Below is a spotlight on legislative interim hearings posted for the month of September to date – the headline link will provide more detail on the charges, location and time of the hearing. Hearings can be cancelled, times changed or more hearings added to the calendar. For up-to-date details on legislative hearings visit the HillCo Legislative News page.
To view a live or archive broadcast of a hearing, if available, visit: House | Senate
All hearings below will take public and invited testimony unless otherwise noted.
Wednesday, September 7
House Juvenile Justice & Family Issues
The House Committee on Juvenile Justice and Family Issues will take public and invited testimony on all of their interim charges which includes: evidence-based practices around early education and parenting support and education programs and the implementation of SB 1630 984th), among others.
Monday, September 12
Senate Higher Education
The Senate Higher Education Committee will meet to study regional workforce needs and monitor: 1) Initiatives designed to create effective, clear transfer pathways for students, including the newly enacted multidisciplinary studies associate degree; 2) Implementation and progress of the Math and Science Scholars Loan Repayment Program; and 3) The progress of the pilot program enacted by the 83rd legislature relating to improving student loan default rates and financial aid literacy among postsecondary students.
Tuesday, September 13
Senate Education
The Senate Committee on Education will meet to take up digital learning opportunities in classrooms and examine existing barriers to schools' ability to provide a digital learning environment. They will also monitor legislation to establish criteria for alternative measures of assessments to meet high school graduation requirements.
Senate Health & Human Services
The Senate Committee on Health and Human Services will meet to monitor the impact of changes made by the DFPS, CPS and initiatives to reduce Medicaid fraud, waste and abuse, and other cost containment strategies.
House Defense & Veterans' Affairs & House Higher Education
Both committees will meet jointly to study the long-term viability of the Hazlewood Act, in particular the legacy tuition exemption provision.
House State & Federal Power & Responsibility, Select
The select committee on State and Federal Power and Responsibility will meet to hear invited testimony only on the following interim charges #1, #2, and #3. In addition to these charges, we will be hearing invited testimony on the subject matter of Article V that is within the committee’s jurisdiction
Wednesday, September 14
Senate Education
The Senate Committee on Education will meet to study school choice programs and tax credit scholarship programs. They will also monitor legislation establishing state intervention for public schools with unsuccessful ratings and legislation requiring a minimum number of minutes of instruction for each school year.
Senate State Affairs
The Senate Committee on State Affairs will monitor requirements for guardianships, monitor the establishment of a public integrity unit under the authority of Texas Rangers, and examine the practice of using public funds and employees for the payment processing of union dues.
Senate Transportation
The Committee will hear invited testimony only on topics and interim charges that include: an overview and update from TxDOT, DMV and DPS; monitor any new and anticipated revenue appropriated to TxDOT, monitor TxDOT efforts to propose a plan to eliminate toll roads, removing eminent domain authority from private toll corporations, ending the issuing of any new debt from TMF, and the Sunset Advisory Commission’s review of the TxDOT.
Joint Health & Human Services Transition, Oversight
The joint committee will meet to hear invited testimony only.
House Investments & Financial Services
The committee will meet to hear invited testimony only examining the short-term lending industry in Texas.
House Judiciary & Civil Jurisprudence
The committee will meet to discuss family law statutes and appropriate application of foreign law, evaluate recent efforts to make the court system more accessible for self-represented litigants, and student the implementation of the expedited actions provisions of HB 274 (82ndR).
Thursday, September 15
Senate Finance
The Senate Finance Committee will meet to monitor: Tax relief provided to property owners; gradual phase out of the franchise tax; support for and the enhancement of graduate medical education; efforts of the Department of Information Resources (DIR)to modernize the technology of state agencies; implementation of required changes to state agency contracting, purchasing, and accounting procedures; and monitor the implementation of Health and Human Services Commission Rider 50.
Senate Texas Ports, Select
Testimony will be heard on the economic impact that inland waterways, coastal ports and inland ports have on the state economy, and the future impact that the Panama Canal expansion will have on Texas ports.
Tuesday, September 20
House Natural Resources-S/C on Special Water Districts
The Committee will meet to evaluate the status of legislation to encourage joint groundwater planning, including HB 200 (84R), and monitor ongoing legal developments concerning ownership access to groundwater and the impact of these developments on property rights and groundwater management.
Wednesday, September 21
House Land & Resource Management
Examine current regulatory authority available to municipalities in their extraterritorial jurisdiction. They will also consider any reforms to state agencies to make them more responsive to Texas taxpayers and citizens; identify issues regarding the agency or its governance that may be appropriate to investigate, improve, remedy, or eliminate; determine whether an agency is operating in a transparent and efficient manner; and identify opportunities to streamline programs and services while maintaining the mission of the agency and its programs.
House Natural Resources-S/C on Special Water Districts
The Committee will meet to address Interim Charge 6: Evaluate the status of legislation to encourage joint groundwater planning, including HB 200 (84R), and monitor ongoing legal developments concerning ownership access to groundwater and the impact of these developments on property rights and groundwater management.
Wednesday, September 28
Senate Natural Resources & Economic Development
The Senate Committee on Natural Resources and Economic Development will meet to hear invited testimony on Implementation of Federal Regulations: Study the impact and identify challenges Texas faces implementing proposed federal Environmental Protection Agency regulations, including, but not limited to, the Clean Power Plan, Reduction of Methane & Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs) from oil and gas facilities, Ozone standards, Regional Haze, and Waters of the U.S. Make recommendations for legislative or constitutional action the committee considers necessary.
Thursday, September 29
House Pensions
The Committee will hear testimony on the following charge: evaluate the investment performance benchmarks utilized by the state's pension funds and the impact portfolio diversification and short- and long-term market assumptions have had on achieving expected investment returns. Analyze the fee structure and investment strategy for various investment classes to ensure the costs are reasonable and competitive versus other large public and private pension trust funds.
