Lt. Governor Dan Patrick has issued a second round of charges for Senate committees to study in preparation for the 89th Legislature. The new round of interim charges can be found here and below. The initial round of interim charges can be found here.
Business and Commerce Committee
- Non-Compete Agreements: Examine the impact of the Federal Trade Commission’s final rule on non-compete agreements on Texas employers including, but not limited to, contractual exceptions and limitations on independent contractors, for-profit and non-profit businesses, and senior executives. Identify ways to address balancing legitimate business interests of employers while also protecting employment mobility, increasing innovation, and fostering new business formation. Report on whether any changes should be made to existing law on the criteria, procedures, and remedies on enforcing non- compete and alternative agreements.
Criminal Justice Committee
- Supporting Victims of Sexual Assault: Examine the collection and processing of “rape kits” by law enforcement agencies and testing laboratories. Make recommendations to ensure that forensic evidence collected from victims of sexual assault is processed in a timely manner.
- Retail Theft: Study the effects of organized retail crime in Texas and in other states. Evaluate the reporting and legislative suggestions from the statewide Organized Retail Theft Task Make recommendations to protect the safety of retail employees and business owners in Texas.
- Financial Crimes: Evaluate financial criminal activity trends in Texas, including the fiscal impact on consumers, financial institutions, local economies, and Determine the extent of payment fraud by transnational criminal gangs. Study the impact of the Financial Crimes Intelligence Center (FCIC). Make recommendations that enhance penalties for check and payment fraud and identify ways to strengthen financial crime investigations in Texas.
Education Committee
- Improving K12-College Pathways: Review the availability of Advanced Placement and dual credit course offerings in high schools and examine the transfer requirements required for students to receive higher education course credit. Identify the current challenges to streamlining the transfer process, including adequate counseling for high school Make recommendations to ensure students receive credit for successful completion of these courses.
- Monitoring: Monitor the implementation of legislation addressed by the Senate Committee on Education passed by the 88th Legislature, as well as relevant agencies and programs under the committee’s jurisdiction. Specifically, make recommendations for any legislation needed to improve, enhance, or complete implementation of parent-approved health education.
Finance Committee
- School Enrollment Trends: Study post-pandemic student enrollment trends, and examine the possible causes behind the shift in student enrollment, including the rise in homeschooling, micro-schools, and other parental choice options. Make recommendations to ensure parents and educators have the tools and resources needed to respond to the projected enrollment changes and ensure that every child has the best educational options available to learn.
- Texas Moving Image Industry Incentive Program: Review the expenditure of funds appropriated to the Texas Film Commission for the Texas Moving Image Industry Incentive Program (TMIIIP) by the 88th Legislature and assess the effectiveness of the program in promoting media production and stimulating local economies through job creation and business growth. Analyze application trends before and after the appropriation, with attention to high- profile or large-budget productions. Additionally, review other states and international incentive programs and evaluate Texas’s workforce and educational needs in media production. Provide recommendations to improve the TMIIIP’s transparency and enhance Texas’s competitive position.
Health and Human Services Committee
- Protecting Vulnerable Texans in Emergencies: Examine commercial residential settings for the elderly and individuals with intellectual disabilities, including assisted living facilities, boarding homes, group homes, and independent living Identify emergency preparedness and response protocols required during severe weather for these populations. Make recommendations, if necessary, for the establishment and enforcement of emergency protocols to ensure vulnerable populations are protected.
Higher Education Subcommittee
- Stopping DEI to Strengthen the Texas Workforce: Examine programs and certificates at higher education institutions that maintain discriminatory diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) Expose how these programs and their curriculum are damaging and not aligned with state workforce demands. Make recommendations for any needed reforms to ensure universities are appropriately educating students to meet workforce needs.
- Core Curriculum Course Accessibility: Review student access to core curriculum courses at Texas institutions of higher education. Examine the availability of these courses both online and in-person, as well as any issues that would prevent or reduce in-person access. Make recommendations for any needed reforms to ensure that all students have equal in-person access to core.
State Affairs Committee
- Impeachment Reform: Evaluate the constitutional and statutory impeachment procedures in our Make recommendations to ensure a fair and transparent process.
- Runoff Elections: Study the prerequisites, timing, and efficiency of runoff elections. Make recommendations to increase the efficiency and lower the costs of runoff elections. Examine the 50% vote threshold to avoid a runoff, particularly when four or more candidates are running for the same Report whether the vote percentage threshold should be lowered in some instances.
- Lottery: Study “lottery courier services,” which allow their clients to purchase lottery tickets over the internet. Report on the number of couriers and the magnitude of sales from such services in Texas. Determine whether courier services are operating legally in Texas and whether a change in law is needed to respond to technological advancements to protect children in our state and to maintain original legislative intent. Recommend legislation to clarify Texas’s laws regarding online lottery sales.
- Unmasking Protestors: Study the use of face coverings and hoods designed to conceal the identity of those bent on committing crimes at protests. Recommend legislation to stop the chaos and destruction by those who attempt to commit crimes while concealing their identity during public gatherings.
- Stop Noncitizen Voting: Evaluate the current safeguards in place to prevent noncitizens from voting in elections. Recommend legislation to facilitate the removal of noncitizen voters from the voter rolls as well as legislation to prevent noncitizens from registering to vote in Texas.
- Beverages with THC: Evaluate Texas laws and regulations concerning THC beverage manufacturing and delivery. Report on the current regulations and safeguards Texas may or may not have in place for drinks with any amount of THC. Recommend legislation to protect Texas consumers.
- Public Trust in Government: Examine the current state of accountability, ethics, and transparency in local Recommend ways to bolster public trust in local government by strengthening the Public Information Act and Open Meetings Act.
- Addressing Homelessness: Study programs that address the homelessness crisis in Specifically, review programs like Haven for Hope and determine whether such programs could be a model throughout our state. Propose legislation to address the root causes of homelessness by expanding successful programs for cities of all sizes.
- Election Audit Reports: Evaluate the Secretary of State’s election audit reports. Make recommendations to secure our elections and ensure counties follow the law.
- Monitoring: Monitor the implementation of legislation addressed by the Senate Committee on State Affairs passed by the 88th Legislature. Specifically, evaluate the impact of Senate Bill 2284, relating to the sale of distilled spirits to ultimate consumers by the holder of a distiller’s and rectifier’s permit. Report whether the increased sale of distilled spirits has had a positive impact on economic development and public safety in this industry.