Lozano Grant Bill Opens Fund To Universities In Counties Under 35,000

The text as introduced · 675 words

89R8152 RDR-D

By: Lozano
H.B. No. 1702

A BILL TO BE ENTITLED

AN ACT

relating to eligibility for the Lone Star Workforce of the Future

Fund grant program.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:

SECTION 1. Section 134A.001, Education Code, is amended by

adding Subdivision (3) to read as follows:

(3) "Qualifying general academic teaching

institution" means a general academic teaching institution as

defined by Section 61.003 that:

(A) has a student enrollment of less than 10,000;

(B) is located in a county with a population of

less than 35,000; and

(C) is designated by the United States Department

of Education as a Minority Serving Institution (MSI).

SECTION 2. Section 134A.006, Education Code, is amended to

read as follows:

Sec. 134A.006. LONE STAR WORKFORCE OF THE FUTURE FUND GRANT

PROGRAM. The commission shall establish and administer the Lone

Star Workforce of the Future Fund grant program to provide grants to

public junior colleges, public technical institutes, qualifying

general academic teaching institutions, and nonprofit

organizations that apply to the commission in the manner prescribed

by the commission and satisfy the eligibility criteria prescribed

by Section 134A.007. The commission shall award the grants on the

advice and recommendations of the advisory board.

SECTION 3. Section 134A.007, Education Code, is amended to

read as follows:

Sec. 134A.007. GRANT ELIGIBILITY. To be eligible to

receive a grant under this chapter, a public junior college, public

technical institute, qualifying general academic teaching

institution, or nonprofit organization must:

(1) administer one or more performance-based

workforce training programs that:

(A) lead to skill development and experiences

required for employment in high demand occupations in at least one

career field identified and listed as a high-growth career field

by:

(i) the commission;

(ii) the Texas Workforce Investment

Council; or

(iii) the Tri-Agency Workforce Initiative

established under Chapter 2308A, Government Code;

(B) are developed and provided based on

consultation with and input from employers who are hiring in high

demand occupations;

(C) create pathways to employment for program

participants; and

(D) are delivered through classroom-based or

online instruction, work-based experiences internships, or

apprenticeships, or through a combination of those methods;

(2) demonstrate through third-party validated data

successful outcomes in:

(A) recruiting local unemployed and

underemployed individuals to participate in the training program or

programs;

(B) training individuals with the skills needed

to secure full-time employment paying at least a self-sufficient

wage as determined under Section 2308A.012, Government Code, in the

relevant job field; and

(C) placing individuals in employment in high

demand occupations;

(3) demonstrate the ability to attract at least 40

percent of the necessary funding for training program operation

from revenue streams other than state government funding; and

(4) agree to:

(A) collaborate with the commission, corporate

partners, and nonprofit educational partners to determine the

training programs to be provided using grant money;

(B) secure support from local businesses to

ensure alignment between training program offerings and in-demand

skills;

(C) collaborate with regional employers, public

junior colleges, public technical institutes, qualifying general

academic teaching institutions, or nonprofit organizations to make

available developmental work-based experiences to further enhance

training program participants' career readiness;

(D) engage local entities and organizations,

including local workforce development boards and community-based

organizations, to assist with identifying and recruiting eligible

training program participants;

(E) provide documentation to the commission

describing training program offerings, including information

necessary to verify that the offerings will:

(i) provide training that is not exclusive

to a single corporate partner; and

(ii) lead to knowledge, skills, and

work-based experiences that are transferable to similar employment

opportunities in high demand occupations offered by other

employers; and

(F) comply with any additional grant conditions

prescribed by commission rule, including performance benchmarks

established under Section 134A.008 and reporting requirements

established under Section 134A.009.

SECTION 4. 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, 2025.