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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to the recognition of career and technology education |
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programs by the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Chapter 51, Occupations Code, is amended by |
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adding Subchapter K to read as follows: |
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SUBCHAPTER K. CAREER AND TECHNOLOGY EDUCATION PROGRAMS |
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Sec. 51.551. DEFINITIONS. In this subchapter: |
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(1) "Career and technology education program" means: |
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(A) a career and technology education program |
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under Subchapter F, Chapter 29, Education Code; or |
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(B) a program determined by the department to be |
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similar to that described by Paragraph (A) and offered by: |
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(i) an institution of higher education; or |
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(ii) a private school, as defined by |
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Section 5.001, Education Code. |
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(2) "Institution of higher education" means an |
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institution of higher education or a private or independent |
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institution of higher education, as those terms are defined by |
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Section 61.003, Education Code. |
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Sec. 51.552. CAREER AND TECHNOLOGY EDUCATION PROGRAM |
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RECOGNITION. The commission shall adopt rules providing for the |
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recognition of career and technology education programs for |
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programs regulated by the department. The rules must: |
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(1) specify how completion of a career and technology |
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education program will be credited toward licensing for the |
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applicable program; |
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(2) establish who is eligible to provide instruction |
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in a career and technology education program for purposes of this |
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section; and |
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(3) establish standards for the essential knowledge |
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and skills of a career and technology education program, subject to |
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the approval of the State Board of Education if the courses are to |
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be offered in a high school, that include: |
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(A) requiring the program to consist of an |
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appropriate number of hours of classroom instruction and a |
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practical component; |
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(B) providing for crediting appropriate |
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on-the-job training toward meeting the requirements of the |
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practical component; and |
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(C) prohibiting a career and technology |
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education program offered by an institution of higher education |
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from being more stringent than a program offered by a public high |
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school. |
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SECTION 2. In developing the initial standards for a career |
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and technology education program under Section 51.552, Occupations |
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Code, as added by this Act, the Texas Commission of Licensing and |
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Regulation shall consult with the Texas State Technical College and |
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relevant interest groups. |
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SECTION 3. This Act takes effect immediately if it receives |
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a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as |
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provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution. If this |
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Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this |
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Act takes effect September 1, 2025. |