See below for interim legislative hearings coming up in the next few weeks. Hearing dates and times are subject to change. Please note that additional hearings dates may also be added at any time.
See Texas Legislature Online for updates here: House | Senate | Joint
Committee hearing live streams and archives can be found at the following links: House | Senate
Upcoming House Committee Meetings
Securing Texas from Hostile Foreign Organizations, Select – 9/10/2024 at 9:00 AM, Location: Tyler, TX
The Committee will hear invited and public testimony on the following topics:
- Study the threat posed by hostile foreign organizations and related entities on the Texas economy, security, and values.
- Examine rates of intellectual property (IP) theft in the state and identify the industries most impacted.
Appropriations – 9/10/2024 at 10:00 AM, Location: E1.030
The Committee will hear invited testimony only on the following topics:
- Update on the Texas economy.
- Review the state finance implications of the implementation of House Bill 4990 as it relates to the Texas Pharmaceutical Initiative.
- Review the state finance implications of the implementation of House Bill 8 as it relates to the public junior college state finance program.
- Interim Charge 1: Monitor and oversee the implementation and impact of appropriations under Article II for reimbursement rates.
- Interim Charge 1: Monitor and oversee the implementation of programs assisting victims with crime and revenues associated with the awards.
International Relations & Economic Development – 9/10/2024 at 1:30 PM, Location: E2.014
The Committee will hear invited testimony only on the following topics:
- HB 1755, relating to the creation of the Lone Star Workforce of the Future Fund
- HB 4451, relating to a report by the Texas Workforce Commission regarding apprenticeship opportunities in this state for emerging and high-demand industries
- The Committee will receive an update from the Texas Workforce Commission and the Texas Economic Development & Tourism Office.
- Early Childhood Education Industry: Evaluate the current state of the early childhood education industry. Review current early childhood policies and evaluate their effectiveness, including barriers to enter the Child Care Services program.
Business & Industry – 9/12/2024 at 9:00 AM, Location: E2.012
The Committee will hear invited and public testimony on the following topics:
- HB 4, relating to the regulation of the collection, use, processing, and treatment of consumers’ personal data by certain business entities; imposing a civil penalty
- Evaluate the impact on housing prices and rent caused by institutional buyers to determine whether policy changes are needed to ensure families and individuals are not unfairly priced out of homeownership.
- Examine the proliferation of fraudulent deeds purporting to convey the sale or transfer of real or personal property. Recommend policy changes that will better protect potential victims from this illicit activity.
Judiciary & Civil Jurisprudence – 9/17/2024 at 9:00 AM, Location: E2.014
The Committee will hear invited testimony only on the following topics:
- HB 19, relating to the creation of a specialty trial court to hear certain cases; authorizing fees
- HB 841, relating to certain judicial statistics and related information gathered by the Texas Judicial Council
- HB 2384, relating to court administration, including the knowledge, efficiency, training, and transparency requirements for candidates for or holders of judicial offices
State Affairs – 9/17/2024 at 9:00 AM, Location: E2.016
The Committee will hear invited testimony only on the following topics:
- Panhandle Wildfires: Evaluate the findings and recommendations of the Investigative Committee on the Panhandle Wildfires that are within the committee’s jurisdiction and develop related legislative solutions and other actions for preventing future wildfires and improving wildfire disaster preparedness, response, and mitigation. Testimony on this charge will include invited testimony relating to key barriers to broadband deployment in rural areas.
- Economic Challenges Impacting Insurance Premiums: Examine the impact of current economic challenges on the escalating costs of insurance premiums, including factors contributing to the withdrawal of insurance providers from certain markets.
Agriculture & Livestock – 9/18/2024 at 10:00 AM, Location: E2.012
The Committee will hear invited testimony only on the following topics:
- HB 1750, relating to the applicability of certain city requirements to agricultural operations
- HB 2308, relating to nuisance actions and other actions against agricultural operations
- Agricultural Product Regulations: Study the notice procedures and issuance of written stop-sale orders by the Texas Department of Agriculture and the seizure and destruction of infested, infected, or noncompliant products. Make recommendations to ensure the private property interests of Texas agricultural producers are appropriately balanced with the state’s public safety interests.
Youth Health & Safety, Select – 9/18/2024 at 10:00 AM, Location: E2.014
The Committee will hear invited and public testimony on the following topics:
- HB 3, relating to measures for ensuring public school safety, including the development and implementation of purchases relating to and funding for public school safety and security requirements and the provision of safety-related resources.
Pensions, Investments & Financial Services – 9/19/2024 at 10:00 AM, Location: E2.014
The Committee will hear invited and public testimony on the following topics:
- SB 10, relating to certain benefits paid by the Teacher Retirement System of Texas
- HB 1666, relating to the commingling of funds by digital asset service providers; providing an administrative penalty
- ESG: Examine the ways in which environmental, social, governance (ESG) policies are contradictory to fiduciary duties and the resultant detrimental effect on investors.
- Texas Investments: Examine how legislative changes affect the investment of public funds.
- Pension Update: The committee will receive an update on the Dallas Police and Fire Pension System.
- Pension Amortization Periods: The committee will receive an update on pension systems with infinite amortization periods.
Ways & Means – 9/26/2024 at 10:00 AM, Location: E1.030
The Committee will hear invited and public testimony on the following topics:
HB 5, the Texas Jobs, Energy, Technology, and Innovation Act, relating to agreements authorizing a limitation on taxable value of certain property to provide for the creation of jobs and the generation of state and local tax revenue; authorizing fees; authorizing penalties
HB 796, relating to the creation and maintenance by an appraisal district of a publicly available Internet database of information regarding protest hearings conducted by the appraisal review board established for the district
Joint Ways & Means and Sustainable Property Tax Relief – 9/26/2024 upon adj. of Ways & Means, Location: E1.030
The Committee will hear invited and public testimony on the following topics:
- Review the impact of HJR 2/SB 2 (88S2), which provides property tax relief through various mechanisms, on achieving the goal of providing sustainable property tax relief for Texas property owners.
- Evaluate the effects of tax rate compression, limits on taxable value, and homestead exemption increases to maximize savings to property owners, and evaluate whether Texas’ economic performance and state tax revenues support further compression of school district tax rates.
- Study the viability and sustainability of eliminating maintenance and operations taxes by 2035.
- Examine historical rates of appraisal increases, and methods to reduce the tax burden of appraisal increases on all real property. Evaluate whether to extend the limitation on appraised value of certain non-homestead real property past the current expiration date of December 31, 2026, and whether to further reduce the limit on appraised value of homesteads.
- Examine the long-term value of homestead exemptions to Texas homeowners in conjunction with the impact of appraisal increases and evaluate whether to maintain the homestead exemption at its current rate.
State Affairs – 9/30/2024 at 9:00 AM, Location: E2.016
The Committee will hear invited testimony only on the following topics:
- Securing the border: Conduct a review of functions and operations of state agencies involved with carrying out Operation Lone Star as they relate to securing the border and preventing transnational criminal activity.
Upcoming Senate Committee Meetings
Natural Resources & Economic Development – 9/17/2024 at 10:00 AM, Location: E1.012
The Committee will hear invited and public testimony on the following topics:
- Enhancing Workforce Productivity: Study ways to increase the state’s workforce productivity, including access to childcare. Make recommendations, within existing resources, to maintain childcare availability to support a growing workforce.
- Cement Production Plants: Examine the impacts of permanent cement production plants on local communities. Make recommendations to ensure they are strategically situated and uphold community standards while also fostering economic development.
Education – 9/18/2024 at 9:00 AM, Location: E1.036
- The committee will consider interim charges.
Health & Human Services – 9/18/2024 at 9:00 AM, Location: E1.012
The Committee will hear invited and public testimony on the following topics:
- Children’s Mental Health: Review care and services currently available to the growing population of Texas children with high acuity mental and behavioral health needs.
- Access to Health Care: Evaluate current access to primary and mental health care.
- Initiatives to reduce Medicaid fraud, waste, and abuse, as well as other cost containment strategies; and Medicaid managed care oversight and accountability.
Transportation – 9/18/2024 at 9:00 AM, Location: E1.016
The Committee will hear invited testimony only on the following topics:
- Transportation Funding: Assess the implementation of funding appropriated by the 88th Legislature for aviation, maritime ports, international points of entry, existing rail line operations, and public transportation from non-dedicated state funds and federal funds and make recommendations to ensure these sectors meet current demands and are prepared for future growth.
- Autonomous Vehicle Safety: Evaluate autonomous vehicle operations, implementation, incident reporting, and accountability to law enforcement. Make recommendations to ensure public safety and transparency.
- Reviewing Historic Accomplishments in Transportation: Review the implementations and outcomes of key transportation funding and policy initiatives since the 84th Legislature.
- The Future of Our Economy: Evaluate President Biden’s plan to transition to all-electric vehicles, and the impact on Texans and the state economy. Assess and report on the viability of the charging infrastructure, including the need for more charging stations and upgrades to the power grid, loss of gas tax revenue for transportation and public education, barriers to widespread adoption such as consumer costs for purchasing new vehicles and installing residential charging infrastructure, and the impacts to the oil and gas economy in Texas.
Health & Human Services – 9/19/2024 at 8:30 AM, Location: E1.012
The Committee will hear invited and public testimony on the following topics:
- Senate Bill 7, Third Called Special Session, relating to prohibiting a private employer from adopting or enforcing certain COVID-19 vaccine mandates; authorizing an administrative penalty
- Senate Bill 24, relating to the powers and duties of the Health and Human Services Commission and the transfer to the commission of certain powers and duties from the Department of Family and Protective Services
- Senate Bill 26, relating to local mental health authority and local behavioral health authority audits and mental and behavioral health reporting, services, and program
- Senate Bill 1849, relating to an interagency reportable conduct search engine, standards for a person’s removal from the employee misconduct registry and eligibility for certification as certain Texas Juvenile Justice Department officers and employees, and the use of certain information by certain state agencies to conduct background checks
Border Security – 9/19/2024 at 10:00 AM, Location: E1.016
The Committee will hear invited and public testimony on the following topics:
- Securing the Texas-Mexico Border: Examine the impact of transnational criminal activity on commerce including, but not limited to, organized crime fuel theft to fund criminal operations. Make recommendations to support and strengthen interagency border operations to combat criminal enterprises.
- Support for Border Security Personnel: Consider the effect on personnel who have actively served or participated in Operation Lone Star and the impact of their service on their health and well-being, and their regular employment or assignments outside of Operation Lone Star. Study the challenges and barriers that affect the recruitment and retention of personnel engaged in border security efforts.
- Senate Bill 602, relating to the law enforcement authority of federal border patrol agents
- Senate Bill 1133, relating to a program to compensate landowners for property damage caused by certain criminal activities
- Senate Bill 1484, relating to a border operations training program for peace officers employed by local law enforcement agencies
Subcommittee on Higher Education – 9/24/2024 at 9:00 AM, Location: E1.028
- The committee will consider interim charges.
Business & Commerce – 10/1/2024 at 9:00 AM, Location: E1.028
The Committee will hear invited and public testimony on the following topics:
- Managing Texas Sized Growth: Evaluate the state’s ability to keep pace with increasing electricity demand related to population growth and energy intensive technologies such as electric vehicles and data centers.
- Innovative Power Generation: Explore emerging technologies with the potential to add new dispatchable power to our electric grid including, but not limited, to small modular nuclear reactors, advanced batteries, and new developments in hydrogen and geothermal resources.
- Addressing the Rising Cost of Insurance: Assess the impact of rising property and casualty insurance costs on Texas property owners, real estate lenders, and commercial and industrial development.
Upcoming Joint Legislative Committee Meetings
Texas Energy Fund Advisory Committee – 10/8/2024 at 9:00 AM, Location: E1.028
- The Texas Energy Fund Advisory Committee will meet Tuesday, October 8, 2024 at 9:00am to review the operation, function, and structure of the Texas Energy Fund
