HBA-CBW H.B. 3300 77(R) BILL ANALYSIS Office of House Bill AnalysisH.B. 3300 By: Solis, Jim Economic Development 4/3/2001 Introduced BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE The Texas economy has diversified significantly over the last two decades. Marked growth in the high tech industry has created a need for employees with advanced academic and technical skills. These new skill demands require higher proportions of individuals with improved academic preparation in foundation subjects like mathematics and science at the secondary and postsecondary levels as well as specialized training and certification. House Bill 3300 creates the College and Careers Pilot Program (program) to enhance public-private partnerships and collaborative efforts to promote voluntary educational improvement and workforce development opportunities for students. RULEMAKING AUTHORITY It is the opinion of the Office of House Bill Analysis that this bill does not expressly delegate any additional rulemaking authority to a state officer, department, agency, or institution. ANALYSIS House Bill 3300 amends the Labor Code to require the Texas Workforce Commission (TWC) to establish the College and Careers Pilot Program (program) to enhance public-private partnerships and collaborative efforts to promote voluntary educational improvement and workforce development opportunities for high school and college students. The bill requires the program to develop initiatives across the state to improve the transition from educational institutions to the workforce and sets forth requirements for such initiatives. The bill requires the program to emphasize post-secondary education and technology careers. The bill requires the participants in the program to provide students with opportunities to apply their academic work to authentic problems outside of the school environment and requires that special emphasis be given to mathematics, science, engineering, and technology. The bill sets forth provisions regarding specified funding sources for the program and requires TWC to examine possible funding sources for the operation of the program on a long-term basis. The bill requires TWC, not later than February 1, 2003, to report to the governor, lieutenant governor, the speaker of the house of representatives, and members of the 78th Legislature regarding the implementation of the program. The bill provides that the report must make specific recommendations regarding the long-term operation of the program and sources of funding for the program. The bill provides that the Act expires September 1, 2003. EFFECTIVE DATE On passage, or if the Act does not receive the necessary vote, the Act takes effect September 1, 2001.