By: Hinojosa	S.B. No. 1351
	(Zerwas)

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