By: Branch (Senate Sponsor - Watson) H.B. No. 2036
         (In the Senate - Received from the House May 9, 2013;
  May 10, 2013, read first time and referred to Committee on Higher
  Education; May 20, 2013, reported adversely, with favorable
  Committee Substitute by the following vote:  Yeas 6, Nays 0;
  May 20, 2013, sent to printer.)
 
  COMMITTEE SUBSTITUTE FOR H.B. No. 2036 By:  Watson
 
 
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
 
AN ACT
 
  relating to the creation of a commission to identify future higher
  education and workforce needs of this state and make related
  recommendations to address those needs by the state's bicentennial.
         BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
         SECTION 1.  Subtitle F, Title 4, Government Code, is amended
  by adding Chapter 490F to read as follows:
  CHAPTER 490F. TEXAS 2036 COMMISSION
         Sec. 490F.001.  DEFINITION. In this chapter, "commission"
  means the Texas 2036 Commission.
         Sec. 490F.002.  CREATION OF COMMISSION; COMPOSITION. (a)
  The Texas 2036 Commission is created.
         (b)  The commission is composed of the following members:
               (1)  the presiding officer of the legislative standing
  committee in each house of the legislature with primary
  jurisdiction over higher education;
               (2)  the commissioner of higher education;
               (3)  the chair of the Texas Higher Education
  Coordinating Board;
               (4)  the chair of the Texas Workforce Commission;
               (5)  the chair of a governing board of an institution of
  higher education appointed by the governor;
               (6)  a trustee of a public junior college district
  appointed by the governor;
               (7)  two persons appointed by the lieutenant governor,
  one of whom must possess experience in the field of education; and
               (8)  two persons appointed by the speaker of the house
  of representatives, one of whom must possess experience in the
  field of education.
         (c)  Appointed members of the commission serve for two years
  and may be reappointed.
         (d)  Appointments to the commission shall be made without
  regard to the race, color, disability, sex, religion, age, or
  national origin of the appointee.
         (e)  A vacancy in an appointed office of the commission shall
  be filled in the same manner as the original appointment.
         Sec. 490F.003.  OFFICERS. The members serving under Section
  490F.002(b)(1) shall serve as presiding officers of the commission
  and are entitled to vote on all matters before the commission.
         Sec. 490F.004.  COMPENSATION. A member of the commission
  serves without compensation but is entitled to reimbursement for
  actual and necessary expenses incurred in performing functions as a
  member of the commission, subject to any applicable limitation on
  reimbursement provided by the General Appropriations Act.
         Sec. 490F.005.  MEETINGS. The commission shall meet at the
  call of the presiding officers and as provided by commission rule.
         Sec. 490F.006.  POWERS AND DUTIES OF COMMISSION. (a) The
  commission may adopt rules as necessary for its procedures.
         (b)  The commission, with an emphasis on the changing
  demographics of this state, shall:
               (1)  assess and identify future higher education and
  workforce needs in the state and the state's ability to meet those
  needs; and
               (2)  develop recommendations for meeting those needs by
  the state's bicentennial in 2036, including recommendations for
  achieving the following goals by that date:
                     (A)  attaining a state workforce in which at least
  60 percent of its workers hold a postsecondary credential,
  certificate, or degree of value in the workplace;
                     (B)  increasing by at least three the number of
  institutions of higher education designated as research
  institutions under the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board's
  accountability system;
                     (C)  ensuring the alignment of workforce
  development with higher education in this state;
                     (D)  increasing the college-attending population
  in this state to a level that is comparable to the best performing
  states on that measure;
                     (E)  improving the affordability of higher
  education in this state while maintaining excellence; and
                     (F)  ensuring the global competitiveness of the
  state workforce.
         Sec. 490F.007.  REPORTS. Not later than January 1 of each
  odd-numbered year, the commission shall report to the legislature
  its assessment of the state's ability to meet the future higher
  education and workforce needs of this state and its recommendations
  for meeting those needs, including by achieving the goals
  prescribed by Section 490F.006(b)(2).
         Sec. 490F.008.  EXPIRATION. This chapter expires and the
  commission is abolished January 1, 2037.
         SECTION 2.  The governor, the lieutenant governor, and the
  speaker of the house of representatives shall make the appointments
  required by Section 490F.002, Government Code, as added by this
  Act, not later than November 1, 2013.
         SECTION 3.  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, 2013.
 
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