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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to establishment of the Texas Construction Academy as a |
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residential construction training and high school center for |
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certain public high school students and high school graduates. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Subchapter F, Chapter 29, Education Code, is |
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amended by adding Section 29.191 to read as follows: |
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Sec. 29.191. TEXAS CONSTRUCTION ACADEMY. (a) The agency |
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shall establish the Texas Construction Academy as a residential |
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training center for high school juniors and seniors who are |
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interested in a career in the construction industry. |
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(b) The academy must offer: |
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(1) a residential program for high school juniors and |
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seniors; |
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(2) the high school curriculum necessary for high |
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school juniors and seniors to graduate from the academy with a high |
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school diploma; |
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(3) to the greatest extent practicable, training in |
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all areas of civil, commercial, residential, and industrial |
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construction, including training in the following specific areas: |
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(A) installing: |
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(i) electrical systems; |
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(ii) heating, ventilating, and air |
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conditioning systems; |
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(iii) plumbing systems; and |
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(iv) drywall; |
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(B) framing; |
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(C) performing concrete work; |
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(D) painting and applying other wall or exterior |
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building finishes; |
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(E) roofing; |
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(F) welding; |
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(G) pipefitting; |
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(H) operating heavy equipment; |
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(I) surveying; |
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(J) estimating the costs of materials and |
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projects; |
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(K) managing construction projects, including |
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scheduling projects and providing project leadership; and |
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(L) ensuring a safe work environment; and |
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(4) counseling concerning educational and career |
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training opportunities available to students after high school |
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graduation. |
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(c) To the greatest extent practicable, training under |
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Subsection (b) must be provided by requiring students to perform |
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construction activities. |
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(d) A student who resides anywhere in this state may apply |
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for admission to the academy for all or part of a student's junior |
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or senior year of high school. The commissioner shall by rule adopt |
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a form and procedure for applying for admission to the academy and |
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criteria for admission. |
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(e) The commissioner shall determine the location of the |
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academy based on the need in an area of this state for the type of |
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educational environment and program to be provided by the academy |
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and the cost of locating the academy in a particular area. In |
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making that determination, the commissioner shall include |
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consideration of: |
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(1) the appropriateness of various rural areas of this |
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state as a location for the academy; and |
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(2) the availability for use by the academy of a |
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facility of a school district or institution of higher education or |
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a facility donated by an appropriate private entity. |
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(f) The agency shall post on the agency's Internet website |
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information concerning the academy, including information |
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concerning the location of the academy, the program offered, |
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eligibility requirements for admission, and application forms and |
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deadlines. |
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(g) The agency shall solicit and may accept for use by the |
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academy donations of material, equipment, or facilities from a |
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public or appropriate private entity. |
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(h) During a period when regular academy classes are in |
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recess, the academy may enroll high school graduates, especially |
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recent high school graduates, in academy courses developed for that |
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purpose. The academy may charge reasonable tuition and fees as |
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established by commissioner rule to a high school graduate who |
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enrolls in an academy course. |
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(i) In addition to rules specifically required to be adopted |
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by this section, the commissioner shall adopt any other rules |
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necessary for the administration of this section. |
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SECTION 2. 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, 2011. |