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
Human Services – 6/4/2024 at 9:00 AM, Location: E2.030
The Committee will meet to hear invited testimony on the following interim charge:
- Evaluate the appropriate role of the state in overseeing Medicaid managed care.
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.
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
State Affairs – 5/29/2024 at 9:00 AM, Location: E1.012
The Committee will meet to hear invited and public testimony on the following interim charges:
- Maintaining Election Security: Identify threats to Texas’s election integrity, including those from “Big Tech” and foreign entities. Recommend ways to neutralize such threats. Additionally, evaluate the countywide polling place program in Texas. Make recommendations to address countywide polling issues, such as increased wait times, longer travel distances, supply shortages, and reporting irregularities. Evaluate current laws that prohibit political subdivisions and public school districts from using government resources for illegal electioneering. Make recommendations to strengthen these laws and put a stop to illegal electioneering.
- Protecting Texas Land and Assets: Evaluate strategic land and asset acquisitions in Texas by foreign entities that threaten the safety and security of the United States. Further, evaluate large-scale purchases of single-family homes by domestic entities and its impact on housing affordability for Texas families. Make recommendations to ensure Texans are secure from foreign threats and homes are affordable in our state.
- Banning Delta 8 and 9: Examine the sale of intoxicating hemp products in Texas. Make recommendations to further regulate the sale of these products, and suggest legislation to stop retailers who market these products to children.
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.