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The budget proposal includes full details of the Administration’s priorities for both mandatory and discretionary spending, including spending details for both his American Jobs Plan and American Families Plan that were previously released.

Abbott has the power to veto individual line items he objects to.

Federal guidance prevented Texas officials from limiting schools’ use of federal funds.

With COVID-19 cases continuing to fall and vaccination rates rising, things are beginning to feel a bit more normal.

State adds 13,000 jobs over the month.

Training will assist restaurant owners and operators in adapting to customers’ new expectations.

Rep. Jim Murphy said lawmakers selected projects that would address the state’s nursing and medical professional shortages as the COVID-19 pandemic reiterated additional need for skilled workers.

The solutions will ultimately involve investments in education and training, more affordable and available childcare, sensible immigration reform, and other notable initiatives.

Texas joins 20 other Republican-led states in rescinding the added pay in hopes of forcing workers back into jobs.

Millions of dollars are flowing into job training in Texas, and one tech graduate says, ‘I’m livin’ my dream.’

These funds, which will be provided to all regulated child care providers, will assist them in addressing the increased operating expenses they have faced as a result of the pandemic.

The following are excerpts from the TAWB May 31 State Legislation Update. Today marks the last day of the 87^th Texas Legislature, although a special session is likely to be called to address bills that were not passed during the regular session. Below are some of the key bills that have at a minimum passed one of the legislative chambers (House of Representatives or Senate). Other bills of note which align with the TAWB 2021 State Policy Issues also are listed. 

HB 619 – Rep. Senfronia Thompson

Relating to developing a strategic plan to support the child-care workforce. Would require TWC to develop a strategic plan that would include recommendations for local workforce development boards to improve, sustain, and support the child-care workforce; and best practices from local workforce development boards in this state and other programs designed to support child-care workers. The strategic plan also is intended to support the childcare workforce that includes reporting and making recommendations to diminish gender and racial disparity, continue to educate current and future workers through a variety of different programs, to reduce turnover, and increase opportunities for development. It also adds requirement for convening a workgroup consisting of relevant stakeholders to assist TWC in developing the strategic plan.

Status: Referred to International Relations & Economic Development, Passed House, Passed Senate as amended, House concurs in Senate amendment(s)-reported 

HB 2607 – Rep. Talarico

Relating to the powers and duties of the Texas Workforce Commission and local workforce development boards regarding the provision of child care and the subsidized child care program. Would add an entry level rating for child-care providers to participate in the Texas Rising Star program and require TWC to assess the number of 3-star and 4-star rated child-care providers participating in partnerships with public school districts and public charter schools.

Status: Passed House, Passed Senate as amended, House concurs in Senate amendment(s)-reported 

HB 700 – Rep’s Johnson, Jarvis

Relating to the eligibility of foster children to receive college credit for completing the Preparation for Adult Living Program.

Status: Referred to Human Services, Passed House, Passed Senate as amended, House concurs in Senate amendment(s)-reported 

HB 3938* -- Rep. Keith Bell

Relating to the establishment of the industry-based certification advisory council and the transfer of certain duties to that advisory council.

Status: Passed House, Passed Senate as amended, House concurs in Senate amendment(s)-reported

HB 2256 – Rep. Guerra

Relating to creating a bilingual special education certification to teach students of limited English proficiency with disabilities.

Status: Referred to Public Education, Passed House, Passed Senate as amended, House concurs in Senate amendment(s)-reported 

SB 959 – Sen. Zaffirini

Relating to student success-based funding recommendations for certain continuing workforce education courses offered by public junior colleges. Would add language to add qualified continuing workforce education courses offered by colleges for which credit toward a certificate or associate ’s degree is not awarded in appropriations recommendations.

Status: Passed Senate, Passed House as amended, Senate concurs in House amendment(s) 

HB 4361 – Rep. Raney

Relating to off-campus workforce education or lower-division programs offered by a public institution of higher education at the request of an employer. Would allow employers when seeking to collaborate with a higher education partner to serve their needs, a community or junior college could have the first right of refusal to meet those needs. If the community college is unwilling or unable, local employers should be able to invite competing higher education and workforce training providers to partner.

Status: Passed House, Passed Senate; Sent to the Governor

HB 3767* – Rep.s Murphy | Oliverson | Raney

Relating to measures to support workforce development in the state, including the establishment of the Tri-Agency Workforce Initiative and additional employer workforce data reporting.

Status: Passed House as substituted, Passed Senate as amended, House concurs in Senate amendment(s)

SB 1094 – Sen. Creighton

Relating to the payment of apprenticeship education expenses using the state's programs for paying, prepaying, or saving toward the costs of attending an institution of higher education. Allows students to use their 529 accounts to pay for apprenticeship programs and qualified expenses.

Status: Passed Senate, Referred to House, Passed House as amended, Senate concurs in House amendment(s) 

SB 1095 – Sen. Creighton

Relating to notice regarding the availability to public school students of college credit and work-based education programs and subsidies for fees paid to take certain advanced placement tests. Would require school districts to notify the parent of each district student enrolled in grade nine or above of the availability of career and technology education programs or other work-based education programs, including any internship, externship, or apprenticeship programs or a P-TECH program.

Status:  Passed Senate, Passed House

SB 1524 – Sen. Hughes

Relating to a sales and use tax refund pilot program for certain persons who employ apprentices. The measure will allow for a $2,500 sales tax refund for each apprentice hired. Also, the bill will ensure that at least half of all approved apprenticeship tax refunds will go to employers who create programs in emerging fields, rural regions, with aged-out foster youth, women, veterans, and others, that would maximize the program's benefits.  

Status: Passed Senate, Passed House, Sent to the Governor

In 2021 the Texas Association of Workforce Boards (TAWB) will provide increased opportunities for companies and organizations with a stake in workforce development in Texas to support the state's 28 workforce development boards and to build awareness of their products and services. These include:

For more information, contact Greg Vaughn, (214) 620-9165; greg.vaughn@tawb.org

The Center for Work Ethic Development brings to you both, Bring Your 'A' Game and the brand-new, online Bring Your ‘A’ Game Anywhere. Both training programs build the seven foundational workplace skills of Work Ethic that employers demand. Developed with the unique needs and challenges of workforce development in mind, the two solutions give you the flexibility to deal with our new reality and prepare participants to earn their Certificate of Work Ethic Proficiency. Workplace skills will be even more important for job seekers in the days ahead and now you can develop them in person or online!

C2 Global Professional Services was founded to offer a viable, and now successfully proven, alternative to what is available in terms of service providers. We look for Workforce Investment Board partners to commit to working beyond workforce dogma to improve communities, invest in staff development to achieve exceptional customer service and invest in innovation and technology to improve the system.

CEV Multimedia has specialized in providing quality CTE curriculum and educational resources for over 35 years. In 2012, CEV introduced iCEV, an online platform revolutionizing the way CEV produces and delivers educational content. iCEV is the most comprehensive online resource for CTE educators and students offering learning-on-demand features, video clips streaming and testing and grading capabilities to any device with Internet capabilities. Additionally, iCEV acts as a certification testing platform for industry certifications. Recognized companies and trade associations such as Southwest Airlines, Express Employment Professionals, Elanco and BASF utilize iCEV as the testing platform for their certifications.

CompTIA offers training solutions to provide traditional accelerated courses and fully customized training to meet business needs. With job-focused training that mirrors the workplace, learners have greater employment and advancement opportunities. Our custom offerings include access to the entire CompTIA certification catalog with labs and hands-on training, as well as soft, employability skills training. CompTIA Custom Training brings best-in-class instructor-led training on-site or in a virtual environment to workforce development initiatives, corporations, academic institutions, government entities and nonprofit organizations.

Grant Associates is a national, award-winning workforce development company. Since opening our doors in 1997, we have collaborated with government agencies to develop workforce programs and solutions that create the opportunities that advance job seekers, businesses and local economies, all with exceptional results. At Grant Associates, we know every community's workforce needs are unique. With proven models and in active partnership with government, Grant Associates' mission is to tailor solutions that build workforce capacity, proving over the past two decades that our approach helps a community reach its true potential.