HBA-SEP S.B. 1656 77(R)    BILL ANALYSIS


Office of House Bill AnalysisS.B. 1656
By: Sibley
Economic Development
5/7/2001
Engrossed



BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE 

Since the creation of the Texas Council on Workforce and Economic
Competitiveness (council), both state and federal laws have been amended
and repealed.  As a result, the existing law contains outdated references
and assigns duties to the council which no longer need to be performed.
Senate Bill 1656 conforms the list of duties and responsibilities of the
council to existing law.   

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

Senate Bill 1656 amends the Government Code to delete provisions requiring
the Council on Workforce and Economic Competitiveness (council) to assume
the duty to participate directly in the development of the state plan for
career and technology education and recommend the plan to the Texas
Education Agency, to ensure that the general revenue funds previously
available to the Texas Literary Council are used to support the efforts of
local literacy councils in a manner consistent with the state strategic
plan, and to recommend to the State Board of Vocational Education the
division of federal funds between secondary and postsecondary educational
agencies under the Carl D. Perkins Vocational and Applied Technology
Education Act. 

The bill also deletes the provision that the council is required to assume
the responsibilities assigned to the state advisory council under certain
federal laws.  In addition, the bill deletes the provision requiring the
council to assume the responsibilities formerly exercised by the State Job
Training Coordinating Council, the Texas Council on Vocational Education,
and the Texas Literary Council.   

EFFECTIVE DATE

September 1, 2001.