Highlights 77th Texas Legislature - Senate

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WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT
77 th Texas Legislature
Texas Career Opportunity Grant Program - S.B. 554
by Senator Carona, et al.
House Sponsors: Representative Solis, et al.
Currently, Texas does not provide any state financial assistance to students who attend private career
colleges and schools. Allowing more people to afford and thus attend an institution of higher education and
training (IHE) may increase the level of skills found in the workforce.
Establishes the Texas Career Opportunity Grant Program (program) to provide tuition assistance to Texas
students enrolled in a qualified education program at eligible private IHEs. Requires the Texas Workforce
Commission to administer the program.
Limits individual grant amounts to the lower of the following:
• the maximum grant amount specified by the legislature in the appropriation act; or
• the amount by which the tuition and required fees at the eligible institution attended exceeds the
average amount of tuition and required fees that would be charged at a public technical institution.
Limits the total amount of grants paid per fiscal year to 50 percent of the average state appropriation in the
biennium preceding the biennium in which the grant is made.
Sets forth provisions relating to approved eligible private colleges, qualified education programs,
nondiscrimination, grant application and eligibility, and payment of grants.
Better Jobs Act - S.B. 607
by Senator Van de Putte, et al.
House Sponsor: Representative McClendon
Establishes the Better Jobs Act, authorizing a city to create a municipal development corporation (MDC) to
provide educational and job training opportunities.
Authorizes a sales and use tax (subject to voter approval) to fund the MDC, enabling cities to invest in
programs such as job training, early childhood education, after-school programs, higher education
scholarships, and literacy programs.
Authorizes the governing body of a municipality to create the MDC and requires the governing body to
conduct a performance review every five years.
Senate Research Center 320