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Interim Hearings – Week of September 16, 2024

Sep 12

posted by TexasLRL in Interim hearings, 88th Session

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.

 

September 16, 2024
House Committee on Criminal Jurisprudence
Charge: Monitoring: Monitor the agencies and programs under the Committee’s jurisdiction and oversee the implementation of relevant legislation passed by the 88th Legislature.

The committee will consider the implementation of:

HB 6, Relating to the designation of fentanyl poisoning or fentanyl toxicity for purposes of the death certificate and to the criminal penalties for certain controlled substance offenses; increasing a criminal penalty.

HB 611, Relating to the creation of the criminal offense of unlawful disclosure of residence address or telephone number.

HB 1221, Relating to authorizing the comptroller to release a reported owner's unclaimed property to the owner's crime victim in certain circumstances and payment by the Texas Department of Criminal Justice of certain amounts owed by an inmate.

HB 1442, Relating to the prosecution of certain criminal conduct involving a reckless driving exhibition or racing on a highway and to the forfeiture of contraband as a result of a reckless driving exhibition.

Charge: Protecting Survivors Against Crimes of Abusers: Examine the shift in criminalization of children by human traffickers into other criminal enterprises, such as aggravated robbery, as well as the Texas Penal Code definition of “duress” as an affirmative defense for survivors of human trafficking and domestic violence. Make recommendations to prevent the criminalization of survivors of human trafficking and domestic violence for the crimes of their abusers.

 

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September 17, 2024
House Committee on Judiciary & Civil Jurisprudence
Monitoring: 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 outcome of all legislation, including the following:

  • HB 19, relating to the creation of a specialty trial court to hear certain cases; authorizing fees;
  • HB 841, relating to certain judicial statistics and related information gathered by the Texas Judicial Council; and
  • HB 2384, relating to court administration, including the knowledge, efficiency, training, and transparency requirements for candidates for or holders of judicial offices.

 

House Committee on State Affairs
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.

NOTE: Testimony on this charge will include invited testimony relating to key barriers to broadband development in rural areas.

Charge: 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 Committee on Natural Resources & Economic Development
Charge: 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. This charge is postponed until a later date. Please refer to the committee's notice of public hearing for more information.

Charge: 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.

 

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September 18, 2024
House Committee on Agriculture & Livestock
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 1750, relating to the applicability of certain city requirements to agricultural operations; and
HB 2308, relating to nuisance actions and other actions against agricultural operations.

Agricultural Product Regulations: Study the notice procedures and issuance of written stop-sale orders by the Texas Department of Agriculture and the seizure and destruction of infested, infected, or noncompliant products. Make recommendations to ensure the private property interests of Texas agricultural producers are appropriately balanced with the state’s public safety interests.

 

House Select Committee on Youth Health & Safety
Charge: Monitor the 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 3, relating to measures for ensuring public school safety, including the development and implementation of purchases relating to and funding for public school safety and security requirements and the provision of safety-related resources.

 

Senate Committee on Education
The committee will receive a State of the State of Education and consider the following interim charges:

Charge: Reading and Math Readiness: Study current local, state, and national policies and programs that improve student achievement in reading and mathematics, with an emphasis on “early readiness” in grades preK-5. Make recommendations to ensure every student has a strong academic foundation in reading and math.

Charge: Testing Reform: Review the state's current development and phase-in of the STAAR test redesign and ongoing innovative assessment reforms, including the Texas Through-Year Assessment Pilot (TTAP). Recommend ways to accelerate current testing improvement efforts and the development of a real-time testing program that meets the educational needs of Texas students.

Charge: COVID-19 Funding Oversight: Examine and report on COVID-19 how public schools spent federal funds since the beginning of the pandemic, including funds received under the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA), with a dual focus on demonstrated improved student outcomes and efficient use of taxpayer funds.

Monitoring: Monitor the implementation of legislation addressed by the Senate Committee on Education 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 parent-approved health education.

Monitoring: Monitor the implementation of legislation addressed by the Senate Committee on Education 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:

  • measures ensuring public school safety; and
  • oversight of public school library procurement and content policies

 

Senate Committee on Health & Human Services
Charge: 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.

Charge: 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.

Monitoring: Monitor the implementation of legislation addressed by the Senate Committee on Health and Human Services 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:

Initiatives to reduce Medicaid fraud, waste, and abuse, as well as other cost containment strategies; and Medicaid managed care oversight and accountability.

 

Senate Committee on Transportation
Charge: 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.

Charge: Autonomous Vehicle Safety: Evaluate autonomous vehicle operations, implementation, incident reporting, and accountability to law enforcement. Make recommendations to ensure public safety and transparency.

Charge: 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.

Charge: 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.

 

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September 19, 2024
House Committee on Pensions, Investments & Financial Services
Charge: Monitoring: Monitor the agencies and programs under the Committee's jurisdiction and oversee the implementation of relevant legislation passed by the 88th Legislature. Conduct oversight of all associated rulemaking and other governmental actions taken to ensure the intended legislative outcome of all legislation, including the following:

  • SB 10, relating to certain benefits paid by the Teacher Retirement System of Texas.
  • HB 1666, relating to the commingling of funds by digital asset service providers; providing an administrative penalty.

Charge: ESG: Examine the ways in which environmental, social, governance (ESG) policies are contradictory to fiduciary duties and the resultant detrimental effect on investors.

Topic: Texas Investments: Examine how legislative changes affect the investment of public funds.

Topic: Pension Update: The committee will receive an update on the Dallas Police and Fire Pension System.

Topic: Pension Amortization Periods: The committee will receive an update on pension systems with infinite amortization periods.

 

Senate Committee on Border Security
Charge: 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.

Charge: 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.

Charge: 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.

 

Senate Committee on Health & Human Services
Monitoring: Monitor the implementation of legislation addressed by the Senate Committee on Health and Human Services 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 7, Third Called Special Session, relating to prohibiting a private employer from adopting or enforcing certain COVID-19 vaccine mandates; authorizing an administrative penalty;
  • Senate Bill 24, relating to the powers and duties of the Health and Human Services Commission and the transfer to the commission of certain powers and duties from the Department of Family and Protective Services;
  • Senate Bill 26, relating to local mental health authority and local behavioral health authority audits and mental and behavioral health reporting, services, and programs;
  • Senate Bill 1849, relating to an inter agency reportable conduct search engine, standards for a person's removal from the employee misconduct registry and eligibility for certification as certain Texas Juvenile Justice Department officers and employees, and the use of certain information by certain state agencies to conduct background checks.

 

Sunset Advisory Commission
Consideration and possible action on the recommendations for the following agencies:

Staff presentation and public testimony:

 

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