The Texas Association of Workforce Boards (TAWB) has approved our 2021 State Policy Issues for the 87th Texas Legislature. Developed by TAWB's Public Policy Committee, the 2021 State Policy Issues was distributed to every state legislator shortly after the legislative session convened January 12.

Key issues identified by TAWB include:

The TAWB 2021 State Policy Issues also includes more that a dozen additional recommendations related workforce training, education and economic development.

The bi-weekly State Legislative Updates will be posted to the website beginning soon and throughout the session.

To see all the latest news posted on the TAWB website, click here.

The Relaunching America’s Workforce Act authorizes funding to provide essential career services and help workers attain additional skills and credentials as the economy emerges from its deepest decline since the Great Depression.

To combat food insecurity during the pandemic, the new president is increasing assistance for families receiving help to make up for free and reduced-cost school lunches. He also wants to increase food stamp benefits.

Texas Adds 67,600 Private Sector Positions Over the Month.

The Texas Workforce Commission (TWC) authorized an additional $81.5 million in federal CARES Act funding to extend the 25 percent enhanced reimbursement rate for child care providers in Texas through July 2021.

A school finance bill in 2019 boosted funding for districts, but the pandemic has since added layers of financial uncertainty.

Streamlined Jobs Website Provides Quick Access to More Than 500,000 job postings.

This is a tremendous barrier to health care access, as well as to education.

Texas Comptroller Glenn Hegar released the Biennial Revenue Estimate (BRE) today, showing the state is projected to have $112.5 billion in revenue available for general-purpose spending during the 2022-23 biennium.

In considering whether to expand the demand for care, Texas policymakers may wish to consider how to expand the supply of care. This can mean increasing the number of doctors, nurses, hospital beds, pills, lab tests and machines; or, it can mean finding ways to use current resources more efficiently.

The 53-year-old mayor has served in his current role since 2014 and before that was a member of the Massachusetts state house since 1997. Biden and Walsh have had a longstanding relationship and the former vice president presided over Walsh's second inauguration in 2018.

One key issue for 2021 is the millions who are unemployed. While employment has rebounded substantially from the bottom in April 2020, a full recovery to pre-pandemic levels will take a couple of years.

That’s a principal reason more and more information about job opportunities and salaries is being made available to students and their families, most recently by the federal government, which this month expanded a feature of its College Scorecard website showing the earnings payoffs of 37,459 majors at 4,434 colleges and universities.

The following are excerpts from the TAWB January 29 State Legislation Update of some of the notable workforce-related bills that have been filed or are moving in the 87th Texas Legislature.

HB 1032 – Rep. Thierry

Relating to certain public school workforce training programs funded by the skills development fund and to authorizing school districts to provide funding using money received under the Foundation School Program to community-based organizations for purposes of reimbursing private employers for paid internships provided to certain students in career and technology education programs in the district.

HB 33 – Rep. Dominguez

Relating to measures to facilitate the award of postsecondary course credit leading to workforce credentialing based on military experience, education, and training.

HB 626 – Rep. Rosenthal

Relating to the expansion of the Texas Innovative Adult Career Education (ACE) Grant Program to include certain nonprofit organizations providing job training to veterans.

HB 1100 – Rep. Bailes

Relating to indicators of achievement under the public school accountability system. Moves evaluation of the high school IBC list from TEA to the SBOE.

SB 102 – Sen. Menéndez

Relating to the enforcement of certain requirements regarding the transfer of course credit between public institutions of higher education. Includes enforcement of certain requirements regarding the transfer of course credit between public institutions of higher education

HB 773 – Rep. VanDeaver (companion SB 194, Sen. Powell)

Relating to indicators of achievement under the public school accountability system. Adds completion of a program of study in career and technical education as indicators of achievement under the public school accountability system.

HB 1214 – Rep. Muñoz, Jr.

Relating to requirements for certain skills development fund grant proposals. Increases requirements and accountability for skills development fund grant proposals.

HB 1411 – Rep. Gates

Relating to funding under the transportation allotment for transportation related to career and technology education and the use of transportation allotment funds by school districts to provide prepaid fuel cards to certain students.

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

A few of the recent additions to the TAWB website include:

Linking Education and Workforce: Spurring Economic Growth Across Texas

In the latest episode of our podcast about the Texas Legislature, Texas Tribune CEO Evan Smith talks to state Sen. Larry Taylor, chair of the Senate Education Committee, about whether it’s possible to fully fund last session's school finance bill, learning loss, broadband access, the STAAR test and more.

This executive order includes a provision that focuses on understanding the challenges the health care industry faces in pandemic response efforts, including challenges recruiting and training sufficient personnel to ensure adequate and equitable community-based testing.

One of the most rewarding things about serving as a nonprofit board member is the opportunity it affords to help create positive change. Board members who are hesitant to get involved in their organization’s advocacy or lobbying efforts, however, may be missing out on a tool that can be very useful in advancing the cause they believe in.

Monthly newsletter produced by TWC Labor Market and Career Information Department covering issues relating to the Texas economy.

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.

Equus Workforce Solutions:  Our dedicated and passionate team of 2,500+ workforce professionals puts the industry's best practices to work across more than 350 North American locations, assisting approximately 1.9 million job seekers and thousands of employers annually. Together with our partners and collaborators, we work every day to change lives, advance economies, and help communities thrive.

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.