H.B. No. 2994         AN ACT   relating to workforce continuing education offered by public junior   colleges.          BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:          SECTION 1.  Chapter 130, Education Code, is amended by   adding Subchapter L to read as follows:   SUBCHAPTER L.  WORKFORCE CONTINUING EDUCATION          Sec. 130.301.  DEFINITIONS.  In this subchapter:                (1)  "Adult" means a person who:                      (A)  has completed the person's sophomore year of   high school;                      (B)  is 17 years of age and has been awarded a high   school diploma or its equivalent; or                      (C)  is 18 years of age or older, regardless of the   person's previous educational experience.                (2)  "Avocational course" means a course of study in a   subject or activity that is usually engaged in by a person in   addition to the person's regular work or profession for recreation   or in relation to a hobby. The term includes a community interest   course.                (3)  "Coordinating board" means the Texas Higher   Education Coordinating Board.                (4)  "Workforce continuing education" means a program   of instruction that:                      (A)  is designed primarily for adults; and                      (B)  is intended, on completion by a participant,   to prepare the participant to qualify to apply for and accept an   employment offer or a job upgrade within a specific occupational   category or to bring the participant's knowledge or skills up to   date on new developments in a particular occupation or profession.                (5)  "Workforce continuing education course" means a   course of instruction in workforce continuing education that is   approved by the coordinating board. The term does not include an   avocational course.          Sec. 130.302.  FORMULA FUNDING FOR WORKFORCE CONTINUING   EDUCATION COURSES.  Notwithstanding Section 130.003 or any other   law, contact hours attributable to the enrollment of a student in a   workforce continuing education course offered by a public junior   college shall be included in the contact hours used to determine the   college's proportionate share of state money appropriated and   distributed to public junior colleges under Sections 130.003 and   130.0031, regardless of whether the college waives all or part of   the tuition or fees for the course under Section 130.304.          Sec. 130.303.  WORKFORCE CONTINUING EDUCATION FOR HIGH   SCHOOL STUDENTS.  (a)  A public junior college may offer, or may   enter into an agreement with a school district, organization, or   other person that operates a high school to offer, workforce   continuing education courses other than learning framework   courses, basic employability courses, and basic learning skills   courses to a person who:                (1)  is enrolled in high school on the completion of the   person's sophomore year;                (2)  is enrolled in a school that is not formally   organized as a high school and is at least 16 years of age; or                (3)  is attending high school while incarcerated, is at   least 16 years of age, and is not eligible for release from   incarceration before the person's 18th birthday.          (b)  This section does not prohibit a public junior college   from offering community interest continuing education courses   using local funds.          Sec. 130.304.  WAIVER OF TUITION AND FEES FOR WORKFORCE   CONTINUING EDUCATION COURSES. A public junior college may waive   all or part of the tuition or fees charged to a student for a   workforce continuing education course only if:                (1)  the student:                      (A)  is enrolled in high school or in a school   described by Section 130.303(a)(2);                      (B)  is 16 years of age or older, has had the   disabilities of minority removed, and is not enrolled in secondary   education; or                      (C)  is under the age of 18 and is incarcerated;                (2)  all or a significant portion of the college's costs   for facilities, instructor salaries, equipment, and other expenses   for the course are covered by business, industry, or other local   public or private entities; or                (3)  the course is taught in a federal correctional   facility and the facilities, equipment, supplies, and other   expenses for the course are funded by the federal government.          Sec. 130.305.  RULES.  The coordinating board shall adopt   any rules the coordinating board considers necessary for the   administration of this subchapter. In adopting those rules, the   coordinating board shall use the negotiated rulemaking procedures   under Chapter 2008, Government Code.          SECTION 2.  This Act takes effect September 1, 2017.       ______________________________ ______________________________      President of the Senate Speaker of the House                   I certify that H.B. No. 2994 was passed by the House on April   28, 2017, by the following vote:  Yeas 130, Nays 2, 4 present, not   voting; that the House refused to concur in Senate amendments to   H.B. No. 2994 on May 26, 2017, and requested the appointment of a   conference committee to consider the differences between the two   houses; and that the House adopted the conference committee report   on H.B. No. 2994 on May 28, 2017, by the following vote:  Yeas 146,   Nays 1, 1 present, not voting.     ______________________________   Chief Clerk of the House               I certify that H.B. No. 2994 was passed by the Senate, with   amendments, on May 22, 2017, by the following vote:  Yeas 28, Nays   3; at the request of the House, the Senate appointed a conference   committee to consider the differences between the two houses; and   that the Senate adopted the conference committee report on H.B. No.   2994 on May 28, 2017, by the following vote:  Yeas 30, Nays 0.     ______________________________   Secretary of the Senate      APPROVED: __________________                   Date                       __________________                 Governor