Bill > HB1702

This bill expands the eligibility for the Lone Star Workforce of the Future Fund grant program by introducing a new category of "qualifying general academic teaching institutions" defined as small public colleges that meet specific criteria: having fewer than 10,000 students, being located in a county with less than 35,000 residents, and designated as a Minority Serving Institution (MSI) by the U.S. Department of Education. The bill allows these qualifying institutions to apply for grants alongside public junior colleges, public technical institutes, and nonprofit organizations. To be eligible, applicants must administer performance-based workforce training programs that develop skills for high-demand occupations, collaborate with local employers, demonstrate successful training and employment outcomes, secure at least 40% of their funding from non-state sources, and agree to various collaborative and reporting requirements. The bill aims to create more pathways for workforce training and employment, particularly in smaller, minority-serving educational institutions, by providing access to state grant funding. The bill will take effect immediately if it receives a two-thirds vote in the Texas legislature, or otherwise on September 1, 2025.

Labor and Employment

https://capitol.texas.gov/BillLookup/History.aspx?LegSess=89R&Bill=HB1702