| |
| |
|
|
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
|
|
|
AN ACT
|
|
|
relating to the employment of apprentices on certain public works |
|
|
projects. |
|
|
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
|
|
SECTION 1. Chapter 2252, Government Code, is amended by |
|
|
adding Subchapter H to read as follows: |
|
|
SUBCHAPTER H. EMPLOYMENT OF APPRENTICES ON PUBLIC WORKS PROJECTS |
|
|
Sec. 2252.301. DEFINITIONS. In this subchapter: |
|
|
(1) "Contractor" means a person, firm, or corporation |
|
|
contracting with a governmental entity for a public works project. |
|
|
(2) "Governmental entity" means: |
|
|
(A) the state, a county, or a municipality; |
|
|
(B) a department, board, or agency of the state, |
|
|
a county, or a municipality; |
|
|
(C) a school district or a subdivision of a |
|
|
school district; or |
|
|
(D) any other governmental or quasi-governmental |
|
|
authority authorized by statute to enter into a public works |
|
|
contract. |
|
|
(3) "Office" means the office or program of the Texas |
|
|
Workforce Commission responsible for apprenticeship issues. |
|
|
(4) "Public works project" includes the construction, |
|
|
alteration, or repair of a public building or the construction or |
|
|
completion of a public work. |
|
|
Sec. 2252.302. EMPLOYMENT OF APPRENTICES. (a) In order to |
|
|
promote employment opportunities for young people and to train a |
|
|
skilled workforce in this state, a contractor who contracts with a |
|
|
governmental entity for a public works project shall designate at |
|
|
least five percent of the project hours in any apprenticeable |
|
|
trade, as certified by the Office of Apprenticeship of the United |
|
|
States Department of Labor, to be worked by apprentices in a program |
|
|
registered with that office. |
|
|
(b) A contract for a public works project must include a |
|
|
requirement that at least five percent of the project hours in any |
|
|
apprenticeable trade, as certified by the Office of Apprenticeship |
|
|
of the United States Department of Labor, be designated to be worked |
|
|
by apprentices, unless a waiver has been obtained from the office. |
|
|
(c) If the office determines that an insufficient number of |
|
|
registered apprentices is available for a public works project, the |
|
|
office shall: |
|
|
(1) certify the number of registered apprentices who |
|
|
are available for the project; and |
|
|
(2) issue a waiver for the remaining number of jobs |
|
|
that would otherwise be reserved for registered apprentices in |
|
|
order for the contractor to meet the requirements under this |
|
|
section. |
|
|
Sec. 2252.303. EXEMPTIONS. This subchapter does not apply |
|
|
to: |
|
|
(1) a public works contract in which the total |
|
|
contract price estimate at the time of the contract's execution is |
|
|
less than $400,000; or |
|
|
(2) a public works contract entered into by the Texas |
|
|
Department of Transportation. |
|
|
SECTION 2. Subchapter H, Chapter 2252, Government Code, as |
|
|
added by this Act, applies only to a contract executed on or after |
|
|
the effective date of this Act. A contract executed before the |
|
|
effective date of this Act is governed by the law in effect on the |
|
|
date the contract was executed, and the former law is continued in |
|
|
effect for that purpose. |
|
|
SECTION 3. This Act takes effect September 1, 2023. |