H.B. No. 553
 
 
 
 
AN ACT
  relating to the creation of a task force to identify opportunities
  for academic credit and industry recognition for inmates of the
  Texas Department of Criminal Justice.
         BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
         SECTION 1.  Chapter 19, Education Code, is amended by adding
  Section 19.012 to read as follows:
         Sec. 19.012.  TASK FORCE ON ACADEMIC CREDIT AND INDUSTRY
  RECOGNITION. (a) The Windham School District, in consultation
  with the department, shall establish a task force to review the work
  or other productive activities in which persons confined or
  imprisoned in the department engage.
         (b)  The task force is composed of the following 10 members:
               (1)  two representatives of the department designated
  by the executive director of the department;
               (2)  one representative of the district designated by
  the superintendent of the district;
               (3)  one representative of the Texas Higher Education
  Coordinating Board designated by the commissioner of higher
  education;
               (4)  one representative of the Texas Workforce
  Commission designated by the executive director of the commission;
               (5)  one representative of a private vendor operating a
  correctional facility under a contract with the department,
  appointed by the governor;
               (6)  three representatives of public junior colleges,
  as defined by Section 61.003, appointed by the governor, including:
                     (A)  at least one representative of a public
  junior college that provides education services to persons confined
  or imprisoned in the department; and
                     (B)  at least one representative of a public
  junior college that does not provide services described by
  Paragraph (A); and
               (7)  one representative of a faith-based organization,
  appointed by the governor.
         (c)  The governor shall designate a member of the task force
  to serve as presiding officer.
         (d)  A vacancy on the task force shall be filled in the same
  manner as the initial appointment.
         (e)  The task force may accept gifts and grants from any
  source to be used to carry out a function of the task force.
         (f)  The task force shall meet at the call of the presiding
  officer.
         (g)  The task force shall:
               (1)  conduct an ongoing comprehensive review of the
  work or other productive activities in which persons confined or
  imprisoned in the department engage; and
               (2)  identify opportunities for the award of high
  school credit, college credit, or joint high school and college
  credit, or the award of an industry-recognized credential or
  certificate, for engaging in that work or activity.
         (h)  The district, in consultation with the department, the
  Texas Education Agency, the Texas Higher Education Coordinating
  Board, and the Texas Workforce Commission, shall for any type of
  work or productive activity for which an opportunity is identified
  under Subsection (g), determine the actions necessary for obtaining
  the award of the applicable academic credit or industry
  recognition.
         (i)  Not later than September 1, 2021, the task force shall
  submit to the governor, the lieutenant governor, the speaker of the
  house of representatives, and the standing committees of the
  legislature having jurisdiction over the department a report that
  summarizes the review conducted under Subsection (g) and the
  district's actions with regard to obtaining the award of academic
  credit or industry recognition under Subsection (h). The district
  shall provide the task force with any information necessary to
  complete the report.
         (j)  This section expires December 1, 2021.
         SECTION 2.  Not later than December 1, 2017, the executive
  director of the Texas Department of Criminal Justice, the
  superintendent of the Windham School District, the commissioner of
  higher education, the executive director of the Texas Workforce
  Commission, and the governor shall appoint members to the task
  force established by Section 19.012, Education Code, as added by
  this Act, in the manner required by Subsection (b) of that section.
         SECTION 3.  This Act takes effect September 1, 2017.
 
 
  ______________________________ ______________________________
     President of the Senate Speaker of the House     
 
 
         I certify that H.B. No. 553 was passed by the House on May 6,
  2017, by the following vote:  Yeas 142, Nays 0, 2 present, not
  voting; and that the House concurred in Senate amendments to H.B.
  No. 553 on May 26, 2017, by the following vote:  Yeas 142, Nays 0, 2
  present, not voting.
 
  ______________________________
  Chief Clerk of the House   
 
         I certify that H.B. No. 553 was passed by the Senate, with
  amendments, on May 24, 2017, by the following vote:  Yeas 31, Nays
  0.
 
  ______________________________
  Secretary of the Senate   
  APPROVED: __________________
                  Date       
   
           __________________
                Governor