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10 Document(s) [ Subject: Harris County ]

Committee: Senate Local Government
Title: Interim Report
Subjects: Adverse possession | Affordable housing | American Rescue Plan Act | Economic security | Extraterritorial jurisdiction | Federal funds | Harris County | Municipal management districts | Property insurance | Property taxes | Tax increment reinvestment zones | Tax relief | Trespassing |
Library Call Number: L1836.88 L811
Session: 88th R.S. (2023)
Online version: View report [114 pages  File size: 4,924 kb]
Charges: This report should address the charges below.
1. Additional Property Tax Relief and Reform: Report on the effects of prior property tax relief and reform, including the $18 billion tax cut with the $100,000 homestead exemption authorized by the 88th Legislature. Focus particularly on the interaction between SB 2, 88th 2nd C.S., and SB 2, 86th R.S. Make recommendations for further property tax relief and reform, including methods to improve voter control over tax rate setting and debt authorization, and mechanisms to dissolve taxing entities such as municipal management districts (MMDs) and tax increment reinvestment zones (TIRZs) when they have outlived their purpose.
2. Extra-Territorial Jurisdictions: Study issues related to the implementation of SB 2038, 88th R.S. and HB 3053, 88th R.S., and make recommendations to secure and enhance the protection of landowners' property rights.
3. Local Government Spending of Directly Distributed Federal Funds: Examine how local governments spend funds directly distributed to them by the federal government, such as Harris County's use of American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funds to set up a guaranteed-income pilot program. Make recommendations to ensure that the spending of such funds is transparent, accountable, and within the legitimate purposes for local governments under Texas law.
4. Housing Affordability: Study issues related to housing, including housing supply, homelessness, and methods of providing and financing affordable housing. Make recommendations to reduce regulatory barriers, strengthen property rights, and improve transparency and accountability in public programs for housing.
5. Secure Texas Against "Squatters": Review current laws relating to "squatters" or those claiming adverse possession of property. Make recommendations to streamline the process for the immediate removal of "squatters" and to strengthen the rights of property owners'.
Committee: Senate Finance
Title: Interim Report
Subjects: Bail | Border security | Coronavirus | Economy | Employees Retirement System of Texas | Federal funds | Harris County | Homestead exemptions | Hospitals | Inflation | Investment of public funds | Long-term care | Medicaid | Mental health services | Nursing homes | Operation Lone Star (Border security) | Property tax exemptions | Property taxes | Public retirement systems | Recidivism | Retirees | Russia | School finance | State employee salaries | State employee turnover | Tax and expenditure limits | Tax revenue | Teacher Retirement System of Texas |
Library Call Number: L1836.87 F49
Session: 87th R.S. (2021)
Online version: View report [108 pages  File size: 4,001 kb]
Charges: This report should address the charges below.
1. Federal Funds: Report on the state use of federal COVID-19 relief funds provided under the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act, Coronavirus Response and Relief Supplemental Appropriations Act, the American Rescue Plan Act, Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Acts, and similar federal legislation. Examine local use of federal relief funding, including funding provided to school districts through the Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief (ESSER) Fund. Evaluate the overall fiscal impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on state agencies, including costs incurred due to federal mandates. Identify barriers to the effective utilization of funds and make recommendations on the expenditure of unappropriated funds. In addition, evaluate and report on the spending by state agencies that have been utilizing "one-time" federal funding (temporary enhancements, e.g. FMAP and ESSER) sources, where federal funding will likely be significantly reduced in future biennia.
2. Property Tax Relief: Examine and recommend ways to reduce Texans' property tax burden. Review and report on proposals to use or dedicate state revenues in excess of the state spending limit to eliminate the school district maintenance and operations property tax.
3. Inflation: Review and report on the effect inflation is having on the business community and state government, including state salaries, retiree benefits, the state economy, and cost of state services.
4. Inflation: Review and report on the impact of inflation on units of local governments' revenue collections and property taxpayers' tax bills, including the homestead exemption.
5. Tax Exemptions: Examine Texans' current tax exemptions and report on whether adjustments are merited because of inflation or any other factors.
6. Russia Divestiture: Examine and report on options for state asset owners to divest their positions in companies that invest in the Russian Federation.
7. State Pension Reforms: Monitor the implementation of recent statewide pension reforms to the Employees Retirement System of Texas and the Teacher Retirement System of Texas.
8. Bail Bond Reform: Monitor the implementation of recent bail bond reform legislation along with its economic impact on the judicial and correctional system. Assess any barriers to implementation, the law’s effect on pretrial release and jail populations, and ways to further promote public safety and efficiency.
9. Operation Lone Star: Monitor appropriations and spending supporting Operation Lone Star. Evaluate and report on the effectiveness of spending to secure the southern border. Identify and report on resources needed to ensure support for the State National Guard, as well as overall resources necessary for border security for future legislative consideration.
10. Long-term Care Funding: Examine state investments in the long-term nursing home care system. Study nursing facility funding issues and the impact of the pandemic on capacity and delivery of care. Explore nursing facility quality metrics and recommend strategies to improve the sustainability of the long-term care workforce.
11. Medicaid: Monitor the financial impact of federal decision-making affecting supplemental Medicaid funding for Texas hospitals and health care systems, including negotiations between the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services and the Texas Medicaid agency regarding the state's 1115 Medicaid waiver and other federal proposals reducing supplemental funding streams for Texas.
12. Mental Health Delivery: Examine the state mental health service delivery system. Study the state's Comprehensive Plan for State-Funded Inpatient Mental Health Services and the Statewide Behavioral Health Strategic Plan and evaluate the existing state investments in mental health services and state hospital capacity. Review current forensic and civil mental health service waitlists, and recommend ways to improve coordination and outcomes to reduce waitlists. Explore and report on options for additional mental health service capacity, including building state hospitals in the Panhandle and Rio Grande Valley areas.
Committee: House Public Education
Title: Interim Report
Subjects: Academic performance | Curriculum | Dallas County Schools | Educational accountability | Educational technology | Educational tests | Harris County | High school graduation requirements | School boards | School discipline | School superintendents | Teacher evaluations | Teacher quality | Teacher training | Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills | Texas Teacher Evaluation and Support System | Truancy |
Library Call Number: L1836.83 Ed84h
Session: 83rd R.S. (2013)
Online version: View report [48 pages]
Charges: This report should address the charges below.
1. Monitor the implementation of HB 5, 83rd R.S. and report on recommendations for improvement. Work with the Texas Education Agency, the State Board of Education, and public and higher education stakeholders to ensure the creation of additional rigorous mathematics and science courses needed to address the current and projected needs of the state's workforce.
2. Explore innovative, research-based options for improving student achievement beyond standardized test scores. Evaluate standards for effective campus management as well as teacher preparation, certification, and training. Review current teacher evaluation tools and instructional methods, such as project-based learning, and recommend any improvements that would promote improved student achievement. Engage stakeholders on how to recruit and retain more of our "best and brightest" into the teaching profession.
3. Solicit input from leading authorities on the traits and characteristics of good governance, effective checks and balances between the board and administration and the effective relationship between a board and the superintendent. Review current oversight authority by the Texas Education Agency over school board policies on governance. Make recommendations on trustee training, potential sanctions, and means of grievances, as well as recommendations on whether the role of trustee or superintendent needs to be more clearly defined.
4. Review successful strategies and methods that have improved student achievement at chronically underperforming schools. Identify alternatives that could be offered to current students who are attending these schools and determine how to turn these schools around. Identify the benefits and concerns with alternative governance of underperforming schools.
5. Review the broad scope and breadth of the current TEKS in the tested grades, including the format, testing calendar, and the limitation on instructional days available. Recommend options to streamline the assessment of TEKS and focus on core concepts. Review current federal testing requirements in grades 3-8 to determine if testing relief is possible.
6. Examine the role of the Harris County Department of Education (HCDE) in serving school districts. Review the programs and services of HCDE, specifically the department’s ability to assist school districts to operate more efficiently. Report any costs or savings the HCDE provides districts and taxpayers. Make recommendations to improve the operation of the HCDE.
7. Study the impact of SB 393, 83rd R.S. and SB 1114, 83rd R.S.. Assess the impact of school discipline and school-based policing on referrals to the municipal, justice, and juvenile courts, and identify judicial policies or initiatives designed to reduce referrals without having a negative impact on school safety. (Joint charge with the House Committee on Corrections)
8. Conduct legislative oversight and monitoring of the agencies and programs under the committee’s jurisdiction and the implementation of relevant legislation passed by the 83rd Legislature. In conducting this oversight, the committee should: a. consider any reforms to state agencies to make them more responsive to Texas taxpayers and citizens; b. identify issues regarding the agency or its governance that may be appropriate to investigate, improve, remedy, or eliminate; c. determine whether an agency is operating in a transparent and efficient manner; and d. identify opportunities to streamline programs and services while maintaining the mission of the agency and its programs.
Committee: House Public Safety
Title: Interim report
Library Catalog Title: Committe on Public Safety, Texas House of Representatives interim report, 1996 : a report to the House of Representatives, 75th Texas Legislature.
Subjects: Boating | Boating safety | Concealed weapons | Driver licenses | Drug seizures | Gun laws | Guns | Harris County | Harris County Sheriff's Office | Law Enforcement, Texas Commission on | One call to dig program | One-Call Board of Texas | Pipeline safety | Private Security Bureau, Texas | Public Safety, Texas Department of | Right to Carry Act | Searches and seizures |
Library Call Number: L1836.74 p96
Session: 74th R.S. (1995)
Online version: View report [23 pages  File size: 1,029 kb]
Charges: This report should address the charges below.
1. Study procedures for assets seized during arrest, including the authority and jurisdiction of the county sheriff, chief of police and the DPS; and the relationship between those offices and respective county, city and state governing entities. The study should include a review of how the proceeds of seizures and forfeitures are used.
2. Study "one-call" and "dial before you dig" legislation.
3. Study the Harris County contract deputy program.
4. Study water safety laws for revisions that may be necessary to enhance protection of the public.
5. Conduct active oversight of agencies under the committee's jurisdiction, including implementation of SB 60, 74th R.S. and HB 713, 74th R.S..
Committee: House Harris County State Office Building
Title: Interim Report
Library Catalog Title: Report to the House of Representatives of the 62nd Legislature / House Interim Committee on the Need for and the Feasibility of Constructing State Office Buildings in Harris County.
Subjects: Harris County | State buildings |
Library Call Number: L1836.61 h24
Session: 61st R.S. (1969)
Online version: View report [22 pages  File size: 657 kb]
Charge: This report should address the charge below.
1. Study the need for and the feasibility of constructing a state office building in Harris County.
Supporting documents
Committee: House Harris County State Office Building
Title: Transcript, February 27, 1970, University of Houston
Library Catalog Title: Minutes
Library Call Number: L1836.61 H24M 2/27/70
Session: 61st R.S. (1969)
Online version: View document [43 pages  File size: 17,756 kb]
Committee: House Harris County State Office Building
Title: Transcript, March 20, 1970, Baytown
Library Catalog Title: Minutes
Library Call Number: L1836.61 H24M 3/20/70
Session: 61st R.S. (1969)
Online version: View document [40 pages  File size: 17,662 kb]
Committee: House Harris County State Office Building
Title: Transcript, April 24, 1970, Pasadena
Library Catalog Title: Minutes
Library Call Number: L1836.61 H24M 4/24/70
Session: 61st R.S. (1969)
Online version: View document [21 pages  File size: 8,963 kb]
Committee: House Harris County State Office Building
Title: Transcript, September 25, 1970, Houston
Library Catalog Title: Minutes
Library Call Number: L1836.61 H24M 9/25/70
Session: 61st R.S. (1969)
Online version: View document [22 pages  File size: 10,752 kb]
Committee: House Harris County State Office Building
Title: Transcript, October 30, 1970, Houston
Library Catalog Title: Minutes
Library Call Number: L1836.61 H24M 10/30/70
Session: 61st R.S. (1969)
Online version: View document [23 pages  File size: 10,174 kb]

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