Bill Text: TX HB834 | 2013-2014 | 83rd Legislature | Introduced
NOTE: There are more recent revisions of this legislation. Read Latest Draft
Bill Title: Relating to the establishment of the Texas Fast Start Program to promote rapid delivery of workforce education and development.
Spectrum: Bipartisan Bill
Status: (Engrossed - Dead) 2013-05-07 - Referred to Economic Development [HB834 Detail]
Download: Texas-2013-HB834-Introduced.html
Bill Title: Relating to the establishment of the Texas Fast Start Program to promote rapid delivery of workforce education and development.
Spectrum: Bipartisan Bill
Status: (Engrossed - Dead) 2013-05-07 - Referred to Economic Development [HB834 Detail]
Download: Texas-2013-HB834-Introduced.html
83R6716 KEL-F | ||
By: J. Davis of Harris | H.B. No. 834 |
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relating to the establishment of the Texas Fast Start Program to | ||
promote rapid delivery of workforce education and development. | ||
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: | ||
SECTION 1. Subchapter A, Chapter 302, Labor Code, is | ||
amended by adding Section 302.0032 to read as follows: | ||
Sec. 302.0032. TEXAS FAST START PROGRAM. (a) In this | ||
section: | ||
(1) "Fast start program" means a career and technical | ||
educational program designed to help students earn career | ||
certifications and enter into the workforce quickly. | ||
(2) "Public junior college" and "public technical | ||
institute" have the meanings assigned by Section 61.003, Education | ||
Code. | ||
(b) The commission shall establish and administer the Texas | ||
Fast Start Program to identify, develop, and support methods to | ||
maximize academic or workforce education credit from public junior | ||
colleges and public technical institutes to expedite the entry of | ||
postsecondary students into the workforce. | ||
(c) The commission shall work collaboratively with the | ||
Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board, public junior colleges, | ||
and public technical institutes to accomplish the purposes of this | ||
section. | ||
(d) Through the collaboration, the commission shall develop | ||
new competency-based, rapid-deployment education delivery models | ||
for use by a public junior college or public technical institute in | ||
developing or expanding a fast start program as described by this | ||
section. | ||
(e) A fast start program under this section must: | ||
(1) focus on the current and future needs of employers | ||
in this state; | ||
(2) enable students to obtain certifications at an | ||
accelerated pace in high-demand fields or occupations, as | ||
identified by local employers; | ||
(3) incorporate competency-based learning techniques; | ||
(4) feature a variety of access channels that are | ||
uniquely designed to maximize job preparedness for identified | ||
groups such as veterans, high school graduates, and current | ||
workforce members seeking retraining; and | ||
(5) be designed for rapid deployment statewide. | ||
(f) Through the collaboration, the commission: | ||
(1) may award grants to public junior colleges and | ||
public technical institutes for: | ||
(A) the expansion of existing fast start | ||
programs; | ||
(B) the development of new fast start programs; | ||
and | ||
(C) any other activities related to the purposes | ||
of this section; and | ||
(2) shall create a variety of incentives that | ||
encourage public junior colleges and public technical institutes to | ||
expand any existing fast start programs. | ||
(g) A grant received under this section may be used only to: | ||
(1) support a course or program that prepares students | ||
for career employment in fields or occupations that are identified | ||
as high-demand by local employers; | ||
(2) finance the initial costs of developing a fast | ||
start program, including the costs of constructing or renovating | ||
facilities, purchasing equipment, and other associated expenses; | ||
(3) finance the development or expansion of a fast | ||
start program leading to a license, certificate, or postsecondary | ||
degree; and | ||
(4) offer a new or expanded dual credit fast start | ||
program jointly with a public high school. | ||
(h) The commission shall administer the program using money | ||
appropriated to the commission, money received from federal or | ||
other sources, or money from holding accounts that may be used by | ||
the commission for the purpose of skills development. | ||
(i) The commission may adopt rules as necessary for the | ||
administration of this section. | ||
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. |