HB 1702

relating to eligibility for the Lone Star Workforce of the Future
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
SECTION 1.  Section 134A.001, Education Code, is amended by
adding Subdivision (3) to read as follows:
(3)  "Qualifying general academic teaching
institution" means a general academic teaching institution as
defined by Section 61.003 that:
(A)  has a student enrollment of less than 10,000;
(B)  is located in a county with a population of
(C)  is designated by the United States Department
of Education as a Minority Serving Institution (MSI).
SECTION 2.  Section 134A.006, Education Code, is amended to
Sec. 134A.006.  LONE STAR WORKFORCE OF THE FUTURE FUND GRANT
PROGRAM.  The commission shall establish and administer the Lone
Star Workforce of the Future Fund grant program to provide grants to
public junior colleges, public technical institutes, qualifying
general academic teaching institutions, and nonprofit
organizations that apply to the commission in the manner prescribed
by the commission and satisfy the eligibility criteria prescribed
by Section 134A.007.  The commission shall award the grants on the
advice and recommendations of the advisory board.
SECTION 3.  Section 134A.007, Education Code, is amended to
Sec. 134A.007.  GRANT ELIGIBILITY.  To be eligible to
receive a grant under this chapter, a  public junior college, public
technical institute, qualifying general academic teaching
institution, or nonprofit organization must:
(1)  administer one or more performance-based
workforce training programs that:
(A)  lead to skill development and experiences
required for employment in high demand occupations in at least one
career field identified and listed as a high-growth career field
(ii)  the Texas Workforce Investment
(iii)  the Tri-Agency Workforce Initiative
established under Chapter 2308A, Government Code;
(B)  are developed and provided based on
consultation with and input from employers who are hiring in high
(C)  create pathways to employment for program
(D)  are delivered through classroom-based or
online instruction, work-based experiences internships, or
apprenticeships, or through a combination of those methods;
(2)  demonstrate through third-party validated data
(A)  recruiting local unemployed and
underemployed individuals to participate in the training program or
(B)  training individuals with the skills needed
to secure full-time employment paying at least a self-sufficient
wage as determined under Section 2308A.012, Government Code, in the
(C)  placing individuals in employment in high
(3)  demonstrate the ability to attract at least 40
percent of the necessary funding for training program operation
from revenue streams other than state government funding; and
(A)  collaborate with the commission, corporate
partners, and nonprofit educational partners to determine the
training programs to be provided using grant money;
(B)  secure support from local businesses to
ensure alignment between training program offerings and in-demand
(C)  collaborate with regional employers,  public
junior colleges, public technical institutes, qualifying general
academic teaching institutions, or nonprofit organizations to make
available developmental work-based experiences to further enhance
training program participants' career readiness;
(D)  engage local entities and organizations,
including local workforce development boards and community-based
organizations, to assist with identifying and recruiting eligible
(E)  provide documentation to the commission
describing training program offerings, including information
necessary to verify that the offerings will:
(i)  provide training that is not exclusive
to a single corporate partner; and
(ii)  lead to knowledge, skills, and
work-based experiences that are transferable to similar employment
opportunities in high demand occupations offered by other
(F)  comply with any additional grant conditions
prescribed by commission rule, including performance benchmarks
established under Section 134A.008 and reporting requirements
established under Section 134A.009.
SECTION 4.  This Act takes effect immediately if it receives
a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as
provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution.  If this
Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this
Act takes effect September 1, 2025.