The commission shall establish eligibility criteria for a person to receive a grant under this subchapter. The eligibility criteria must include the requirement that the person:

1. (1) apply to the commission in the form and manner prescribed by commission rule;
2. (2) if the person is an entity, be in good standing under the laws of the state in which the person was formed or organized, as evidenced by a certificate issued by the secretary of state or the state official of another state having custody of the records pertaining to a person formed or organized under the laws of that state;
3. (3) not owe delinquent taxes to a taxing unit of this state; and

4. (4) operate an industry-recognized apprenticeship program that:

   1. (A) provides on-the-job training under an industry-recognized, accredited training curriculum;
   2. (B) guarantees employment for participants during and on successful completion of the training period;
   3. (C) pays each participant a wage and provides eligibility for participants to receive full-time employee benefits during and on successful completion of the training period;
   4. (D) requires participants to advance their skills, at a minimum, to a credentialed, performance-verified mid-level status in a field related to the industry-recognized apprenticeship program;
   5. (E) has a duration of not more than 26 weeks; and

   6. (F) gives preference to training and hiring:

      1. (i) unemployed Texans who have filed with the commission;
      2. (ii) veterans of the United States armed forces;
      3. (iii) formerly incarcerated individuals; and
      4. (iv) underemployed individuals who are working without industry-recognized certifications or other credentials.

Added by Acts 2019, 86th Leg., R.S., Ch. 1142 (H.B. 2784), Sec. 1, eff. September 1, 2019.