By: Creighton  S.B. No. 2029
         (In the Senate - Filed March 9, 2023; March 21, 2023, read
  first time and referred to Subcommittee on Higher Education;
  May 4, 2023, reported favorably from Committee on Education by the
  following vote:  Yeas 12, Nays 0; May 4, 2023, sent to printer.)
Click here to see the committee vote
 
 
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
 
AN ACT
 
  relating to the administration of the Texas Innovative Adult Career
  Education (ACE) Grant Program by the Texas Higher Education
  Coordinating Board.
         BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
         SECTION 1.  Section 136.001, Education Code, is amended by
  amending Subdivision (1) and adding Subdivision (1-a) to read as
  follows:
               (1)  "Coordinating board" means the Texas Higher
  Education Coordinating Board.
               (1-a)  "Nonprofit organization" means an organization
  exempt from federal income taxation under Section 501(a), Internal
  Revenue Code of 1986, as an organization described by Section
  501(c)(3) of that code.
         SECTION 2.  Section 136.005(a), Education Code, is amended
  to read as follows:
         (a)  The coordinating board [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.
         SECTION 3.  Section 136.006, Education Code, is amended to
  read as follows:
         Sec. 136.006.  ELIGIBLE ORGANIZATIONS.  (a)  To be eligible
  for a grant under the program, a nonprofit workforce intermediary
  and job training organization must:
               (1)  apply to the coordinating board [grant
  administrator] in the manner prescribed by the coordinating board
  [grant administrator];
               (2)  provide to eligible low-income students, 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
  coordinating board [program advisory board] that the
  organization's program has achieved or will achieve the following
  measures of success among program participants:
                     (A)  above-average completion of developmental
  education among participating public junior college, public state
  college, or public technical institute students;
                     (B)  above-average persistence rates among
  participating public junior college, public state college, or
  public technical institute students;
                     (C)  above-average certificate or degree
  completion rates by participating students within a three-year
  period compared to demographically comparable public junior
  college, public state college, and public technical institute
  students; and
                     (D)  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.
         (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 coordinating board [grant
  administrator] in the manner prescribed by the coordinating board
  [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
  coordinating board [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 coordinating board [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.  Section 136.007, Education Code, is amended to
  read as follows:
         Sec. 136.007.  RULES.  [(a)] The coordinating board [grant
  administrator] shall adopt rules as necessary for the
  administration of this chapter, including [in the manner provided
  by Chapter 2001, Government Code, for a state agency.
         [(b)  The grant administrator, with recommendations of the
  program advisory board, shall adopt] rules regarding eligibility,
  program tuition and fees, administrative costs, matching funds, and
  case management and other supports for the program.  The rules may
  include provisions for the payment in periodic installments of
  grant awards.
         SECTION 5.  The following provisions of Chapter 136,
  Education Code, are repealed:
               (1)  Sections 136.002 and 136.004; and
               (2)  Section 136.005(a-1).
         SECTION 6.  This Act takes effect September 1, 2023.
 
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