Research Center |
H.B. 1703 |
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88R23027 KSD-F |
By: Ordaz (Blanco) |
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Natural Resources & Economic Development |
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5/15/2023 |
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Engrossed |
AUTHOR'S / SPONSOR'S STATEMENT OF INTENT
The Texas Workforce Commission (TWC) and local workforce development boards operate a number of different workforce training programs for Texans. The current wage and employment outcomes of Texans who participate in a state-supported workforce training program are mixed.
For example, TWC reports that veterans in state workforce programs in 2019 had negative employment and wage outcomes in the first year, while participants in the SNAP employment and training program in the same year saw both outcomes increase. The information reported, however, is insufficient to craft targeted program changes to improve participants' outcomes. This can be addressed through more defined methods of measuring wage outcomes in line with statutorily defined self-sufficient wage levels and better categorization of program services.
H.B. 1703 seeks to address these issues by revising requirements relating to workforce development program evaluation data and related analyses and by creating a pilot program requiring data collection and analysis of career education and training programs and program outcomes in the Borderplex workforce development area.
H.B. 1703 amends current law relating to the workforce development evaluation system administered by the Texas Workforce Commission, including the establishment of a workforce development career education and training evaluation pilot program.
RULEMAKING AUTHORITY
This bill does not expressly grant any additional rulemaking authority to a state officer, institution, or agency.
SECTION BY SECTION ANALYSIS
SECTION 1. Amends Section 302.001, Labor Code, by amending Subdivision (1) and adding Subdivision (1-a) to define "career education and training program" and make a nonsubstantive change.
SECTION 2. Amends Subchapter A, Chapter 302, Labor Code, by adding Section 302.0201, as follows:
Sec. 302.0201. WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT CAREER EDUCATION AND TRAINING EVALUATION PILOT PROGRAM.� (a) Requires the Texas Workforce Commission (TWC) to establish and administer a pilot program in the Borderplex workforce development area under which the local workforce development board serving that area is required to collect and evaluate cross-sectional data and longitudinal supplemental data regarding career education and training programs administered in that area for the purposes of identifying:
(1) successful program components; and
(2) any gaps in data used to follow up on career education and training program participants following program completion maintained by TWC, the Texas Education Agency, or the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board under the Tri-Agency Workforce Initiative established under Chapter 2308A (Tri-Agency Workforce Initiative), Government Code.
(b) Requires TWC to ensure, under the pilot program, that the local workforce development board serving the workforce development area maintains the following information for each career education and training program participant following program completion, disaggregated by race, ethnicity, sex, income, and location:
(1) the evaluation data described by Section 302.082(b) (relating to requiring certain evaluation data to be included in TWC's workforce development evaluation system (system)); and
(2) data regarding the attainment of employment paying a self-sufficient wage, as determined under Section 2308A.012 (Self-Sufficient Wage), Government Code.
(c) Requires the local workforce development board serving the workforce development area, in coordination with TWC, on completion of the pilot program, to issue an analysis, by occupation and by provider, of the job placement performance of each career education and training program. Requires that the analysis include:
(1) an analysis of the attainment of employment paying a self-sufficient wage, as determined under Section 2308A.012, Government Code, following program completion; and
(2) detailed information on the services provided with each offered program.
(d) Authorizes TWC to share individual-level outcome information resulting from the pilot program with state agencies represented on the council through secure means that is authorized to be accessed only by authorized employees of those agencies.
(e) Requires TWC, not later than December 1, 2028, to submit to the legislature a written report on the results of the pilot program. Requires that the report include TWC's recommendation on whether the pilot program should be continued on a statewide basis.
(f) Provides that this section expires September 1, 2029.
SECTION 3. Amends Section 302.082, Labor Code, by amending Subsections (b) and (c) and adding Subsection (d), as follows:
(b) Requires that evaluation data in the system include the following information disaggregated by race, ethnicity, sex, income, and location:
(1)-(5) makes no changes to these subdivisions;
(c) Authorizes TWC to develop a method for collecting occupational information to supplement wage record information collected by TWC under Section 204.0025 (Additional Workforce Data Reporting). Authorizes TWC to request employers, providers, and other appropriate sources to provide placement, employment, and earnings information to TWC.
(d) Requires TWC to ensure that:
(1) the system includes with the evaluation data a hyperlink to an Internet website where self-sufficient wage data as determined under Section 2308A.012, Government Code, is posted; and
(2) following any modernization of the evaluation system by TWC on or after September 1, 2023, the evaluation data in the system includes a comparison of self-sufficient wage data with program earnings outcomes at the first, third, and fifth anniversary of the date of program completion.
SECTION 4. Amends Section 302.083, Labor Code, by adding Subsection (a-1), as follows:
(a-1) Requires that an analysis issued under Subsection (a), following any modernization of the evaluation system by TWC on or after September 1, 2023, include:
(1) an analysis regarding the attainment of employment paying a self-sufficient wage, as determined under Section 2308A.012, Government Code, following completion of a career education and training program; and
(2) detailed information on the services provided with each offered program.
SECTION 5. Effective date: September 1, 2023.