HBA-CBW C.S.H.B. 3300 77(R)BILL ANALYSIS


Office of House Bill AnalysisC.S.H.B. 3300
By: Solis, Jim
Economic Development
4/27/2001
Committee Report (Substituted)



BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE 

The Texas economy has diversified significantly over the last two decades.
Marked growth in the high tech industry has created a need for employees
with advanced academic and technical skills.  These new skill demands
require higher proportions of individuals with improved academic
preparation in foundation subjects like mathematics and science at the
secondary and postsecondary levels as well as specialized training and
certification. C.S.H.B. 3300 creates the 21st Century Technology College
And Careers grant program to strengthen and sustain existing partnerships
in each region of the state by providing planning, coordination, and grant
funding to participants so that they may better serve the academic and
career interests of students and their parents, the workforce needs of
employers, and the economic development goals of communities in the 21st
century. 

RULEMAKING AUTHORITY

It is the opinion of the Office of House Bill Analysis that rulemaking
authority is expressly delegated to the Texas Workforce Commission in
SECTION 1 (Section 315.009, Labor Code) of this bill. 

ANALYSIS

C.S.H.B. 3300 amends the Labor Code to require the Texas Workforce
Commission (TWC) to establish a grant program to assist partnerships in
promoting voluntary educational improvement and workforce development
opportunities  primarily for secondary and postsecondary students if the
legislature appropriates money specifically for that purpose.  The bill
requires TWC to award grants to one or more partnerships in each geographic
state planning region (region).  Each state fiscal year, the bill requires
TWC to award a base allocation of $100,000 to one or more partnerships in
each region.  The bill requires TWC to distribute any additional grant
money to partnerships in accordance with an equitable allocation formula
that is determined by TWC and based on the amount of matching funds
received by TWC from partnership participants in each region.  The bill
requires a partnership receiving grant money to: 

  _develop certain initiatives to improve the transition from educational
institutions to the workforce; 

  _emphasize postsecondary education;

  _provide students with opportunities to apply their academic work to
authentic problems outside of the school environment; 

  _emphasize mathematics, science, engineering, and technology while
stressing the importance of all foundation and enrichment curricula; 

  _emphasize high-wage and high-skill jobs;

  _encourage students to take rigorous academic courses and to complete the
recommended high school program; and 
 
  _emphasize activities that are supportive of and compliant with the
essential knowledge and skills curriculum. 

The bill provides that student participation in an activity sponsored by a
partnership is voluntary.  The bill requires a partnership to require
parental consent in a form and manner prescribed by the local school board
as a condition to a student's participation in the activity if an activity
sponsored by the partnership requires significant student involvement.  The
bill prohibits an internship or other job opportunity sponsored by a
partnership from displacing existing workers or requiring a student to work
excessive or late hours.  
The bill requires TWC to appoint an interagency advisory committee
(committee) to assist TWC in implementing the Act.  The bill requires the
committee to be composed of one representative each from the Texas
Education Agency, the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board, the Texas
Department of Economic Development, the Council on Workforce and Economic
Competitiveness, the Texas Rehabilitation Commission, the Texas Commission
for the Blind, and any other state agency TWC considers appropriate. 

The bill requires a partnership that receives a grant to prepare and
deliver to TWC an annual report on the effectiveness of the partnership's
activities.  The bill requires TWC to adopt rules as necessary to implement
the Act. 

EFFECTIVE DATE

September 1, 2002.

COMPARISON OF ORIGINAL TO SUBSTITUTE

C.S.H.B. 3300 modifies the original bill by changing the name of the
program from the College and Careers pilot program to the 21 Century
Technology College and Careers grant program (program).  The substitute
requires the Texas Workforce Commission (TWC) to award grants to one or
more partnerships and sets forth provisions for the funding allocated for
such grants.  The substitute  requires a partnership receiving grant money
to meet certain criteria.  The substitute sets forth provisions regarding
safeguards for students while participating in the program.  The substitute
requires TWC to appoint an interagency advisory committee (committee) to
assist TWC in implementing the Act and requires the committee to be
composed of representatives from certain state agencies.   

The substitute requires a partnership that receives a grant to prepare and
deliver to TWC an annual report on the effectiveness of the partnership's
activities.  The substitute removes provisions requiring TWC to report its
implementation of the pilot program.   The substitute removes provisions
pertaining to the longterm funding of the pilot program.   

The substitute sets forth the purpose and construction of the bill, sets
forth definitions for "partnership" and "region," and modifies the
definition of  "participant."  The substitute prohibits the Act from being
construed to provide a partnership with any regulatory authority or control
over a decision of a state or local agency or an institution of higher
education regarding the implementation of a partnership initiative.  The
substitute requires TWC to implement the Act only if the legislature
appropriates money specifically for that purpose. The substitute modifies
the effective date of the Act.