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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

State Affairs – 9/30/2024 at 9:00 AM, Location: E2.016

The Committee will hear invited testimony 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.

Artificial Intelligence & Emerging Technologies, Select – 10/1/2024 at 10:00 AM, Location: E2.010

The Committee will hear invited and public testimony on the following subjects:

  • Determining the impact of the application of artificial intelligence and emerging technologies on various sectors of society, including transportation, healthcare, licensed industries, and unlicensed industries
  • Formulating recommendations for legislative, policy, regulatory, and remedial actions needed to address the challenges and opportunities presented by artificial intelligence and emerging technologies.

Judiciary & Civil Jurisprudence – 10/2/2024 at 9:00 AM, Location: E2.012

The Committee will hear invited testimony only on the following subjects:

  • Examine proposals to increase judicial compensation.
  • Review proposed modifications allowing paraprofessionals to provide limited legal services.
  • Review the current use and misuse of the Texas Citizens Participation Act.
  • Discuss the use of civil nondisclosure agreements in settlements involving the sexual abuse of a child.
  • Discuss the use of court orders seeking to change an individual’s sex on government documents.

Upcoming Senate Committee Meetings

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.

Finance – 10/9/2024 at 10:00 AM, Location: E1.036

The committee will hear invited and public testimony on the following interim charges:

  • 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.
  • 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.

Criminal Justice – 10/10/2024 at 10:00 AM, Location: E1.028 (Hearing Room)

The Committee will hear testimony on the following topics:

  • 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 Force. 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 businesses. 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.
  • 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.

State Affairs – 10/15/2024 at 9:00 AM, Location: E1.028 (Hearing Room)

The Committee will hear invited and public testimony on the following topics:

  • Impeachment Reform: Evaluate the constitutional and statutory impeachment procedures in our state. Make recommendations to ensure a fair and transparent process.
  • 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.
  • Addressing Homelessness: Study programs that address the homelessness crisis in Texas. 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.

State Affairs – 10/16/2024 at 9:00 AM, Location: E1.028 (Hearing Room)

The Committee will hear invited and public testimony on the following topics:

  • 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 office. Report whether the vote percentage threshold should be lowered in some instances.
  • 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.
  • Election Audit Reports: Evaluate the Secretary of State’s election audit reports. Make recommendations to secure our elections and ensure counties follow the law.
  • 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.
  • 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.

State Affairs – 10/17/2024 at Time: 9:00 AM, Location: E1.028 (Hearing Room)

The Committee will hear invited and public testimony on the following topics:

  • Social Media & Protecting Children: Study the impact of social media use on children. Review current mechanisms in place to protect minors online. Monitor the implementation of House Bill 18, 88th Legislature, relating to the protection of minors from harmful, deceptive, or unfair trade practices in connection with the use of certain digital services and electronic devices, including the use and transfer of electronic devices to students by a public school. Make policy recommendations to further protect Texas children online.
  • Responsible Investing: Study the impact of environmental, social, and governance (ESG) factors on our state’s public pensions, with a focus on proxy voting services. Make recommendations to ensure our state’s pension systems vote and invest in accordance with their fiduciary responsibility to maximize profit. Additionally, monitor the implementation of Senate Bill 13, 87th Legislature, relating to state contracts with and investments in certain companies that boycott energy companies. Specifically, examine how a company is removed from the list of companies that boycott energy companies when the company ceases to boycott energy companies. Report on how frequently the list maintained by the comptroller is updated and make recommendations to ensure an ongoing accurate list.
  • 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 government. Recommend ways to bolster public trust in local government by strengthening the Public Information Act and Open Meetings Act.

Upcoming Joint Legislative Committee Meetings

Texas Energy Fund Advisory Committee – 10/8/2024 at 9:00 AM, Location: E1.028

  • Will meet Tuesday, October 8, 2024 at 9:00am to review the operation, function, and structure of the Texas Energy Fund