Today's Committee Meetings on the LRL website is a calendar of interim committee hearings with links to agendas. Below are resources related to upcoming Interim Hearings.
May 10, 2022
House Committee on House Committee on Licensing & Administrative Procedures
Charge 1: Monitor the agencies and programs under the Committee's jurisdiction and oversee the implementation of relevant legislation passed by the 87th Legislature. Conduct active oversight of all the associated rulemaking and other governmental actions taken to ensure the intended legislative outcome of all legislation including the following:
- HB 636, relating to the continuation and functions of the Texas State Board of Plumbing Examiners; and
- Staff Report With Final Results: Texas State Board of Plumbing Examiners, Sunset Advisory Commission, June 2019
- Executive Order No. GA-06, Relating to Necessary Assistance From Qualified Plumbers With Disaster Recovery and Preparedness, Governor Greg Abbott, June 13, 2019
- HB 1560, relating to the continuation and functions of the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation.
- Staff Report With Final Results: Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation, Sunset Advisory Commission, June 2021
Charge 3: Evaluate the qualifications for massage establishments, including gaps and loopholes in the application, monitoring, enforcement, and complaint processes that allow unlawful activity to occur. Consider the multidisciplinary and intergovernmental collaboration required to reduce illicit massage establishments and connect victims with services. Make recommendations to protect Texans against unlawful activity and victimization such as human trafficking.
- Staff Report With Final Results: Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation, Sunset Advisory Commission, June 2021
- Occupational Licensing Final Report: Assessing State Policies and Practices, National Conference of State Legislatures, December 2020
- Human Trafficking State Laws, Awareness & Regulation (Massage services), National Conference of State Legislatures
- Massage Therapy, Texas Department of Licensing & Regulation
Senate Committee on Higher Education
Charge: Workforce Education: Evaluate state efforts to support access to work-based learning and microcredential opportunities, including apprenticeships, industry-based certificates and certifications, as well as competency-based education. Assess the potential benefits of expanding access to work-based learning, apprenticeships, microcredentials, and industry-based certifications that are aligned to workforce needs and provide in-demand workforce skills and competencies. Evaluate existing resources and programs at institutions, the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board, the Texas Education Agency, and the Texas Workforce Commission to support these opportunities and ultimately reach Tri-Agency goals. Consider recommendations to standardize these programs in order increase postsecondary degree completions.
- "Trying to Give Students in Low-wage Majors Some Extra Skills They Can Cash In On" (Microcredential pilot program at The University of Texas System), The Hechinger Report, February 18, 2022
- Credentials of Value, National Conference of State Legislatures, February 17, 2021
- Texas Credentials for the Future Initiative, The University of Texas System
- Tri-Agency Workforce Initiative, Office of the Governor, Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board, Texas Education Agency, and Texas Workforce Commission
Charge: Enrollment Trends: Study the postsecondary enrollment trends across all sectors and levels of higher education in Texas, with a review on specific challenges to enrollment. Consider the impact the COVID-19 pandemic has had on direct high school-to-college enrollment, first-time college enrollment, transferability, and retention rates, as well as the overall impact on community college enrollment. Make recommendations on specific methods to address disparities and pandemic impacts relating to enrollment trends in order to achieve Texas' higher education goals in building a Talent Strong Texas.
- Building a Talent Strong Texas, Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board, March 21, 2022
- "Students Cut College During Pandemic; Their Return Is Uncertain," Southwest Economy, Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas, First Quarter 2022
- 2019-2020 Student Migration Report, Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board, September 29, 2021
- 2021 Texas Public Higher Education Almanac (Profile of state and institutional performance and characteristics), Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board, Summer 2021
- #RealCollege 2021: Basic Needs Insecurity Among Texas College Students During the Ongoing Pandemic, The Hope Center for College, Community, and Justice, May 2021
- "A Review of Demographic Trends for Texas and the United States," Journal of College Academic Support Programs, October 2018
Charge: Funding Permanent University Fund: Review the history and use of the Permanent University Fund for the University of Texas at Austin and Texas A&M University, and explore the creation of a new legacy fund to address the needs of all other higher education institutions in Texas. Make recommendations on methods to streamline other existing research funds and finance research academic institutions in Texas.
- National Research University Fund Eligibility, September 1, 2019 - August 31, 2020: A Report to the Comptroller and the Texas Legislature, Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board, March 2021
- Formula Funding Recommendations for the 2022-23 Biennium, Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board, April 2020
- Financing Public Higher Education in Texas: Legislative Primer (Constitutional Funds and Statutory Funds, Appendix D – Constitutional and Research Funds, 2018–19 Biennium), Legislative Budget Board, March 2019
- THECB Board Meeting (Agenda Item IX-E: Higher Education Fund Re-Allocation Recommendation for Fiscal Years 2020 through 2035: Report, Presentation), Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board, October 25, 2018
- Higher Education Fund Allocation Recommendation for Fiscal Years 2016 through 2025, Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board, October 2014
- Funding Overviews, Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board
Charge: Teaching and Health Care Workforce Participation: Review financial aid and scholarship opportunities in Texas related to teaching, health care, and law enforcement, and examine methods to increase participation in these and other high-demand fields. In particular, study the participation rates of the Math and Science Scholars Loan Repayment Program, the Peace Officer Loan Repayment Program, and the Nursing Corps Loan Repayment Program, and make recommendations on ways to increase participation rates in each area.
- 2021-22 State Financial Aid Program Guidelines, Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board, as of October 25, 2021
- Report on Student Financial Aid in Texas Higher Education, Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board, September 2021
- "How Will Student Loan Borrowers Fare After the Pandemic?," Pew Charitable Trusts, updated August 13, 2021
- Interim Report to the 87th Legislature (Charge 1 - SB 16, Peace Officer Loan Repayment Assistance Program), House Committee on Higher Education, January 2021
- Report to Congress: Nurse Corps Loan Repayment and Scholarship Programs Fiscal Year 2020, Health Resources and Services Administration, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, 2020
- Student Loan Forgiveness for Teachers, Texas Education Agency
- Student Loan Repayment Programs, Texas Health and Human Services Commission
- Types of Financial Aid, Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board
Charge: Monitoring: Monitor the implementation of legislation addressed by the Senate Committee on Higher Education passed by the 87th 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:
- SB 1102, relating to the establishment of the Texas Reskilling and Upskilling through Education (TRUE) Program to support workforce education.
- Texas Reskilling and Upskilling for Education (TRUE) Institutional Capacity Grants, Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board
- HB 3767, relating to measures to support the alignment of education and workforce development in the state with state workforce needs, including the establishment of the Tri-Agency Workforce Initiative.
- Comments on the Tri-Agency's Proposal on Statewide Workforce Development Goals (Comments to Commissioner Mike Morath, Texas Education Agency, Commissioner Harrison Keller, Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board, and Chairman Bryan Daniel, Texas Workforce Commission on HB 3767), Texas 2036, March 10, 2022
- Linking Education and Workforce: Spurring Economic Growth Across Texas, Tri-Agency Workforce Initiative, November 2020
- Tri-Agency Workforce Initiative, Office of the Governor, Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board, Texas Education Agency, and Texas Workforce Commission
Senate Committee on Water, Agriculture & Rural Affairs
Charge: Water Utility Infrastructure: Evaluate the state's water infrastructure. Study and make recommendations on options to upgrade and update water infrastructure to address deferred maintenance, disasters, and water loss.
- 2022 State Water Plan, Interactive State Water Plan, Texas Water Development Board, adopted July 7, 2021
- State of Texas: Public Drinking Water Program, 2020 Annual Compliance Report, Water Supply Division, Texas Commission on Environmental Quality, July 1, 2021
- 2021 Report Card for America's Infrastructure, Drinking Water, Wastewater, Texas 2021 Report, American Society of Civil Engineers, 2021
- Interim Report to the 87th Texas Legislature (Interim Charge 2: Promoting the Development of Future Water Supplies, Troubled Water Systems), House Committee on Natural Resources, December 2020
Charge: Water Supply: Review and make recommendations to complete specific projects identified in the 2022 State Water Plan. In light of recent changes to the global economy, consider the current regulatory process regarding innovative technology solutions to water supply needs, such as marine desalination, and make recommendations for their improvement.
- Environment and Natural Resources State Bill Tracking Database, National Conference of State Legislatures, April 13, 2022
- 2022 State Water Plan, Interactive State Water Plan, Texas Water Development Board, adopted July 7, 2021
- Overruling the Rule of Capture: What Can Texas Learn From 10 Other States' Groundwater Law Updates?, Rice University's Baker Institute for Public Policy, June 2021
- Legislative Priorities Report: TWDB Priorities for the 87th Texas Legislative Session, Texas Water Development Board, January 2021
- Master Technology Roadmap, National Alliance for Water Innovation, 2021
- The Future of Desalination in Texas: 2020 Biennial Report on Seawater and Brackish Groundwater Desalination in Texas, Texas Water Development Board, December 1, 2020
- Tech Trends (Interactive survey results), The Water Research Foundation, last updated May 6, 2020
May 11, 2022
House Committee on Elections
Charge: Study the effectiveness of new poll watcher training required by SB 1 (87S2).
- Poll Watcher's Guide, Elections Division, Texas Secretary of State, updated January 2022
- Training and Education and Resources, Texas Secretary of State
Charge: Examine the reporting of election results following an election to determine the reasons for any delays and inaccuracies in the initial reporting of elections results. Make recommendations to ensure that election results are reported in a timely and accurate manner following the closing of the polls.
- Conducting Your Elections, Texas Secretary of State
Senate Committee on Water, Agriculture & Rural Affairs
Charge: Rural Employment: Study and make recommendations on rural small business development and workforce needs. Consider and recommend innovative methods for business development in rural parts of the state.
- Rural Small Businesses Need Local Solutions to Survive, Brookings Institution, December 1, 2020
- 2020 Small Business Profile (Texas Congressional Districts), Office of Advocacy, U.S. Small Business Administration, August 2020
- Study of the Challenges and Opportunities of Developing Small Businesses in Rural Texas, Thomas P. Miller & Associates, Office of the Texas Governor, 2019
- Boosting America's Rural Workforce, Legisbrief, National Conference of State Legislatures, June 6, 2019
Charge: Rural Immigration: Consider the Federal government's open border policies and practices of releasing illegal immigrants in rural areas of the state. Report on the impact to rural Texas, and their local ability to address social, health, and law enforcement needs.
- "USDA Targets Funds in Texas to Help Producers with Infrastructure Repairs Along the Southern Border" (News Release), Natural Resources Conservation Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture, February 16, 2022
- Medicaid Access and Participation: A Data Profile of Eligible and Ineligible Immigrant Adults, Migration Policy Institute, October 2021
- Left on the Table: The Unrealized Economic Potential of the Undocumented Population, Center for the United States and Mexico, Rice University's Baker Institute for Public Policy, July 2021
- Undocumented Immigrants in Texas: A Cost-Benefit Assessment, Center for the United States and Mexico, Rice University's Baker Institute for Public Policy, May 2020
- The Hidden Impact of Removal Proceedings on Rural Communities, TRAC [Transactional Records Access Clearinghouse], Syracuse University, April 9, 2020
- Texas Needs the Workers! An Analysis of the Economic and Fiscal Impact of Undocumented Workers, Perryman Group, February 2016
- Special Report: Undocumented Immigrants in Texas: A Financial Analysis of the Impact to the State Budget and Economy, Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts, December 2006
Charge: Agricultural Theft: Study the impact of cattle theft on farming and ranching operations throughout Texas and recommend cost-effective measures to mitigate loss and increase security.
- "Regional and Plant-Size Impacts of COVID-19 on Beef Processing," Food Policy, April 2022
- Occupational Employment and Wages, May 2021, 51-3023 Slaughterers and Meat Packers, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, last modified March 31, 2022
- "USDA Announces $500 Million for Expanded Meat & Poultry Processing Capacity as Part of Efforts to Increase Competition, Level the Playing Field for Family Farmers and Ranchers, and Build a Better Food System" (Press Release),U.S. Department of Agriculture, July 9, 2021
- The U.S. Beef Supply Chain: Issues and Challenges, Agricultural and Food Policy Center, Texas A&M University, June 3-4, 2021
- "Pandemic Demand Strains Central Texas Meat Supply Chain," Austin American-Statesman, July 4, 2020
- 2019 Economic Impact Report of the Meat and Poultry Industry (Texas), North American Meat Institute
Charge: Agricultural Theft: Study the impact of cattle theft on farming and ranching operations throughout Texas and recommend cost-effective measures to mitigate loss and increase security.
- "Where's the Beef: Con Artist Turns Texas Cattle Industry Into $100M Playground," AgWeb, Farm Journal, May 10, 2021
- "A New Frontier for Cattle Rustling," Animals, Fox West Texas, updated November 23, 2020
- "Catching Modern-Day Cattle Rustlers Is a Full-Time Job for This Texas Special Ranger," Spectrum News 1, August 18, 2020
- Theft and Law, Texas & Southwestern Cattle Raisers Association
