The following meetings have been posted for the week of April 14 – 18. Hearing locations, dates, and times are subject to change.
Monday, April 14
House Homeland Security & Public Safety Committee
Monday, April 14 – 9:00 AM
Capitol Extension E2.010
As a follow-up to hearings held in 2013, the committee will meet to discuss interim charges:
Regarding the fatal explosion in West, Texas on April 17, 2013, determine if any changes should be made to existing laws and rules relating to inspection, investigation, and enforcement of chemical facilities and state entities, and make specific recommendations on how to reduce the likelihood for damage, injury, or death.
Review the Driver Responsibility Program and consider methods for overall improvement of the program.
Senate Education Committee
Monday, April 14 – 10:00 AM
Capitol Extension E1.036
The Committee will hear invited testimony followed by public testimony on the below interim charges.
Review the redesign of high school English EOC exams. For the entire STAAR assessment program, review accommodations available to eligible students as a result of the elimination of the STAAR Modified exam pursuant to changes in federal accountability regulations. Additionally, review the redesign of the STAAR Alternate assessment.
NOTE: The STAAR writing portion of this charge has not been included and will be taken up on a date to be determined.
Monitor the implementation of legislation addressed by the Senate Committee on Education, 83rd Legislature, Regular and Called Sessions, and make recommendations for any legislation needed to improve, enhance and/or complete implementation. Specifically, monitor the following:
- HB 5, relating to public school accountability, including assessment, and curriculum requirements; providing a criminal penalty.
House Public Health Committee
Monday, April 14 – 10:00 AM
Capitol Extension E2.012
The committee will meet to consider invited and public testimony on the following interim charges:
Study and make recommendations for improvements to the licensing, regulation, and monitoring of compounding pharmacies, including a review of the joint cooperative efforts between the Texas State Board of Pharmacy, Department of State Health Services, and U.S. Food and Drug Administration. Consider the impact of the passage of SB 1100 (83R), additional appropriations made by the 83rd Legislature to strengthen inspections, and any relevant federal legislation.
Examine the current practice for dispensation of biologic and follow-on biologic (biosimilar) pharmaceutical products in our state. Review any practices for interchangeability of drugs that might pertain to these particular medicines. Review and make recommendations regarding the substitution of biosimilar and biologic medicines.
House Transportation Committee
Monday, April 14 – 1:00 PM
Capitol Extension E2.014
The committee will meet to discuss the following interim charges:
Evaluate the status of Texas's port system, including a review of the structure and operations of the Maritime Division of the Texas Department of Transportation.
Evaluate the status of passenger and freight rail in Texas, including a review of the structure and operations of the Rail Division of the Texas Department of Transportation.
Conduct legislative oversight and monitoring of the agencies and programs under the committee’s jurisdiction and the implementation of relevant legislation passed by the 83rd Legislature.
Tuesday, April 15
Senate Higher Education Committee
Tuesday, April 15 – 9:00 AM
Capitol Extension E1.012
The Senate Higher Education Committee will take up the following charge:
Review and evaluate the success of Closing the Gaps by 2015, the strategic plan for higher education adopted in 2000. Coordinate with the Higher Education Coordinating Board on the next set of long term goals for higher education and monitor their progress.
House Human Services Committee
Tuesday, April 15 – 9:00 AM
Capitol Extension E2.030
The committee will convene to hear invited and public testimony on the following interim charge(s):
Monitor the implementation of Foster Care Redesign. Evaluate its impact on the child welfare system in areas of the state where redesign is underway, including transition from the legacy system, foster family retention and recruitment, placement stability, permanency, and child safety.
Evaluate the affordability and efficiency of the Texas adoption process.
Senate Veteran Affairs & Military Installations Committee
Tuesday, April 15 – 12:00 PM
Capitol Extension 2E.20
The Committee will take up the following Interim Charges:
Monitor and examine efforts to provide employment and workforce opportunities for veterans, service members, and their families. Make recommendations on how best to continue collaborating with and supporting our honored veterans as they re-enter the civilian workforce, including improving employment opportunities for veterans at all state agencies.
Monitor the implementation of the veteran occupational licensure bills passed during the 83rd Legislative Session to expedite the licensure process for those who are serving, have served, or are married to someone serving our nation in uniform. Study and make recommendations to strengthen and improve state efforts to ease the transition of military veterans and their spouses into the Texas civilian workforce.
Thursday, April 17
Public Utility Commission
Thursday, April 17 – 9:30 AM
1701 N. Congress Avenue, Austin, 7th Floor
The Public Utility Commission will hold an open meeting.
Texas Water Development Board
Thursday, April 17 – 9:30, 1:30
Capitol Extension E2.030
The Texas Water Development Board will hold a board meeting.
Senate Intergovernmental Relations Committee
Thursday, April 17 – 10:00 AM
4800 Calhoun, University Center, Houston
The Committee will meet to take invited and public testimony on the following interim committee charges:
Study and make recommendations to increase transparency in the authorization, issuance, and appropriation of debt at the local level. Make recommendations that will increase citizen awareness and understanding of a local government's fiscal state. Analyze reforms such as requiring local governments to move bond elections to a uniform date coinciding with state general elections, and requiring local governments to publicly post their annual budgets, annual financial reports, and check registers online. Survey other states' initiatives to increase transparency in the process of local governments incurring new debt obligations.
Examine the immediate and long-term fiscal impact that bonds and other types of obligations issued by local governments have on current and future generations of taxpayers. Specifically analyze whether local governments should be required to use ballot language that includes their current outstanding debt, existing per capita debt, current debt service, and any increase the ballot measure would have on property taxes. Make recommendations on additional ballot language that will better inform voters of their local governments' current and future fiscal states.
Legislative Hearings Note:
For the latest detail on House and Senate Committee meetings visit: House Committee Meetings By Date and Senate Committee Meetings By Date. Please note that additional hearings dates may also be added at any time.
You can also view a complete list of upcoming House and Senate hearings at any time by visiting www.hillcopartners.com -on the home page, click on the link to “view all hearings posted” or click on the “HillCo in the News” tab and scroll down to “Legislative News from Texas.”