Bill Text: TX HB626 | 2021-2022 | 87th Legislature | Enrolled

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Bill Title: Relating to the expansion of the Texas Innovative Adult Career Education (ACE) Grant Program to include certain nonprofit organizations providing job training to veterans.

Spectrum: Bipartisan Bill

Status: (Passed) 2021-05-18 - Effective on 9/1/21 [HB626 Detail]

Download: Texas-2021-HB626-Enrolled.html

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H.B. No. 626

AN ACT
relating to the expansion of the Texas Innovative Adult Career
Education (ACE) Grant Program to include certain nonprofit
organizations providing job training to veterans.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
SECTION 1. Section 136.001, Education Code, is amended by
adding Subdivision (5) to read as follows:
(5) "Veteran" means a person who has served in:
(A) the army, navy, air force, coast guard, or
marine corps of the United States;
(B) the state military forces as defined by
Section 431.001, Government Code, other than the Texas State Guard;
or
(C) an auxiliary service of one of those branches
of the armed forces.
SECTION 2. Section 136.005, Education Code, is amended to
read as follows:
Sec. 136.005. TEXAS INNOVATIVE ADULT CAREER EDUCATION (ACE)
GRANT PROGRAM. (a) The grant administrator shall establish and
administer the Texas Innovative Adult Career Education (ACE) Grant
Program to provide grants to:
(1) eligible nonprofit workforce intermediary and job
training organizations; and
(2) eligible nonprofit organizations providing job
training to veterans.
(a-1) In awarding grants under the program, the grant
administrator shall take into consideration the recommendations of
the program advisory board.
(b) Grants may be awarded under this chapter from the Texas
Innovative Adult Career Education (ACE) Grant fund only to develop,
support, or expand programs of eligible nonprofit workforce
intermediary and job training organizations and of eligible
nonprofit organizations providing job training to veterans to
prepare low-income students or veterans, as applicable, to enter
careers in high-demand and significantly higher-earning
occupations.
SECTION 3. Section 136.006, Education Code, is amended by
adding Subsection (a-1) and amending Subsection (b) to read as
follows:
(a-1) To be eligible for a grant under the program, a
nonprofit organization providing job training services to veterans
must:
(1) apply to the grant administrator in the manner
prescribed by the grant administrator;
(2) provide to veterans, in partnership with public
junior colleges, public state colleges, or public technical
institutes:
(A) job training; and
(B) a continuum of services designed to move a
program participant from application to employment, including
outreach, assessment, case management, support services, and
career placement;
(3) be governed by a board or other governing
structure that includes recognized leaders of broad-based
community organizations and executive-level or managerial-level
members of the local business community;
(4) demonstrate to the satisfaction of the program
advisory board that the organization's program has achieved or will
achieve the following measures of success among program
participants:
(A) the measures prescribed by Subsections
(a)(4)(A)-(C);
(B) rapid attainment of civilian workforce
credentials; and
(C) entry into careers with significantly higher
earnings for program participants than previously achieved; and
(5) provide matching funds in accordance with rules
adopted under this chapter.
(b) The matching funds required under Subsection (a)(5) or
(a-1)(5) may be obtained from any source available to the
organization, including in-kind contributions, community or
foundation grants, individual contributions, and local
governmental agency operating funds. The grant administrator may
adopt rules requiring an organization to demonstrate compliance
with the matching funds requirement before the payment of the next
installment under an awarded grant.
SECTION 4. This Act takes effect September 1, 2021.
______________________________ ______________________________
President of the Senate Speaker of the House
I certify that H.B. No. 626 was passed by the House on April
9, 2021, by the following vote: Yeas 144, Nays 0, 2 present, not
voting; and that the House concurred in Senate amendments to H.B.
No. 626 on May 3, 2021, by the following vote: Yeas 147, Nays 0, 1
present, not voting.
______________________________
Chief Clerk of the House
I certify that H.B. No. 626 was passed by the Senate, with
amendments, on April 29, 2021, by the following vote: Yeas 31,
Nays 0.
______________________________
Secretary of the Senate
APPROVED: __________________
Date
__________________
Governor