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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to the establishment of the Apprenticeship Training |
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Program Sponsorship Fund. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Subtitle G, Title 3, Education Code, is amended |
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by adding Chapter 133A to read as follows: |
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CHAPTER 133A. APPRENTICESHIP TRAINING PROGRAM SPONSORSHIP FUND |
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Sec. 133A.001. DEFINITIONS. In this chapter: |
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(1) "Apprenticeship training program" has the meaning |
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assigned by Section 133.001. |
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(2) "Commission" means the Texas Workforce |
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Commission. |
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(3) "Fund" means the Apprenticeship Training Program |
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Sponsorship Fund established under this chapter. |
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Sec. 133A.002. APPRENTICESHIP TRAINING PROGRAM SPONSORSHIP |
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FUND. (a) The commission shall establish and administer the |
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Apprenticeship Training Program Sponsorship Fund as a dedicated |
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account in the general revenue fund. |
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(b) The following amounts shall be deposited in the fund: |
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(1) any money appropriated by the legislature for the |
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fund for purposes of this chapter; |
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(2) interest earned on the investment of money in the |
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fund; and |
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(3) gifts, grants, and donations received for the |
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fund. |
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Sec. 133A.003. FUND PURPOSE. The purpose of the fund is to |
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provide one-time grants to facilitate and support the development |
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of sponsors for apprenticeship training programs. |
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Sec. 133A.004. ADVISORY BOARD. (a) An advisory board of |
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education and workforce development stakeholders is created to |
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assist the commission in administering this chapter. |
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(b) The advisory board is composed of six members who serve |
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two-year terms and are appointed as follows: |
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(1) one member appointed by the governor; |
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(2) one member appointed by the lieutenant governor; |
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(3) one member appointed by the speaker of the house of |
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representatives; |
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(4) one member appointed by the Texas Higher Education |
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Coordinating Board; |
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(5) one member appointed by the commission; and |
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(6) the chair of the commission, who serves as the |
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presiding officer. |
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(c) The advisory board shall meet at least twice each |
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calendar year, or as needed, to make recommendations on awarding |
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grants under this chapter. |
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Sec. 133A.005. FUND USE. Money in the fund may be used by |
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the commission only to award grants as provided by Section |
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133A.006. |
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Sec. 133A.006. GRANTS. (a) The commission shall award |
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one-time grants to eligible entities that apply to the commission |
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in the manner prescribed by commission rule and satisfy the |
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eligibility criteria prescribed by Section 133A.007. |
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(b) The commission shall award grants under this section on |
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the advice and recommendation of the advisory board established |
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under Section 133A.004. |
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Sec. 133A.007. GRANT ELIGIBILITY. To be eligible to |
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receive a grant under this chapter, an entity must facilitate the |
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employment of apprentices in this state by managing and |
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administering an apprenticeship training program as a sponsor for |
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the program, as recognized by the United States Department of |
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Labor. |
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Sec. 133A.008. GRANT USE. Money received by an entity under |
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this chapter may be used only for expenses related to managing and |
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administering an apprenticeship training program as a sponsor for |
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the program. |
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Sec. 133A.009. PERFORMANCE BENCHMARKS. (a) The commission |
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by rule shall establish performance benchmarks for entities |
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receiving grants under this chapter. |
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(b) The commission by rule shall require reimbursement on a |
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pro rata basis by an entity that does not meet a performance |
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benchmark required by this section. |
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(c) An entity is not required to comply with a performance |
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benchmark required by this section if the entity's compliance is |
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not possible because of an act of God, force majeure, or a similar |
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cause not reasonably within the entity's control. |
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Sec. 133A.010. REPORT. Not later than October 1 of each |
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even-numbered year, the commission shall submit to each standing |
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committee of the legislature with primary jurisdiction over higher |
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education or workforce development a report on grants awarded from |
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the fund during the most recent state fiscal year and the |
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effectiveness of the fund in facilitating and supporting the |
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development of sponsors for apprenticeship training programs. |
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Sec. 133A.011. RULES. The commission shall adopt rules as |
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necessary for the administration of this chapter. |
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SECTION 2. The Texas Workforce Commission shall adopt rules |
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for the administration of Chapter 133A, Education Code, as added by |
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this Act, as soon as practicable after the effective date of this |
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Act. |
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SECTION 3. This Act takes effect September 1, 2025. |