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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to certain planning, notification, and evaluation |
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requirements with respect to workforce development programs in this |
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state. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Section 2308.304, Government Code, is amended by |
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adding Subsection (c-1) to read as follows: |
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(c-1) In establishing goals, objectives, and performance |
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measures for segments of the population under Subsection (c), the |
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plan must establish specific goals, objectives, and performance |
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measures for individuals who are at least 16 years of age but |
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younger than 25 years of age. |
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SECTION 2. Chapter 2308, Government Code, is amended by |
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adding Subchapter H to read as follows: |
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SUBCHAPTER H. DUTIES OF GOVERNMENTAL ENTITIES TO LOCAL WORKFORCE |
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DEVELOPMENT BOARDS AND DIVISION |
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Sec. 2308.351. NOTICE OF FINANCIAL INCENTIVE. (a) In this |
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section: |
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(1) "Commission" means the Texas Workforce |
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Commission. |
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(2) "Financial incentive" means a financial benefit, |
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including a grant, loan, or tax preference, or a combination of |
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those benefits, offered by a governmental entity to any person. |
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(3) "Governmental entity" means a state agency or |
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political subdivision of this state, including a municipality or |
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county. |
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(b) A governmental entity that provides a financial |
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incentive that results in the creation of at least 100 estimated new |
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employment opportunities shall, not later than the 30th day after |
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the date the governmental entity approves the financial incentive, |
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notify the commission and any local workforce development board |
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operating in a workforce development area where the financial |
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incentive is distributed of the plan to distribute the financial |
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incentive. |
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(c) The notice required by Subsection (b) must include: |
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(1) the estimated number of new employment |
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opportunities the financial incentive will create; |
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(2) the estimated start date for each new employment |
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opportunity created by the financial incentive; and |
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(3) a description of the skills and training necessary |
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for applicants for each new employment opportunity created by the |
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financial incentive. |
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SECTION 3. Subchapter E, Chapter 302, Labor Code, is |
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amended by adding Section 302.087 to read as follows: |
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Sec. 302.087. EVALUATION OF WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT |
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ACTIVITIES. (a) The commission shall annually evaluate: |
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(1) the effectiveness of the commission's workforce |
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development program; and |
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(2) the best practices for allocating workforce |
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development funds to and by local workforce development boards to: |
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(A) meet the current and projected workforce |
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needs of employers in workforce development areas; and |
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(B) provide workforce development services to |
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individuals who are at least 16 years of age but younger than 25 |
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years of age. |
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(b) The evaluation under Subsection (a) must include: |
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(1) a calculation of the respective percentages of |
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workforce funds spent annually on efforts to: |
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(A) increase employment among individuals who |
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are at least 16 years of age but younger than 25 years of age; |
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(B) reenroll individuals who have dropped out of |
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a public or open-enrollment charter school and who are at least 16 |
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years of age but younger than 25 years of age; and |
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(C) facilitate the participation of individuals |
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who are at least 16 years of age but less than 25 years of age in |
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postsecondary education, technical education, or the military; |
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(2) the respective numbers of individuals who are at |
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least 16 years of age but younger than 25 years of age who: |
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(A) have dropped out of a public or |
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open-enrollment charter school and are assisted in reenrollment |
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with workforce funds; and |
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(B) receive assistance in participating in |
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postsecondary education, technical education, or the military; |
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(3) for each local workforce development area: |
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(A) the respective numbers of individuals who are |
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at least 16 years of age but younger than 25 years of age who: |
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(i) are eligible for workforce development |
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services; and |
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(ii) annually receive workforce |
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development services, including the number receiving assistance in |
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enrolling in high school, a high school equivalency program, an |
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apprenticeship program, an institution of higher education, a |
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technical school, or the military; and |
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(B) the total number of workforce development |
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service providers actively serving individuals who are at least 16 |
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years of age but younger than 25 years of age in the area; |
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(4) for each local workforce development board, an |
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assessment of the board's current use of workforce funds to |
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determine and meet the current and projected workforce needs of |
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employers in the workforce development area; |
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(5) examples of efforts to reach individuals who are |
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at least 16 years of age but less than 25 years of age in which the |
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commission and local workforce development boards coordinated with |
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each of the following respective entities: |
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(A) the Texas Education Agency, school |
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districts, or open-enrollment charter schools; |
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(B) the Texas Higher Education Coordinating |
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Board or institutions of higher education; and |
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(C) the Department of Family and Protective |
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Services; and |
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(6) examples of efforts to meet current and projected |
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workforce needs in which the commission and local workforce |
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development boards coordinated with each of the following |
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respective entities: |
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(A) private employers or other members of the |
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business community; and |
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(B) workforce development service providers. |
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(c) The commission shall make the evaluation conducted |
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under Subsection (a), any information collected in the course of |
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conducting the evaluation, and any findings of the commission |
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arising from the evaluation readily available to local workforce |
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development boards, employers, institutions of higher education, |
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school districts, open-enrollment charter schools, and the public. |
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(d) Not later than January 15 of each odd-numbered year, the |
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commission shall make a report to the legislature detailing the |
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commission's findings on the effectiveness of the commission's |
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workforce development program. The report must include: |
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(1) the information described by Subsection (b); |
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(2) employment outcome information for individuals |
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who are at least 16 years of age but less than 25 years of age, |
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disaggregated by local workforce development area; |
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(3) an analysis of multiyear trends identifiable from |
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the information contained in the evaluation conducted under |
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Subsection (a), including any identifiable trends that show |
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positive impacts of workforce development programs on workforce |
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participation of individuals who are at least 16 years of age but |
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less than 25 years of age; and |
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(4) the commission's recommendation for legislative or |
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regulatory action, including recommendations for regulatory action |
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by other governmental entities. |
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SECTION 4. This Act takes effect September 1, 2025. |