Sec. 135.61.  FORECASTING TECHNICAL EDUCATION PROGRAM NEEDS.  (a)  The board shall develop and administer a program to forecast the types of technical education programs that are needed to maintain and improve the state's economic and technological competitiveness.
(b)  The program shall review the state's business and industry workforce needs for trained and educated workers and suggest specific technical education programs in specific areas that are needed to ensure or that would enhance the state's economic and technological competitiveness.  The board may recommend the creation of new technical education programs or new methods of delivering technical education programs.
(c)  The board shall provide information and recommendations developed under the program to any institution of higher education, as defined by Section 61.003, that:
(1)  provides technical education programs;  or
(2)  the board determines should offer technical education programs for the purpose of Subsection (a).
Added by Acts 1999, 76th Leg., ch. 1563, Sec. 1, eff. June 19, 1999.