H.B. No. 3028
 
 
 
 
AN ACT
  relating to the use of the skills development fund and other funds
  available to the Texas Workforce Commission to support certain
  joint credit courses offered by school districts under agreements
  with lower-division institutions of higher education.
         BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
         SECTION 1.  Section 303.003, Labor Code, is amended by
  adding Subsections (b-2) and (i) to read as follows:
         (b-2)  In addition to the purposes described by Subsections
  (b) and (b-1), in each state fiscal biennium, an amount of money
  from the skills development fund not to exceed five percent of the
  amount of general revenue appropriated to the skills development
  fund for that biennium may be used as provided by this subsection.  
  Funds available to the commission from other sources may also be
  used as provided by this subsection.  Funds may be awarded under
  this subsection to a lower-division institution of higher education
  to be used under an agreement with a school district to support
  courses offered for joint high school and college-level credit or
  offered under a college credit career or technical education
  program that leads to an industry-recognized license, credential,
  or certificate. Appropriate uses of funds awarded under this
  subsection include purchasing or repairing necessary equipment for
  a course and developing a course curriculum. A course or program
  supported under this subsection must:
               (1)  have the endorsement of, or a letter of support
  from, at least one employer in this state; and
               (2)  be targeted to address the needs of high-demand
  fields or occupations, as identified by the applicable local
  workforce development board.
         (i)  In this section, "lower-division institution of higher
  education" means a public junior college, public state college, or
  public technical institute.
         SECTION 2.  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.
 
 
  ______________________________ ______________________________
     President of the Senate Speaker of the House     
 
 
         I certify that H.B. No. 3028 was passed by the House on May 2,
  2013, by the following vote:  Yeas 147, Nays 0, 2 present, not
  voting; and that the House concurred in Senate amendments to H.B.
  No. 3028 on May 24, 2013, by the following vote:  Yeas 146, Nays 0,
  2 present, not voting.
 
  ______________________________
  Chief Clerk of the House   
 
         I certify that H.B. No. 3028 was passed by the Senate, with
  amendments, on May 22, 2013, by the following vote:  Yeas 31, Nays
  0.
 
  ______________________________
  Secretary of the Senate   
  APPROVED: __________________
                  Date       
   
           __________________
                Governor