LRL Home - Committees - Committee overview
Committee Members
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Dade Phelan, Chair
Ana Hernandez, Vice Chair Joe Deshotel R.D. 'Bobby' Guerra Sam Harless Justin Holland Todd Hunter |
Phil King
Tan Parker Richard Peña Raymond Eddie Rodriguez John Smithee Drew Springer |
Charges
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Monitor the agencies and programs under the Committee's jurisdiction and oversee the implementation of relevant legislation passed by the 86th Legislature. Conduct active oversight of all associated rulemaking and other governmental actions taken to ensure intended legislative outcome of all legislation, including the following:
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• Receive an update on the 2020 electric reliability forecasts announced by ERCOT and review operational successes and issues from the summer of 2019. The Committee will receive invited testimony from the PUC, ERCOT and other interested parties. Study the electric market to determine potential barriers in attracting sufficient energy supply; examine the obstacles and/or incentives for the development and deployment of new energy supply technology and peak system energy demand management technology; evaluate opportunities for competitive development of energy supply microgrids and the potential for enhancing reliability by transitioning municipally owned utilities to focus on transmission and distribution functions.Examine the enhancement of retail customers' energy supply management capability through promotion of greater retail price transparency. Examine and make recommendations concerning the build-out of necessary infrastructure to support the increased proliferation of electric vehicles, considering impacts to consumers. | |
• Study the regulation and use of unmanned aircraft in Texas, including the appropriate use of drone technology in responding to and recovering from a natural disaster. Examine opportunities for public and private sector utilization of this emerging technology while ensuring privacy protections for individuals. | |
• Study how governmental entities use public funds for political lobbying purposes. Examine what types of governmental entities use public funds for lobbying purposes. Make recommendations to protect taxpayers from paying for lobbyists who may not represent the taxpayers’ interests. | |
• Examine whether adequate ethics laws, including reporting requirements, exist relating to legislator solicitation of non-state funds, including lobby and corporate funds, used to sponsor both national and international travel for junkets and so-called "fact-finding" trips. Make recommendations for potential statutory changes relating to transparency or prohibitions. | |
• Monitor the State Auditor's review of agencies and programs under the Committee's jurisdiction. The Chair shall seek input and periodic briefings on completed audits for the 2019 and 2020 fiscal years and bring forth pertinent issues for full committee consideration. |
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