H.B. No. 1703

AN ACT

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.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:

SECTION 1. Section 302.001, Labor Code, is amended by amending Subdivision (1) and adding Subdivision (1-a) to read as follows:

(1) "Career education and training program" has the meaning assigned by Section 2308A.001, Government Code.

(1-a) "Director" means the director of the division.

SECTION 2. Subchapter A, Chapter 302, Labor Code, is amended by adding Section 302.0201 to read as follows:

Sec. 302.0201. WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT CAREER EDUCATION AND TRAINING EVALUATION PILOT PROGRAM. (a) The commission shall 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 the commission, the Texas Education Agency, or the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board under the Tri-Agency Workforce Initiative established under Chapter 2308A, Government Code.

(b) Under the pilot program, the commission shall ensure 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); and

(2) data regarding the attainment of employment paying a self-sufficient wage, as determined under Section 2308A.012, Government Code.

(c) On completion of the pilot program, the local workforce development board serving the workforce development area, in coordination with the commission, shall issue an analysis, by occupation and by provider, of the job placement performance of each career education and training program. The analysis must 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) The commission may share individual-level outcome information resulting from the pilot program with state agencies represented on the council through secure means that may be accessed only by authorized employees of those agencies.

(e) Not later than December 1, 2028, the commission shall submit to the legislature a written report on the results of the pilot program. The report must include the commission's recommendation on whether the pilot program should be continued on a statewide basis.

(f) This section expires September 1, 2029.

SECTION 3. Section 302.082, Labor Code, is amended by amending Subsections (b) and (c) and adding Subsection (d) to read as follows:

(b) Evaluation data in the system must include the following information disaggregated by race, ethnicity, sex, income, and location:

(1) placement rates;

(2) wages paid;

(3) retention in employment statistics;

(4) the number of education and training-related placements; and

(5) other appropriate factors, including public welfare dependency and the pursuit of additional education.

(c) The commission may develop a method for collecting occupational information to supplement wage record information collected by the commission under Section 204.0025. The commission may request employers, providers, and other appropriate sources to provide placement, employment, and earnings information to the commission.

(d) The commission shall 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 the commission 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. Section 302.083, Labor Code, is amended by adding Subsection (a-1) to read as follows:

(a-1) Following any modernization of the evaluation system by the commission on or after September 1, 2023, an analysis issued under Subsection (a) must 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. This Act takes effect September 1, 2023.

______________________________ ______________________________

President of the Senate Speaker of the House

I certify that H.B. No. 1703 was passed by the House on May 4, 2023, by the following vote: Yeas 109, Nays 36, 1 present, not voting.

______________________________ Chief Clerk of the House

I certify that H.B. No. 1703 was passed by the Senate on May 21, 2023, by the following vote: Yeas 26, Nays 5.

______________________________ Secretary of the Senate APPROVED: _____________________

Date

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Governor