| |
| |
|
|
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
|
|
|
AN ACT
|
|
|
relating to a pilot program to expand access to career and technical |
|
|
education partnerships in rural areas. |
|
|
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
|
|
SECTION 1. Chapter 12, Agriculture Code, is amended by |
|
|
adding Section 12.0272 to read as follows: |
|
|
Sec. 12.0272. RURAL WORKFORCE INVESTMENT PILOT PROGRAM. |
|
|
(a) In this section: |
|
|
(1) "General academic teaching institution," "public |
|
|
junior college," and "public technical institute" have the meanings |
|
|
assigned by Section 61.003, Education Code. |
|
|
(2) "Rural area" means: |
|
|
(A) a county with a population of less than |
|
|
100,000; or |
|
|
(B) a municipality with a population of less than |
|
|
50,000. |
|
|
(b) Subject to available funding, the commissioner by rule |
|
|
shall develop a rural workforce investment pilot program to issue |
|
|
grants for developing partnerships in rural areas among school |
|
|
districts, public junior colleges, public technical institutes, |
|
|
general academic teaching institutions, and business and industry |
|
|
to provide greater access to career and technical education and |
|
|
industry certification to high school students in those areas. |
|
|
(c) The department may not issue more than four grants under |
|
|
this section in each state fiscal biennium. |
|
|
(d) The department shall coordinate with the Texas |
|
|
Workforce Commission, the Texas Higher Education Coordinating |
|
|
Board, and the Texas Education Agency in developing the pilot |
|
|
program. |
|
|
(e) Students participating in the pilot program may receive |
|
|
not more than 60 hours of college credit before high school |
|
|
graduation. |
|
|
(f) A local workforce development board authorized by the |
|
|
Texas Workforce Commission may apply to participate in the pilot |
|
|
program if the workforce development board: |
|
|
(1) serves a rural area of the state; and |
|
|
(2) meets any other qualifications prescribed by the |
|
|
commissioner. |
|
|
(g) To receive a grant under this section, an applicant must |
|
|
commit public or private funds matching the grant in a percentage |
|
|
set by the commissioner. The commissioner shall set the required |
|
|
percentage of matching funds based on the demonstrated economic |
|
|
capacity of the community served by the program to raise funds for |
|
|
the purpose of matching the grant, as determined by the |
|
|
commissioner. |
|
|
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. |