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
House
State Affairs – 6/10/2024 at 9:00 AM, Location: E2.036
The Committee will meet to hear invited testimony on the following interim charge:
- Monitor the following agencies under the Committee’s jurisdiction: Electric Reliability Council of Texas, Office of Public Utility Counsel, Public Utility Commission of Texas, Texas Department of Information Resources, and Texas Sunset Advisory Commission.
Insurance – 6/11/2024 at 8:00 AM, Location: E2.026
The Committee will hear invited testimony only on the following subjects:
- Examine the appraisal process within property and casualty insurance policies.
- Review current funding mechanism for the Texas Windstorm Insurance Association (TWIA). Examine the role of reinsurance in relation to TWIA. Examine catastrophe funding in relation to TWIA.
- Study how Artificial Intelligence (AI)has impacted the insurance industry. Examine what functions AI serves in enhancing efficiency and risk assessment, and examine potential concerns.
- Examine the growth of the Texas surplus lines market.
- Study current factors affecting the property and casualty insurance market in Texas. Compare the Texas insurance market to other states with respect to affordability in homeowners’ insurance.
Elections – 6/12/2024 at 10:00 AM, Location: E2.036
The Committee will meet to hear invited testimony on the following interim charge:
- Monitor SB 1070, relating to the interstate voter registration crosscheck program; and
- Monitor SB 1750, relating to abolishing the county elections administrator position in certain counties.
- The Committee will also be hearing invited testimony only regarding Texas election law relating to ballot secrecy and those tasked with administering and monitoring this process.
State Affairs – 7/8/2024 at 9:00 AM, Location: E2.036
The Committee will meet to hear invited testimony on the implementation of the following bills:
- HB 9, relating to the development and funding of broadband and telecommunications services
- HB 1500, relating to the continuation and functions of the Public Utility Commission of Texas and the Office of Public Utility Counsel, and the functions of the independent organization certified for the ERCOT power region; increasing an administrative penalty
- HB 2555, relating to transmission and distribution system resiliency planning by and cost recovery for electric utilities
- HB 5174, relating to the establishment and administration of the Texas Semiconductor Innovation Consortium
- SB 1699, relating to electricity service in the ERCOT power region, including the participation of aggregated distributed energy resources in the ERCOT market
- SB 2627, relating to funding mechanisms to support the construction, maintenance, modernization, and operation of electric generating facilities
Senate
Criminal Justice – 6/5/2024 at 10:00 AM, Location: E1.028
The Committee will meet to discuss the following interim charges:
- Bail Reform: Examine “charitable bail organizations” that pay bail for defendants, thereby relieving them of any financial incentive to appear in court. Study the operations and funding sources of these organizations. Make recommendations to ensure accountability for “charitable bail organizations” that provide free bond for arrested individuals that re-offend while out on bond; further restrict these organizations’ ability to post bail for violent individuals; and promote transparency.
- Monitoring: SB 1004, relating to creating the criminal offense of tampering with an electronic monitoring device and to certain consequences on conviction of that offense.
Criminal Justice – 6/6/2024 at 9:00 AM, Location: E1.028
The Committee will meet to discuss the following interim charge:
- Stopping Child Predators: Study how predators use Deepfake technology and artificial intelligence (AI) to harm or exploit children. Monitor the implementation of House Bill 2700, 88th Legislature, relating to prosecution of certain criminal offenses prohibiting sexually explicit visual material involving children. Recommend additional legislation to protect children as technology continues to evolve.
Border Security – 6/11/2024 at 10:00 AM, Location: E1.028
The Committee will meet to hear invited and public testimony on the following interim charge:
- Securing the Texas-Mexico Border: Review state and local agencies’ participation in border security.
Business & Commerce – 6/12/2024 at 9:00 AM, Location: E1.028
The Committee will meet to hear invited and public testimony on the following interim charges:
- Electricity Market Design: Assess state efforts to provide incentives for new thermal generation. Review and report on the state of the electricity market in Texas and issues impacting the reliability and resiliency of the Texas electric grid. Consider rulemaking related to wholesale market design, including the impact of these changes on grid reliability, market revenues, costs to consumers, and the efficiency of operations. Examine and report on the direct and indirect impacts that variable resources, such as wind and solar, have on grid resiliency, consumer prices, and market uncertainty. Monitor the implementation of House Bill 1500, 88th Legislature.
- Transmitting Texas Power: Identify the future electric transmission and distribution system needs of the state and recommend ways to reduce barriers to constructing the necessary electric infrastructure to support the growing demand and changes in technology. Review and make any necessary recommendations to enhance legislation passed during the 88th legislative session, including the status of projects to improve the safety and resiliency of the transmission system, as well as the effect of current and future projects on consumer costs.
- Impact of Bitcoin Mining on the Texas Electric Grid: Study the impact of energy-intensive cryptocurrency mining facilities on the Texas electric grid. Report on whether any changes should be made to ERCOT demand response programs and large flexible load registration requirements to limit the impact of these facilities on system reliability and consumer costs.
Natural Resources & Economic Development – 6/13/2024 at 10:00 AM, Location: E1.028
The Committee will meet to hear invited and public testimony on the following interim charges:
- Preserving Texas History: Review the historical site district designation and how such designations contribute to cultural preservation, tourism, and community identity. Report on what impact this historical designation would have on property values, site preservation, and educational opportunities within certain districts including, but not limited to, the San Jacinto Battlefield, the Alamo complex, Washington-on-the-Brazos, and Goliad.
- Overcoming Federal Incompetence: Consider the impact to the Texas economy from federal interference including, but not limited to, restricting liquified natural gas exports, supply chain limitations, a net-zero carbon agenda, and other air emission provisions. Report on what impact these federal interferences will have on the Texas economy and workforce, and make recommendations to minimize the damage to Texas.
- Protecting Local Taxpayers: Examine current use and imposition of local option hotel occupancy taxes. Make recommendations to enhance accountability and increase transparency in the use of these funds.
