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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to the Jobs and Education for Texans Grant Program. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Section 134.001, Education Code, is amended by |
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adding Subdivision (1) to read as follows: |
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(1) "Commission" means the Texas Workforce |
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Commission. |
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SECTION 2. Section 134.002(a), Education Code, is amended |
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to read as follows: |
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(a) The commission [comptroller] shall establish and |
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administer the Jobs and Education for Texans (JET) fund as a |
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dedicated account in the general revenue fund. |
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SECTION 3. Section 134.003, Education Code, is amended to |
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read as follows: |
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Sec. 134.003. ADVISORY BOARD. (a) An advisory board of |
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education and workforce stakeholders is created to assist the |
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commission [comptroller] in administering this chapter. |
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(b) The advisory board is composed of six [seven] members |
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who serve 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 [Texas
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Workforce Commission]; and |
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(6) the chair of the commission [one member of the
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public appointed by the comptroller; and
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[(7) the comptroller], who serves as the presiding |
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officer. |
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(c) The advisory board shall meet at least once each |
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quarter, or as needed, to review received applications and |
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recommend awarding grants under this chapter. |
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SECTION 4. Section 134.004, Education Code, is amended to |
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read as follows: |
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Sec. 134.004. JOBS AND EDUCATION FOR TEXANS (JET) GRANT |
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PROGRAM. (a) The commission [comptroller] shall establish and |
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administer the Jobs and Education for Texans (JET) Grant Program to |
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provide grants to public junior colleges, [and] public technical |
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institutes, and independent school districts described under |
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Section 134.007 that apply to the advisory board in the manner |
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prescribed by the advisory board. The commission [comptroller] |
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shall award the grants on the advice and recommendations of the |
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advisory board. |
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(b) Grants may be awarded under this chapter from the Jobs |
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and Education for Texans (JET) fund to defray the start-up costs |
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associated with the development of new career and technical |
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education programs at public junior colleges, [and] public |
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technical institutes, and independent school districts described |
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under Section 134.007 that meet the requirements of Section |
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134.006. |
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SECTION 5. Sections 134.006(a), (c), and (d), Education |
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Code, are amended to read as follows: |
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(a) The commission [comptroller] may award a grant for the |
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development of new career and technical education courses or |
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programs at public junior colleges, [and] public technical |
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institutes, and independent school districts. |
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(c) In awarding a grant under this section, the commission |
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[comptroller] shall primarily consider the potential economic |
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returns to the state from the development of the career and |
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technical education course or program. The commission |
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[comptroller] may also consider whether the course or program: |
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(1) is part of a new, emerging industry or high-demand |
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occupation; |
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(2) offers new or expanded dual credit career and |
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technical educational opportunities in public high schools; or |
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(3) is provided in cooperation with other public |
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junior colleges or public technical institutes across existing |
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service areas. |
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(d) To be eligible to receive a grant under this section, a |
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public junior college, [or] public technical institute, or |
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independent school district described under Section 134.007 must |
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provide matching funds in accordance with rules adopted under |
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Section 134.008. The matching funds may be obtained from any source |
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available to the public junior college, public [or] technical |
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institute, or independent school district, including [in-kind
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contributions,] industry consortia, community or foundation |
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grants, individual contributions, and local governmental agency |
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operating funds. |
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SECTION 6. Chapter 134, Education Code, is amended by |
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adding Section 134.007 to read as follows: |
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Sec. 134.007. GRANTS AWARDED TO INDEPENDENT SCHOOL |
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DISTRICT. The commission may award a grant to an independent school |
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district under this chapter if the district has entered into a |
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partnership with a public junior college or public technical |
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institute for the purpose of: |
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(1) promoting career and technical education to the |
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district's students; or |
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(2) offering dual credit courses to the district's |
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students. |
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SECTION 7. Section 134.008, Education Code, is amended to |
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read as follows: |
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Sec. 134.008. RULES. The commission [comptroller] shall |
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adopt rules as necessary for the administration of this chapter. |
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SECTION 8. (a) Not later than September 1, 2015: |
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(1) the administration of the Jobs and Education for |
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Texans Grant Program shall be transferred from the comptroller to |
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the Texas Workforce Commission; |
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(2) all rules, forms, policies, procedures, or |
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decisions of the comptroller that are related to the Jobs and |
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Education for Texans Grant Program are continued in effect as |
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rules, forms, policies, procedures, or decisions of the Texas |
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Workforce Commission until superseded by a rule or other |
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appropriate act of the Texas Workforce Commission; |
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(3) all money, obligations, memoranda of |
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understanding, leases, rights, and contracts, including grant |
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agreements, of the comptroller related to the Jobs and Education |
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for Texans Grant Program are transferred to the Texas Workforce |
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Commission, and the Texas Workforce Commission assumes, without a |
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change in status, the position of the comptroller in all |
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transferred contracts, including grant agreements, related to the |
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Jobs and Education for Texans Grant Program; |
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(4) records in the custody of the comptroller related |
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to the Jobs and Education for Texans Grant Program are transferred |
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to and become the property of the Texas Workforce Commission; and |
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(5) a reference in law or administrative rule to the |
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comptroller relating to the administration of the Jobs and |
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Education for Texans Grant Program means the Texas Workforce |
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Commission. |
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(b) Before the transfer of the administration of the Jobs |
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and Education for Texans Grant Program, the comptroller and the |
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Texas Workforce Commission shall coordinate the transfer of powers |
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and duties, including records, appropriations, disbursements, |
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compliance audits, monitoring and enforcement, and other items, to |
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ensure a smooth transition. |
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SECTION 9. An independent school district may be awarded a |
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grant in accordance with Section 134.007, Education Code, as added |
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by this Act, beginning with the 2016-2017 academic year. |
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SECTION 10. This Act takes effect immediately if it |
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receives a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each |
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house, as provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution. |
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If this Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate |
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effect, this Act takes effect September 1, 2015. |