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AN ACT
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relating to transferring to the Texas Workforce Commission certain |
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duties of the comptroller related to the Jobs and Education for |
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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(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) Grant Program to |
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provide grants to public junior colleges and public technical |
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institutes 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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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 institutes. |
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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 must provide |
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matching funds in accordance with rules adopted under Section |
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134.008. The matching funds may be obtained from any source |
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available to the junior college or technical institute, including |
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[in-kind contributions,] industry consortia, community or |
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foundation grants, individual contributions, and local |
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governmental agency operating funds. |
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SECTION 6. 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 7. (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 of |
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public accounts to 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 of public |
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accounts and the Texas Workforce Commission shall coordinate the |
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transfer of powers and duties, including records, appropriations, |
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disbursements, compliance audits, monitoring and enforcement, and |
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other items, to ensure a smooth transition. |
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SECTION 8. This Act takes effect immediately if it receives |
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a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as |
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provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution. If this |
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Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this |
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Act takes effect September 1, 2015. |
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______________________________ |
______________________________ |
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President of the Senate |
Speaker of the House |
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I hereby certify that S.B. No. 1351 passed the Senate on |
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April 30, 2015, by the following vote: Yeas 31, Nays 0. |
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______________________________ |
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Secretary of the Senate |
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I hereby certify that S.B. No. 1351 passed the House on |
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May 22, 2015, by the following vote: Yeas 139, Nays 1, |
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two present not voting. |
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______________________________ |
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Chief Clerk of the House |
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Approved: |
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______________________________ |
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Date |
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______________________________ |
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Governor |