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
Public Education – 8/12/2024 at 9:00 AM, Location: E2.010
The House Committee on Public Education will meet to hear invited and public testimony on the following interim charges:
- Monitor the agencies and programs under the Committee’s jurisdiction and oversee the implementation of relevant legislation passed by the 88th Legislature. Conduct active oversight of all associated rulemaking and other governmental actions taken to ensure the intended legislative outcome of all legislation, including the following:
- HB 1605, relating to instructional material and technology, the adoption of essential knowledge and skills for certain public school foundation curriculum subjects, and the extension of additional state aid to school districts for the provision of certain instructional materials; authorizing a fee;
- HB 2209, relating to establishing the Rural Pathway Excellence Partnership (R-PEP) program and creating an allotment and outcomes bonus under the Foundation School Program to support the program; and
- SB 2124, relating to an advanced mathematics program for public school students in middle school.
Public Education – 8/13/2024 at 9:00 AM, Location: E2.010
The House Committee on Public Education will meet to hear invited and public testimony on the following interim charges:
- Examine the causes for and the impact to student outcomes of the increasing number of newly hired Texas teachers who are not certified by the State Board for Educator Certification. Make recommendations to enhance opportunities for uncertified teachers to become certified and strengthen parental rights and notifications.
- Evaluate opportunities to improve students’ foundational early literacy and numeracy outcomes in Pre-Kindergarten through the third grade. Study best practices for identifying students requiring reading and math intervention and providing evidence-based intervention strategies. Recommend changes and evaluate investments to increase the number of students achieving reading and math proficiency by the end of third grade.
Agriculture & Livestock – 8/13/2024 at 10:00 AM, Location: E2.016
The committee will hear invited testimony only on the following interim charges:
- Monitor HB 1750, relating to the applicability of certain city requirements to agricultural operations
- Monitor HB 2308, relating to nuisance actions and other actions against agricultural operations
- Examine foreign ownership of farm-, timber-, and pastureland and agricultural processing facilities in Texas to determine whether Texas industries and supply chains are adequately protected from threats and disruptions and if further safeguards and restrictions on ownership are needed.
Homeland Security & Public Safety – 8/15/2024 at 10:00 AM, Location: E2.012
The committee will hear invited testimony only on the following interim charges:
- Monitoring: HB 3290, relating to the next generation 9-1-1 service fund
- Monitoring: SB 602, relating to the law enforcement authority of federal border patrol agents
- Use of Less-Lethal Devices in Law Enforcement: Study the use of less-lethal devices in law enforcement encounters, including recent incidents, and their potential to reduce the risk of death or injury to officers and suspects. Consider methods to increase the use of less-lethal devices for the safety and benefit of all parties.
- Communications Interoperability: Study the communications challenges of first responders and emergency personnel. Make recommendations, considering the need for a cross-agency communications upgrade or statewide interoperability plan, to increase reliable, available, and modern communications for public safety and emergency response purposes in communities across the state.
State Affairs – 8/16/2024 at 9:00 AM, Location: JHR 140
The Committee will meet to hear invited testimony on the following interim charge:
- Review TWIA Funding: Review current state policy as it relates to the operation and funding of the Texas Windstorm Insurance Association (TWIA), including state agency capacity to effectively oversee TWIA.
State Affairs – 9/17/2024 at 9:00 AM, Location: JHR 140
The Committee will meet to hear invited testimony on the following interim charge:
- 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. Investigate solutions to help Texans more easily and affordably obtain property and casualty insurance coverage. Evaluate long-term strategies for shifting from state-funded insurance programs to sustainable private market alternatives.
Senate
Business & Commerce – 8/27/2024 at 9:00 AM, Location: E1.012
The Committee will meet to hear invited and public testimony on the following interim charges:
- Artificial Intelligence: Examine the development and utilization of artificial intelligence (AI). Evaluate the implications of AI adoption across the public and private sectors. Make recommendations for a responsible regulatory framework for AI development, including data privacy, industry standards, consumer protections, risk mitigation, and compliance processes. Propose any necessary changes to state law to protect the Texas radio, television, music, and film industries against unauthorized use by AI. Monitor the findings of the Texas Artificial Intelligence Advisory Council.
- Texas Energy Fund: Review and report on the impact of Senate Bill 2627, the Powering Texas Forward Act, as passed by the 88th Legislature, which established the Texas Energy Fund (TEF) to provide grants and loans to finance the construction, maintenance, modernization, and operation of electric facilities in Texas.
Water, Agriculture and Rural Affairs – 9/3/2024 at 10:00 AM, Location: E1.012 (Hearing Room)
The Committee will meet to hear invited and public testimony on the following interim charge and monitor the implementation of the following bills:
- Water System Reliability: Evaluate water systems in Texas and identify opportunities to better equip those systems to serve the public.
- SB 28, relating to financial assistance provided and programs administered by the Texas Water Development Board
- SB 1289, relating to the disposal of reclaimed wastewater
- SB 1414, relating to the temporary regulation of the practice of veterinary medicine by the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation
- SB 1648, relating to the Centennial Parks Conservation Fund
Finance – 9/4/2024 at 10:00 AM, Location: E1.036
The Committee will meet to hear invited and public testimony on the following interim charges:
- Continue Cutting Property Taxes: Identify the best combination to further increase the amount of homestead exemption and compression to continue cutting Texans’ property taxes.
- Additionally, establish and report on the cost of eliminating:
- All school property taxes; and
- All property taxes.
- School maintenance and operation property taxes;
- Determine the fiscal consequences of each action, including whether revenue reallocations would be required for public education funding and local government funding, and impacts on the state’s ability to respond to disasters and other urgent priorities. For example, determine the effect on other state programs if general revenue were used to fully replace school property taxes, particularly during economic downturns. Evaluate and report on how much state revenue would need to be generated to replace foregone property tax revenue, and from what source.
- Monitor Senate Bill 2 and House Joint Resolution 2, 88th Legislature, Second Called Special Session.
Finance – 9/5/2024 at 9:00 AM, Location: E1.036 (Finance Room)
The Committee will meet to hear invited and public testimony on the following interim charges:
- Mental Health Services and Inpatient Facilities: Monitor the implementation of Senate Bill 30, 88th Legislature, Regular Session, with regard to appropriations made for expanding mental health services and inpatient facilities across the state.
- Monitor the Texas Energy Fund, SB 2627; Texas Water Fund, SB 28; Centennial Parks Conservation Fund, SB 1648; and the Broadband Infrastructure Fund, HB 9
Natural Resources & Economic Development – 9/17/2024 at 10:00 AM, Location: E1.012 (Hearing Room)
The Committee will meet to hear invited and public testimony on the following interim charges:
- 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.
- 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.
Transportation – 9/18/2024 at 9:00 AM, Location: E1.016
The Committee will hear invited testimony only on the following interim charges:
- 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. Report on trends or patterns to guide future planning and governance.
- 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 – 9/18/2024 at 10:00 AM, Location: E1.012
The Committee will hear invited and public testimony on the following interim charges:
- 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. Make recommendations to improve access to care and services for these children that will support family preservation and prevent them from entering the child welfare system.
- Access to Health Care: Evaluate current access to primary and mental health care. Examine whether regulatory and licensing flexibilities could improve access to care, particularly in medically underserved areas of Texas. Make recommendations, if any, to improve access to care while maintaining patient safety.
Border Security – 9/19/2024 at 10:00 AM, Location: E1.016
The Committee will hear invited and public testimony on the following interim charges:
- 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.
- Monitoring: Monitor the implementation of legislation addressed by the Senate Committee on Border Security passed by the 88th Legislature, as well as relevant agencies and programs under the committee’s jurisdiction. Specifically, make recommendations for any legislation needed to improve, enhance, or complete implementation of the following:
- 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; and
- Senate Bill 1484, relating to a border operations training program for peace officers employed by local law enforcement agencies.
Business & Commerce – 10/1/2024 at 9:00 AM, Location: E1.012
The committee will meet to consider interim charges.
