Legislative Reference Library of Texas : 84th Session

Interim Hearings - Week of September 12, 2016

Sep 2

posted by TexasLRL in Interim hearings, 84th Session

Interim Hearings - Week of September 12

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 12
September 13
September 14
September 15

September 12 Top

Senate Committee on Higher Education

Charge: Regional workforce needs in the state, baccalaureate degrees at public community colleges

Is a Community College Bachelor's Degree a Smart Choice?, Community College Review, May 31, 2016
"Momentum for Four-Year Degrees at Community Colleges," Texas Tribune, September 1, 2014
Assessing the Potential to Expand Community College Baccalaureate Programs in Texas, Rand Corporation, August 2014

Charge: Implementation of legislation, specifically:

Initiatives designed to create effective, clear transfer pathways for students, including the newly enacted multidisciplinary studies associate degree
Implementation and progress of the Math and Science Scholars Loan Repayment Program
Progress of pilot program enacted by the 83rd Legislature relating to improving student loan default rates and financial aid literacy among postsecondary students

Texas Student Loan Default Prevention and Financial Aid Literacy Pilot Program: First Annual Report (Draft), Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board, Office of Student Financial Aid Programs. September 2015
Texas Student Loan Default Prevention Pilot Program (Presentation), Texas Guaranteed Student Loan Corporation, 2014

September 13 Top

House Committees on Defense & Veterans' Affairs and Higher Education (Joint Hearing)

Joint charge: Hazlewood Act

"The Hazlewood Act: College for Veterans," Fiscal Notes, August 2016
Evaluation of the Number of Future Veterans and Related Relatives in Texas Eligible to Receive Assistance Through the Hazlewood Exemption, 2016-2025, Hobby Center for the Study of Texas at Rice University, August 11, 2015
Report on the Hazlewood Exemption: Legislative Policy Report, Legislative Budget Board, December 2014
Interim Report and Recommendations to the 82nd Texas Legislature (Charge 3 - Hazlewood Act), Senate Committee on Veteran Affairs and Military Installations, December 2010
An Audit Report on Veterans' Services at Selected Institutions of Higher Education and Survey Results Related to Veterans' Services at All Texas Public Higher Education Institutions, Texas State Auditor's Office, September 2010
Interim Report and Recommendations to the 79th Texas Legislature (Charge 2 - Hazlewood Act; Appendices B-E), Senate Committee on Veterans Affairs and Military Installations, December 2004
Hazlewood Act, Texas Veterans’ Commission
Texas Education Code §54.341, Veterans and Other Military Personnel; Dependents (Legacy Program)

House Select Committee on State & Federal Power & Responsibility

Charge 1: Extent to which state regulation and policy are influenced by mandates attached to federal funding

NCSL Policy Directives and Resolutions Adopted at the 2016 Legislative Summit, National Conference of State Legislatures, August 10, 2016
Fiscal Size-Up 2016-2017, Chapter 2, Revenue Sources and Economic Outlook, Federal Funds Appropriations, Legislative Budget Board, May 2016
Interim Report to the 82nd Texas Legislature, House Select Committee on Federal Legislation, December 2010

Charge 2: Resolutions approved by the Legislature during recent legislative sessions calling on the federal government to take certain actions, and actions taken

Charge 3: Texas statutes prohibiting or restricting investment in foreign nations

Topic: Article V

The Article V Convention to Propose Constitutional Amendments: Contemporary Issues for Congress, Congressional Research Service, March 29, 2016
The Article V Convention to Propose Constitutional Amendments: Current Developments, Congressional Research Service, March 29, 2016
"The Other Way to Amend the Constitution: The Article V Constitutional Convention Amendment Process," 30 Harvard Journal of Law & Public Policy 1006, Summer 2007
Amending the U.S. Constitution: by Congress or by Constitutional Convention, Congressional Research Service, May 10, 1995
Constitutional Conventions: Political and Legal Questions, Congressional Research Service, July 8, 1985

Senate Committee on Education

Charge: Digital learning, school broadband access

Interim Hearings - Week of April 18, 2016, Senate Committee on Education, Legislative Reference Library, April 18, 2016

Charge: Monitor implementation of legislation, specifically legislation to establish criteria for alternative measures of assessments to meet high school graduation requirements

Student Assessment Division, Reports to the Current Legislature, and Legislative Briefing Book, Texas Education Agency

Senate Committee on Health & Human Services

Charge: Monitor implementation of legislation and riders, including but not limited to:

The impact of changes made by the Department of Family and Protective Services, Child Protective Services on child safety, workforce retention, prevention, and permanency;
- Reports, Plans, Statistics, and Presentations (See Reports and Presentations), Texas Department of Family and Protective Services
Initiatives to reduce Medicaid fraud, waste and abuse, and other cost containment strategies, including examining the processes and procedures used by managed care organizations to address Medicaid fraud, waste and abuse; and
- IG Integrity Initiative and Reports, Inspector General, Texas Health and Human Services Commission
- Medicaid Fraud and Abuse, National Conference of State Legislatures
The consolidation and expansion of women's health programs at the Health and Human Services Commission.
- Healthy Texas Women, Texas Health and Human Services Commission

Charge: Impact of the Section 1115 Texas Healthcare Transformation and Quality Improvement Program Waiver; other mechanisms to control costs and increase quality and efficiency in the Medicaid program, including the pursuit of a block grant or a Section 1332 Medicaid State Innovation Waiver

"CMS Grants Texas' Short-Term Medicaid Waiver Extension," Modern HealthCare, May 3, 2016
"1332 Waivers": Opportunities for Innovation in Healthcare Coverage with Protections for Consumers (Blog), Center for Public Policy Priorities, April 21, 2016
Health Innovation Section 1332 Waivers: State Legislation as of 2015, National Conference of State Legislatures, December 3, 2015
Section 1332: State Innovation Waivers, The Center for Consumer Information & Insurance Oversight, The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS)
Medicaid 1115 Waiver, Texas Health and Human Service Commission

September 14 Top

Joint Legislative Committee on Health & Human Services Transition, Oversight

Health and Human Services Transformation, Texas Health and Human Services Commission

House Committee on Investments & Financial Services

Charge: Short-term lending industry in Texas, consumer access to credit, consumer protections

2015 Report on Availability, Quality, and Pricing of Certain Financial Services and Consumer Loan Products, Texas Office of Consumer Credit Commissioner, December 1, 2015
"Municipal Regulation of Payday & Title Loans in Texas: An Exemplary & Constitutional Good for A Necessary & Predatory Evil," Journal of Consumer & Commercial Law, Spring 2014
Payday Loans and Deposit Advance Products: A White Paper of Initial Data Findings, Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, April 24, 2013
Report to the 83rd Legislature (Charge 8 - Payday lending), Senate Committee on Business & Commerce, January 2013
2011 FDIC National Survey of Unbanked and Underbanked Households, Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation, September 2012
Payday Lending in America: Who Borrows, Where They Borrow, and Why, The Pew Charitable Trusts, July 2012
Texas State, Local, and Self-Imposed Standards for Payday and Auto Title Credit Access Businesses (Austin-Based Compliance Survey: June-July 2012), Texas Appleseed, July 2012
Texas Finance Code Chapter 393, Credit Service Organizations
7 Texas Administrative Code Chapter 83, Rules for Credit Access Businesses

House Committee on Judiciary & Civil Jurisprudence

Charge 2: Family law and parent-child relationship statutes and application of foreign law

Op. Tex. Att'y Gen. No. KP-0094 (2016), The extent to which a judge may refuse to apply the law of a jurisdiction outside the United States in certain family law disputes (RQ-0083-KP), Attorney General of Texas, June 15, 2016
2015 Foreign Law Legislation, National Conference of State Legislatures, October 15, 2015

Charge 3: Self-represented litigants

Pro Se Divorce Handbook, Texas Young Lawyers Association and State Bar of Texas, 2014
Pro Se Litigant Guide, Texas Young Lawyers Association, 2014
Pro Se Litigants, Forms for Pro Se Litigants, Texas Access to Justice Commission
Self-Help (commonly requested legal forms, consumer information, research guides), Texas State Law Library
Self-Representation Resource Guide (reports and studies, court based self-help, clearinghouse organizations), National Center for State Courts

Charge 5: Implementation of expedited action provisions of HB 274, 82nd Legislature, R.S.

Texas Rules of Civil Procedure, Effective September 1, 2016
"Expedited Civil Actions in Texas and the U.S.: A Survey of State Procedures and a Guide to Implementing Texas's New Expedited Actions Process," 65 Baylor Law Review 824, Fall 2013
Final Approval of Rules for Dismissals and Expedited Actions, Supreme Court of Texas, February 12, 2013
The Task Force for Rules in Expedited Actions: Final Report to the Texas Supreme Court, January 25, 2012
Deciphering Texas Rule of Civil Procedure 169: Expedited Actions, Texas Office of Court Administration

Senate Committee on Education

Charge: School choice, education savings account and tax credit scholarship programs

The Next Generation of School Vouchers: Education Savings Accounts, National Conference of State Legislatures, August 18, 2016
Education Savings Accounts: Key Provisions and State Variations, Education Commission of the States, August 16, 2016
"Should Reformers Support Education Savings Accounts?," Education Next, Summer 2016
Taking Credit For Education: How to Fund Education Savings Accounts Through Tax Credits, CATO Institute, January 20, 2016
The ABCs of School Choice: The Comprehensive Guide to Every Private School Choice Program in America, Friedman Foundation for Educational Choice, 2016
School Choice: Scholarship Tax Credits, National Conference of State Legislatures

Charge: Monitor implementation of legislation, specifically:

Legislation establishing state intervention procedures for public schools with academically unsuccessful ratings of at least two consecutive school years; and providing school districts the ability to be designated as a district of innovation
- Districts of Innovation, Campus Turnaround Guidance and Resources, and HB 1842 Transition Chart, Texas Education Agency
Legislation to require a minimum number of minutes of instruction for each school year
- Student Attendance Accounting Handbook and House Bill 2610: Frequently Asked Questions, Version 4, Texas Education Agency, February 9, 2016

Senate Committee on State Affairs

Charge: Guardianships

"Who Guards the Guardians?," Texas Observer, July 6, 2016
A Texas Guide to Adult Guardianship, Texas Department of Aging and Disability Services, May 2016
Emerging Trends in Adult Guardianship: Review of State Practices and Summary of Findings for Texas, William Wayne Justice Center for Public Interest Law, The University of Texas School of Law, December 2014
Texas Guardianship Cases: Improving Court Processes and Monitoring Practices in Texas Courts, Texas Office of Court Administration, November 2014

Charge: Public integrity unit under authority of Texas Rangers

Charge: Practice of using public funds and employees for the payment processing of union dues

Collective Bargaining and Labor Union Legislation Database, National Conference of State Legislatures, last updated July 1, 2016

Senate Committee on Transportation

Topic: Overview and update from the Texas Department of Transportation, the Texas Department of Motor Vehicles, and the Texas Department of Public Safety

Charge: New and anticipated revenue appropriated to the Texas Department of Transportation and recommendations that address project prioritization and selection, effectiveness of staffing levels and project delivery methods

Texas Highway Funding: Legislative Primer (including timeline of major changes to state revenue sources for state highways), Legislative Budget Board, April 2016
HB 20 - Preliminary Report, Legislative Report, Texas Department of Transportation, March 31, 2016
84th Texas Legislature, Interim, House Subcommittee on Long-Term Infrastructure Planning, Testimony on future funding needs, alternative funding options, major revenue enhancement strategies enacted by other states (2008 to 2015), response to questions asked, Texas A&M Transportation Institute, September 10 and October 14, 2015
HB 20 - Initial Report: Revenue Projections, Funding Categories & Allocations, Performance-based Decision Making, Texas Department of Transportation, September 1, 2015
Funding Needs and Potential Sources, Texas Department of Transportation

Charge: Monitor implementation of legislation, specifically:

1. Progress of the Texas Department of Transportation's efforts to propose a plan to eliminate toll roads

HB 2612 Report Regarding the Elimination of Toll Roads to the House Committee on Transportation, Texas Department of Transportation, March 30, 2016
"Paying Off Texas Toll Roads Could Top $30 Billion," Texas Tribune, March 30, 2016
Texas Toll Road Primer: Final Report, Texas A&M Transportation Institute, February 2014

2. Removing eminent domain authority from private toll corporations

3. Ending the issuing of any new debt from the Texas Mobility Fund (TMF) and prohibiting future use of the TMF on toll projects

4. Sunset Advisory Commission review of the Department of Transportation

September 15 Top

Senate Committee on Finance

Charge: Monitor implementation of legislation, specifically:

Tax relief provided to property owners
- Property Tax Assistance and Property Tax Bills, Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts
Gradual phase out of the franchise tax
- Texas Franchise Tax, Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts
Support for and the enhancement of graduate medical education
- Graduate Medical Education Programs, Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board
Efforts of the Department of Information Resources (DIR) to modernize the technology of state agencies
- Technology Legislation, Texas Department of Information Resources
Implementation of required changes to state agency contracting, purchasing, and accounting procedures
Monitor the implementation of Health and Human Services Commission Rider 50
- "Texas Supreme Court Halts Children's Therapy Cuts," Texas Tribune, July 8, 2016
- "Cuts to Therapy Services For Disabled Kids Softened," Texas Tribune, October 1, 2015

Senate Select Committee on Texas Ports

Topic: Economic impact that inland waterways, coastal ports and inland ports have on the state economy

Overview of Texas Ports and Waterways (Testimony for Senate Select Committee on Texas Ports), Texas Department of Transportation, May 4, 2016
"Texas Ports Stay Busy as Trade Values Fall Along Gulf, Rise Inland," Southwest Economy, Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas, Fourth Quarter 2015
Texas Ports 2015-2016 Capital Program: Executive Summary, Port Authority Advisory Committee, November 11, 2015
Survey of State Funding Practices for Coastal Port Infrastructure, Texas A&M Transportation Institute, May 2015
2014 Texas Port Report, Texas Department of Transportation, January 20, 2015
The Texas Maritime Transportation System: Delivering the Goods, Texas Department of Transportation, January 20, 2015
Texas Intracoastal Waterway Master Plan: Technical Report, Texas A&M Transportation Institute, Resubmitted August 2014
Master Plan for the Gulf Intracoastal Waterway in Texas, Texas Department of Transportation, June 2014

Topic: Future impact that the Panama Canal expansion will have on Texas ports

"Some Fear Texas Unprepared for Panama Canal Expansion," Texas Tribune, December 1, 2015
Trade Flows and Texas Gulf Ports: Panama Canal Expansion and South American Markets, Center for Transportation Research at University of Texas at Austin and Texas A&M Transportation Institute, August 2013
Interim Report to the 83rd Legislature (Charge 1 - Panama Canal Expansion), Senate Transportation Committee, February 2013
Interim Report to the 83rd Legislature (Charge 2 - Panama Canal Expansion), House Committee on Transportation, December 2012
Preparing Texas Land and Sea for the Panama Canal Expansion: Final Report, Panama Canal Stakeholder Working Group, November 2012

This entry was posted on September 2, 2016 at 1:38 PM and has received 3572 views. Print this entry.

Interim Hearings - Week of September 5, 2016

Aug 30

posted by TexasLRL in Interim hearings, 84th Session

Interim Hearings - Week of September 5

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 7

House Committee on Juvenile Justice & Family Issues

Charge 1: Youth recruited into human trafficking, pipeline from foster care

Child Welfare and Human Trafficking, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Child Welfare Information Gateway, July 2015
"The Civil Rights of Sexually Exploited Youth in Foster Care," Richmond School of Law, University of Richmond Scholarship Repository, 117 West Virginia Law Review 1225, 2015
The Sex Trafficking Marketplace: Addressing Demand through Legislation and Tactics, Children at Risk (Houston, TX), 2015
The Texas Human Trafficking Prevention Task Force Report 2014, Office of the Attorney General, December 2014
Guidance to States and Services on Addressing Human Trafficking of Children and Youth in the United States, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Administration for Children and Families, September 13, 2013
Report to the 83rd Legislature, Joint Interim Committee to Study Human Trafficking, January 2013
Texas Youth Connection: Human Trafficking, Texas Department of Family and Protective Services
What is Human Trafficking? and Specific CPS Program Activity to Address Trafficking, Texas Department of Family and Protective Services

Charge 2: Data collection and sharing practices between Department of Family and Protective Services (DFPS), Texas Juvenile Justice Department (TJJD), and local juvenile probation departments

JCMS - Juvenile Case Management System, Texas Juvenile Justice Department

Charge 3: Early education and parenting support and education programs, implementation of HB 2630, 84th Legislature, R.S.

Parenting Matters: Supporting Parents of Children Ages 0-8, Presentation at the National Conference of State Legislatures State Policy and Research for Early Education Working Group, Full Report and Report in Brief, National Academies, Board on Children, Youth, and Families, Division of Behavioral and Social Sciences and Education, August 7, 2016
Birth Through Eight State Policy Framework: Research at a Glance, Alliance for Early Success and Child Trends, November 2015
Compendium of Parenting Interventions, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, National Center for Parent, Family and Community Engagement, September 2015
Family Based Support Programs and Prevention and Early Intervention (PEI) Programs, Texas Department of Family and Protective Services

Charge 4: Juvenile justice regionalization planning and implementation of SB 1630, 84th Legislature, R.S.

Regionalization Plan, Texas Juvenile Justice Department, August 2016
Closer to Home: An Analysis of the State and Local Impact of the Texas Juvenile Justice Reforms, Justice Center of the Council of State Governments, Public Policy Research Institute, January 2015

Charge 5: Juvenile justice penalties and sanctions determined by or disallowed by age of the juvenile

Charge 6: Family Code's treatment of grandparents in the parent-child relationship, changes to address the growing population of grandparents

Interim Report to the 81st Legislature (Charge 1 - Suits affecting the parent-child relationship, including grandparents), Senate Committee on Jurisprudence, December 2008
GrandFacts: State Fact Sheets for Grandparents and Other Relatives Raising Children - Texas, AARP, Brookdale Foundation Group, Casey Family Programs, Child Welfare League of America, Children's Defense Fund, and Generations United (2010 U.S. Census)
Grandfamilies State Law and Policy Resource Center (searchable database of laws and legislation in 50 states and District of Columbia, resources, and publications), Casey Family Programs, ABA Center on Children and the Law, and Generations United

Charge 7: Legislative oversight and monitoring of agencies

This entry was posted on August 30, 2016 at 11:12 AM and has received 1089 views. Print this entry.

Interim Hearings - Week of August 29, 2016

Aug 22

posted by TexasLRL in Interim hearings, 84th Session

Interim Hearings - Week of August 29

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.

August 29
August 30
August 31

August 29 Top

House Committee on County Affairs

Charge: County cybersecurity policies

"Can Cybersecurity Insurance Improve Threat Management?," Government Technology, July 6, 2016
Cyber for Counties Guidebook v1.0, National Association of Counties, Center for Internet Security, 2013

Charge: Legislative oversight and monitoring of agencies, including Child Protective Services, 1115 Transformation Waiver, and criminal justice programs in Bexar County

Committee Meeting Handouts - Child Protective Services, 1115 Transformation Waiver, House Committee on County Affairs, August 4, 2016

August 30 Top

House Committee on Transportation

Topic: TxDOT Rail Division

2016 Texas Rail Plan Update, Texas Department of Transportation, May 2016
Rail-Highway Operations Manual, Texas Department of Transportation, August 2015

Topic: TxDOT Rural Transit Division

TxDOT Awarded $20 Million in Federal Funds to Improve Rural Transit, Benefit Commuters, Invigorate Economy, Texas Department of Transportation, October 29, 2015
Texas Rural Transportation Plan 2035 – Final Report (Appendixes and maps), Texas Department of Transportation, June 2012

Topic: TxDOT General Aviation Division

Aviation Division, Texas Department of Transportation

Topic: TxDOT HB 2612 report

HB 2612 Report Regarding the Elimination of Toll Roads to the House Committee on Transportation, Texas Department of Transportation, March 30, 2016
"Paying Off Texas Toll Roads Could Top $30 Billion," Texas Tribune, March 30, 2016
Texas Toll Road Primer: Final Report, Texas A&M Transportation Institute, February 2014

Topic: TxDOT on utility relocation

ROW (Right of Way) Utility Manual, Texas Department of Transportation, May 2016
Local Government Projects Policy Manual (Chapter 6 - Right of Way and Utilities), Texas Department of Transportation, June 2015
Managing Longitudinal Utility Installations on Controlled Access Highway Right-of-Way: A Synthesis of Highway Practice, Texas A&M Transportation Institute, Transportation Research Board, 2014

Topic: Presentation from TTI on Transportation Network Companies

Policy Implications of Transportation Network Companies, Texas A&M Transportation Institute, July 2016
"When Uber Leaves, What Happens?," Governing, June 15, 2016
Transportation Network Company (TNC) Legislation, Texas A&M Transportation Institute, as of May 2016
"Lawmakers Put Pedal to Metal to Deal with Ride-Sharing," National Conference of State Legislatures, February 19, 2016

House Select Committee on Transportation Planning

Topic: Update from TxDOT working group on project selection criteria, rules and policies for project prioritization and selection, and funding categories

HB 20 - Preliminary Report, Legislative Report, Texas Department of Transportation, March 31, 2016
HB 20 - Initial Report: Revenue Projections, Funding Categories & Allocations, Performance-based Decision Making, Texas Department of Transportation, September 1, 2015

August 31 Top

House Committee on Urban Affairs

Charge 1: Demographic trends in Texas for affordable housing and senior housing

Aging in Texas: An Introduction, Texas Demographic Center, June 2016
Housing Landscape 2016: An Annual Look at the Housing Affordability Challenges of America's Working Households, National Housing Conference, February 18, 2016
2016 State of Texas Low Income Housing Plan and Annual Report, Texas Department of Housing and Community Affairs, 2016
"In Texas, Minorities Less Likely to Own Homes," Texas Tribune, November 8, 2015
A Profile of Older Americans: 2015, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Administration on Aging, 2015
Housing America's Older Adults: Meeting the Needs of an Aging Population, Joint Center for Housing Studies of Harvard University, September 2014
Texas Population Estimates and Projections Program (data downloads and tools), Texas Demographic Center

Charge 2: Gentrification's effect on affordable housing

"Here are 5 Surprising Cities Where Gentrification and Low Wages are Pushing Out the Poor," Rawstory.com, June 18, 2016
Poverty, Not Gentrification, Is the Biggest Barrier to Affordable Housing (Blog), The American Prospect, June 9, 2016
"How Will San Antonio Manage Growth and Gentrification?," The Rivard Report, October 2015
The 5th Houston Sustainability Indicators Report: Opportunity Among The Houston Districts (2015), The Shell Center For Sustainability, Rice University, September 2015
"Affordable Housing, Always," The Atlantic, July 6, 2015
Gentrification in America Report (See City Gentrification Maps and Data) and The 'G' Word: A Special Series on Gentrification Governing (Series), Governing, February 2015

Charge 3: Guidelines for the appraisal of Affordable Housing Properties financed with Low-Income Housing Tax Credits (LIHTC)

What Happens to Low-Income Housing Tax Credit Properties at Year 15 and Beyond?, U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, August 2012
"Is a Consensus Emerging on LIHTC Property Valuations?," Affordable Housing Finance, January 1, 2011
Interim Report to the 81st Texas Legislature (Charge 5 - Valuation of rent-restricted affordable housing ), House Committee on Local Government Ways and Means, December 2008
Affordable Housing and Ad Valorem Taxation in Texas, Texas Housing Conference 2007, August 2007
"No Consistency in Valuing Housing Tax Credit Properties," Affordable Housing Finance, January 1, 2006
Texas Tax Code §§23.21-23.215, Property Used to Provide Affordable Housing; Appraisal of Certain Nonexempt Property Used for Low-Income or Moderate-Income Housing (Appraisal Methods and Procedures)
10 Texas Administrative Code §10.304, Appraisal Rules and Guidelines

Charge 4: Current Texas Department of Housing and Community Affairs preservation programs for rural rental housing

Role of Affordable Rental Housing in Rural America, Council for Affordable and Rural Housing, June 2016
Rural America's Rental Housing: Federal Strategies to Preserve Access to Affordable Rental Housing in Rural Communities, National Rural Housing Coalition, 2014
A Guide to Best Practices in Rural Rental Preservation, Housing Assistance Council, August 2008
Multifamily Preservation Initiatives; Multifamily Preservation Clearinghouse, Texas Department of Housing and Community Affairs
Texas Government Code §2306.183, Needs of Qualifying Individuals and Families in Rural Areas and Small Municipalities
Texas Government Code §2306.6740, Designation of Certain Areas as Rural

This entry was posted on August 22, 2016 at 12:33 PM and has received 1361 views. Print this entry.

Interim Hearings - Week of August 22, 2016

Aug 12

posted by TexasLRL in Interim hearings, 84th Session

Interim Hearings - Week of August 22

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.

August 22
August 23
August 24
August 25

Week of August 22

August 22 Top

House Committee on Land & Resource Management

Charge: Coastal erosion

Coastal Erosion Planning & Response Act: A Report to the 84th Texas Legislature, Texas General Land Office, 2015
Texas Coastal Management Program: Biennial Report 2013-2014, Texas General Land Office, December 2014
Texas Coastwide Erosion Response Plan: 2013 Update (including erosion rates), Texas General Land Office, December 2014
Interim Report to the 81st Legislature (Charge 2 - Coastal Erosion Planning and Response Act), Senate Subcommittee on Agriculture, Rural Affairs & Coastal Resources, December 2008
Interim Report to the 80th Legislature (Charge 2 - Effectiveness and funding of the Coastal Erosion Planning and Response Program, GLO), Senate Subcommittee on Agriculture and Coastal Resources, December 2006
Interim Report to the 79th Texas Legislature (Charge 2 - Coastal hazard mitigation and coastal erosion funding), House Committee on Land and Resource Management, November 2004

Charge: Natural disaster preparedness and response

Committee Meeting Handouts - Natural Disasters, House Committee on County Affairs, May 16, 2016
"New Technologies Aiding States' Disaster Response," Capitol Ideas, Council of State Governments, May/June 2016
"Judge's Corner: Texas Should Invest More Funding for Natural Disasters," Bastrop County Judge Paul Pape, Austin American-Statesman, December 30, 2015
Lessons From Texas: 10 Years of Disaster Recovery Examined, Texas Appleseed, September 15, 2015
State of Texas Hazard Mitigation Plan: 2013 Update, Texas Department of Public Safety, 2013
State of Texas Emergency Management Plan and Annexes, Texas Department of Public Safety, Texas Division of Emergency Management, May 2012
Interim Report, Report to the 82nd Legislature, Senate Subcommittee on Flooding and Evacuations, January 2011
Interim Report to the 82nd Texas Legislature (Disaster preparedness), House Committee on Emergency Preparedness, December 2010
Report to the 81st Legislature (Charge 3 - Disaster planning and first response), Senate Committee on Transportation and Homeland Security, December 2008
"Lessons We Don't Learn: A Study of the Lessons of Disasters, Why We Repeat Them, and How We Can Learn Them," 2 Homeland Security Affairs, Article 4, July 2006
Interim Report to the 78th Legislature: Natural Disasters, Senate Interim Committee on Natural Resources, August 2002

Sunset Advisory Commission

Meeting Agenda & Decision Meeting Material

Commission decisions:

Public testimony:

August 23 Top

House Committee on Special Purpose Districts

Charge 1: Municipal Management Districts and/or Improvement Districts

"New Management Districts Pave Way for Growth in Missouri City," Community Impact - Central Austin, August 5, 2015
"The City with (Almost) No Limits," UrbanLand Magazine, April 20, 2015
Texas Municipal League Economic Development Handbook, Texas Municipal League, Updated January 2015
Invisible Governments: Special Purpose Districts in Texas (Municipal Management Districts, Tables), Texas Senate Research Center, October 2014
Interim Report to the 82nd Texas Legislature (Charge 8 - MMDs; Appendices H-1 to H-2), Senate Committee on Intergovernmental Relations, December 2010
Texas Local Government Code §§375.001-375.357, Municipal Management Districts In General
Texas Government Code §313.006, Notice for Laws Establishing Municipal Management Districts

Charge 2: Legislative oversight and monitoring of agencies, including opportunities to streamline the purpose of multiple districts created within the same area, while maintaining the mission of special purpose districts

Invisible Governments: Special Purpose Districts in Texas, Texas Senate Research Center, October 2014
Interim Report to the 82nd Texas Legislature, House Select Committee on Special Purpose Districts, January 2011

House Committee on Licensing & Administrative Procedures

Charge: Occupational licensing

Unlicensed and Untapped: Removing Barriers to State Occupational Licenses for People with Records, National Employment Law Project, April 2016
Occupational Licensing: A Framework for Policymakers, U.S. Department of the Treasury Office of Economic Policy, Council of Economic Advisers, and Department of Labor, July 2015
Bootstraps Tangled in Red Tape: How State Occupational Licensing Hinders Low-Income Entrepreneurship, Goldwater Institute, February 23, 2015
Report to the 83rd Legislature (Charge 2 - Occupational licensing and regulation), Senate Committee on Business and Commerce, January 2013
License to Work: A National Study of Burdens from Occupational Licensing, Institute for Justice, May 2012
Occupational Regulation in Texas: Occupational Licenses and Statutory Penalties for Violations Relating to Occupational Licenses, Texas Legislative Council, October 2008; Addendum, June 2010

Charge: Regulatory functions across agencies and departments

Interim Report to the 82nd Legislature (Charge 1 - Review of committees, councils, and task forces across state government agencies and programs) , Senate Committee on Government Organization, December 2010
Final Report, Legislative Proposals, and Summary, Joint Committee on Government Operations (Little Hoover Commission), 1975

Charge: Powdered alcohol and impact on underage drinking

Powdered Alcohol - State Laws, Alcohol Justice, as of July 14, 2016
"Powdered Alcohol Preemptively Banned in 31 States," Eater.com, April 29, 2016
Powdered Alcohol 2015 Legislation, National Conference of State Legislatures, November 11, 2015
"Powdered Prohibition," State Legislatures, National Conference of State Legislatures, June 2015

Charge: Legislative oversight and monitoring of agencies

Senate Committee on Criminal Justice

Charge 7: Civil asset forfeiture laws

Asset Forfeiture Policy Manual (Ch. 14 - Seizures by State and Local Law Enforcement), United States Department of Justice, 2016
Policing for Profit: The Abuse of Civil Asset Forfeiture (Grades state and federal civil forfeiture laws), 2nd Edition, Institute for Justice, November 2015
Civil Asset Forfeiture in the States, National Center for Policy Analysis, October 20, 2015
Civil Asset Forfeiture: Good Intentions Gone Awry and the Need for Reform, Heritage Foundation, April 20, 2015
Asset Forfeiture in Texas: DPS and County Interactions, Office of Court Administration, December 2014
“Reverse Robin Hood: The Tale of How Texas Law Enforcement Has Used Civil Asset Forfeiture to Take From Property Owners and Pad the Pockets of Local Government – the Righteous Hunt for Reform is On,” 46 Texas Tech Law Review 1169 (Summer 2014)
Taking Contraband Without Taking Our Liberties: Civil Asset Forfeiture Reform in Texas, Texas Public Policy Foundation, March 2014
Texas Code of Criminal Procedure Chapter 59, Forfeiture of Contraband

Topic: Bullying in Texas schools, cyberbullying in the digital age

Texas Anti-Bullying Laws and Policies (Other states), Stopbullying.Gov, United States Department of Health & Human Services, June 28, 2016
"When the Teacher is the Bully," GreatKids, February 8, 2016
State Cyberbullying Laws: A Brief Review of State Cyberbullying Laws and Policies, Cyberbullying Research Center, January 2016
2015 Cyberbullying Data, Cyberbullying Research Center, May 1, 2015
2015's Best & Worst States at Controlling Bullying, WalletHub, February 2015
"Bullying Is No Longer Just on the Playground: How School Bullying is Evolving and How State Legislation is Trying to Keep Up," 14 Texas Tech Administrative Law Journal 1 (2013)
"Bullying of Teachers Pervasive in Many Schools," NEAToday, May 16, 2012
"How Public Schools Can Constitutionally Halt Cyberbullying: A Model Cyberbullying Policy That Considers First Amendment, Due Process, and Fourth Amendment Challenges," 46 Wake Forest Law Review 641 (October 2011)

Senate Committee on Higher Education

Charge: Tuition and fee waivers and exemptions, tuition set-asides, financial aid

Overview: Tuition Deregulation and Tuition Set Asides, Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board, April 2016
Texas Public Higher Education: Overview of Tuition and State Support Since Tuition Deregulation, Legislative Budget Board, April 2016
Report on Student Financial Aid in Texas Higher Education for Fiscal Year 2014, Appendix M: Exemptions and Waiver Data from IFRS (Integrated Fiscal Reporting System) 2013-2014 (list of exemption programs, statutes, optional/mandatory, number of awards, and dollar amounts), Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board, September 2015
Interim Report to the 84th Texas Legislature (Charge 3 - Student financial assistance, financial aid, tuition assistance and waivers), House Committee on Higher Education, January 2015
Interim Report (Charge 1 - Financial aid, efficacy of current exemptions and waivers), Senate Committee on Higher Education, December 2012
Interim Report to the 82nd Texas Legislature (Charge 2 - Financial aid, tuition and fee exemption programs), House Committee on Higher Education, January 2011
Types of Financial Aid - Lists of Exemptions, Waivers, College for All Texans, Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board

August 24 Top

House Committee on Appropriations, Subcommittee on Article III

Charge 13: Review of current public education programs administered by the Texas Education Agency that are funded outside of the Foundation School Program

Fiscal Size-Up 2016-2017, Chapter 6, Agencies of Education, Texas Education Agency funding sources, Legislative Budget Board, May 2016
Summary of Recommendations - House, Texas Education Agency: Non-FSP Program and Administration 2010-11 to 2016-17, House Introduced, Legislative Budget Board, February 13, 2015

House Committee on Defense & Veterans' Affairs

Topic 1: Maintaining military value of defense installations and communities

Interim Hearings - Week of May 30, 2016 (Topic 1), House Committee on Defense & Veterans’ Affairs, Legislative Reference Library, June 2, 2016

House Committee on Criminal Jurisprudence

Charge 1: GPS monitoring in protective orders, family violence prevention

Using GPS to Track Batterers: At Least 23 States Using GPS to Keep Track of High-Risk Domestic Violence Offenders, Domestic Shelters.Org, July 15, 2015
"Contact That Can Kill: Orders of Protection, Caller ID Spoofing and Domestic Violence," 90 Chicago-Kent Law Review 1157 (2015)
Report to the 84th Legislature: The Texas Family Violence Program - A Statewide Report, Texas Health and Human Services Commission, November 2014
Report on the Availability of Appropriate Technology to Monitor Domestic Violence Offenders and Their Victims, Office of the Attorney General of New Jersey, 2014
"Strengthening the Guard: The Use of GPS Surveillance to Enforce Domestic Violence Protection Orders," 2 Tennessee Journal of Race, Gender, & Social Justice 129 (2013)
Navigating the Family Violence Prevention and Services Program: A Guide for State and Territorial Administrators, United States Department of Health & Human Services, November 2012
GPS Monitoring Technologies and Domestic Violence: An Evaluation Study, University of Illinois at Chicago, June 2012
Texas Code of Criminal Procedure §17.49, Conditions For Defendant Charged With Offense Involving Family Violence

August 25 Top

Joint Interim Committee to Study Development of a Cruise Industry

Topic: Development and potential economic impact of a cruise industry on the Texas coast between Calhoun and Cameron counties

Comprehensive Annual Financial Report For the Year Ended December 31, 2015, Brownsville Navigation District, April 15, 2016
"Deepening, Widening Channel Project May Start This Year," Port Aransas South Jetty, January 28, 2016
Texas Ports 2015-2016 Capital Program Executive Summary (Economic impact – Galveston cruise terminal expansion project), Port Authority Advisory Committee, November 11, 2015
The Contribution of the International Cruise Industry to the U.S. Economy in 2014, Cruise Lines International Association, October 2015
"Cruise Ship Home Ports - Not Always the Goldmine They Promise," GADLING, April 3, 2011
Tapping the Invisible Market: The Case of the Cruise Industry (Dissertation), Office of Graduate Studies of Texas A & M University, August 2006

This entry was posted on August 12, 2016 at 3:47 PM and has received 1611 views. Print this entry.

Interim Hearings - Week of August 15, 2016

Aug 5

posted by TexasLRL in Interim hearings, 84th Session

Interim Hearings - Week of August 15

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.

August 15
August 16
August 17
August 18

August 15 Top

House Committee on State Affairs

Charge: Contracting monitoring, compliance, performance evaluation and notification requirements for contracting procedures

Texas Government Code Chapter 2261, State Contracting Standards and Oversight
Senate Bill 20: Centralized State Purchasing Study - Background (Timeline), Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts
Contract Management Guide, Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts, Updated March 1, 2016
Senate Bill 20 (84R) - Frequently Asked Questions (State contracting), Texas Department of Information Resources, Updated February 18, 2016
A Report on Recent Contracting Audits, Texas State Auditor's Office, January 23, 2015
Interim Report to the 83rd Texas Legislature (Charge 2 - State contracting), Senate Committee on Government Organization, December 2014
"When is a State Contract Too Big to Fail?," Texas Tribune, May 2, 2014

Charge: Administrative process used to determine utility rates

Texas Utilities Code Chapter 36, Electric Utilities - Rates (Subchapter C - procedures for rate changes)
16 Texas Administrative Code §25.475, General Retail Electric Provider Requirements and Information Disclosures to Residential and Small Commercial Customers
"There and Back Again: the Return of Water and Wastewater Rates and CCNs to the Public Utility Commission," TCAA Newsletter (Texas City Attorney Association), July 2016
"How Utilities Determine Generation and Distribution Rates (Ratemaking)," Electric Choice Blog, May 12, 2016
Comparative Analysis of PUC Ratemaking Authority as Required by House Bill 1600, Public Utility Commission of Texas, January 27, 2015
Tariff Development: Review of the Basic Ratemaking Process, Public Utility Commission of Texas

Charge: How Public Utility Commission of Texas and utility providers can ensure consumer protection regarding metering devices for water, gas, and electricity service

Texas Utilities Code, §§182.101-182.104, Rights of Utility Customers - Testing of Meters
16 Texas Administrative Code §§25.121-25.133, Metering
Smart Metering, Public Utility Commission of Texas
"Amid Health, Privacy Fears, States are Letting People Reject 'Smart Meters'," Stateline (Pew Charitable Trusts), February 5, 2016
"Texas House Erupts in Heated Debate Over 'Smart Meters' for Electricity," Dallas Morning News, March 20, 2013
The Need for Essential Consumer Protections: Smart Metering Proposals and The Move to Time-Based Pricing, National Consumer Law Center, August 2010

Senate Committee on Intergovernmental Relations

Charge 2: Home rule municipalities, adoption of ordinances

"Texas Court Denies Request Tied to Austin's Uber Ordinance," Texas Tribune, March 14, 2016
Legislative Update (Interim Hearings Begin: Cities on the Agenda), Texas Municipal League, December 4, 2015
Local Ordinance Integrity (Testimony presented to the Senate Committee on Intergovernmental Relations by James Quintero, Director of the Center for Local Governance), Texas Public Policy Foundation, December 2, 2015
Interim Hearings - Week of November 30, 2015 (Charge 2), Senate Committee on Intergovernmental Relations, Legislative Reference Library, December 2, 2015

Charge 4: Municipal management districts (MMDs)

Texas Local Government Code §§375.001-375.357, Municipal Management Districts In General
Texas Government Code §313.006, Notice for Laws Establishing Municipal Management Districts
"New Management Districts Pave Way for Growth in Missouri City," Community Impact - Central Austin, August 5, 2015
"The City with (Almost) No Limits," UrbanLand Magazine, April 20, 2015
Texas Municipal League Economic Development Handbook, Texas Municipal League, Updated January 2015
Invisible Governments: Special Purpose Districts in Texas (Tables), Texas Senate Research Center, October 2014
Interim Report to the 82nd Texas Legislature (Charge 8 - MMDs; Appendices H-1 to H-2), Senate Committee on Intergovernmental Relations, December 2010

Charge 5: Statutes and Rules that govern Texas Department of Housing and Community Affairs in light of the recent Supreme Court decision in Texas Department of Housing and Community Affairs et al. v. Inclusive Communities Project, Inc., et al.

Texas Government Code §§2306.6701-2306.6740, Low Income Housing Tax Credit Program
Rules and Governing Statute, Inclusive Communities Project, Fair Housing 101, Texas Department of Housing and Community Affairs
"The Fight for Fair Housing," Texas Observer, August 4, 2015
Affirmatively Furthering Fair Housing: Final Rule (Overview and resources), United States Department of Housing and Urban Development, July 16, 2015
Tax Credits Can and Should Build Both Homes and Opportunity, Furman Center for Real Estate and Urban Policy, June 2015
If the Supreme Court Bans the Disparate Impact Standard It Could Annihilate One of the Few Tools Available to Pursue Housing Integration, Economic Policy Institute, January 9, 2015

Charge 6: Government accountability in elections - improve transparency regarding public debt

Legislative Policy Committee on General Government (Ballot Language), Texas Municipal League, August 19, 2016
Local Debt Transparency (Testimony presented to the Senate Committee on Intergovernmental Relations by James Quintero, Director of the Center for Local Governance), Texas Public Policy Foundation, December 2, 2015
Interim Hearings - Week of November 30, 2015 (Charge 6), Senate Committee on Intergovernmental Relations, Legislative Reference Library, December 2, 2015

August 16 Top

House Select Committee on Mental Health

Invited testimony on Mental/behavioral health care services in Texas, including, but not limited to substance abuse, homelessness, veterans, gaps in programs, and improving delivery of services

A Community Support Guide for Alternatives to Inpatient Mental Health Treatment, Texas Department of state Health Services, revised August 2, 2016
Texas Statewide Behavioral Health Strategic Plan: Fiscal Years 2017-2021, Statewide Behavioral Health Coordinating Council, May 2016
The Texas Mental Health Workforce: Continuing Challenges and Sensible Strategies, Hogg Foundation for Mental Health, April 29, 2016
Behavioral Health Barometer, Texas, 2015, U.S. Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, February 2016
Statewide Behavioral Health Strategic Plan and Coordinated Expenditures: Overview and Funding, (Presented to the House Select Committee on Mental Health), Legislative Budget Board, February 2016
State Mental Health Legislation 2015: Trends, Themes & Effective Practices, National Alliance on Mental Illness, December 2015
A Guide to Understanding Mental Health Systems and Services in Texas, 2nd Edition, Hogg Foundation for Mental Health, The University of Texas at Austin, 2014

Senate Committee on Education

Charge: School board governance policies and practices, school board training requirements, suggestions for better student outcomes, particularly within the framework set for low-performing schools in HB 1842, 84th Legislature, R.S.

"And Then There Were Twelve" (District of Innovation designation process under HB 1842), Commissioner of Education Mike Morath, Texas Education Agency, July 21, 2016
Interim Report to the 84th Legislature (Charge 3 - School board governance), House Committee on Public Education, December 2014
Framework for School Board Development, State Board of Education/Texas Education Agency, Revised July 2012
Eight Characteristics of Effective School Boards: Full Report, Center for Public Education, January 28, 2011
Interim Report to the 82nd Texas Legislature (Charge 3 - Improving student achievement and leadership models for improving low-performing campuses), House Committee on Public Education, December 2010
Campus Turnaround Guidance and Resources and HB 1842 Transition Chart, Texas Education Agency
Governance, Education Commission of the States

Charge: Monitor implementation of legislation, specifically initiatives to build a high-quality pre-kindergarten grant program; and legislation to raise standards of teacher preparation programs and establish a more consistent, high-quality accountability system

Briefing Book on Public Education Legislation, 84th Texas Legislative Session, Texas Education Agency, July 2015
House Bill 4 High-Quality Prekindergarten Grant Program (overview, timeline, commissioner's rules, prekindergarten guidelines), Texas Education Agency
Texas Commission on Next Generation Assessments and Accountability (meeting schedule and presentations on assessment and accountability in Texas), Texas Education Agency

August 17 Top

House Select Committee on Mental Health

Public testimony on mental health/behavioral health care services in Texas

August 18 Top

Joint Interim Committee on Advertising Public Notices

Topic: Rules and organizational business

Topic: Use of technology in posting and advertising to the public of legally required notices

"Wisconsin to Weigh Moving to Online Public Notices," WiscNews (WI), July 17, 2016
State of the News Media 2016, Pew Research Center, June 15, 2016
Insult to Injury: The Disappearance of Public Notices in US Newspapers, Public Policy and Funding the News, a project of the University of Southern California Annenberg Center on Communication Leadership & Policy, July 2015
"Newspapers Take Notice of Legislative Threat to Revenue," Crain's Detroit Business (MI), July 5, 2015
"Printed Public Notices Boost Accountability," The Gonzales Inquirer (TX), April 24, 2015
Interim Report to the 83rd Texas Legislature (Charge - The Texas red tape challenge, providing public notice), House Committee on Government Efficiency and Reform, January 2013

This entry was posted on August 5, 2016 at 8:20 AM and has received 1474 views. Print this entry.

Interim Hearings - Week of August 1, 2016

Jul 25

posted by TexasLRL in Interim hearings, 84th Session

Interim Hearings - Week of August 1

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.

August 2
August 3
August 4

August 2 Top

House Research Organization Steering Committee

Topic: House Research Organization budget for fiscal 2017

August 3 Top

Senate Committee on Education

Charge: Comprehensive performance review of all public schools in Texas

Pocket Edition: 2014-15 Texas Public School Statistics, Texas Education Agency, January 2016
2014 Comprehensive Biennial Report on Texas Public Schools: A Report to the 84th Legislature from the Texas Education Agency, Texas Education Agency, January 2015
Texas Public Schools Sesquicentennial Handbook: 1854-2004, Texas Education Agency, 2004
Interim Report to the 76th Legislature (Charge 1 - Efficiency of public schools), House Committee on Public Education, December 1998

Charge: Structure and performance of Harris County Department of Education and Dallas County Schools

Texas Education Code § 11.301, Application of Former Law
Vernon's Texas Codes Annotated, Texas Education Code, Volume 2, Title 2 - Appendix - Former Chapters with Continued Application (Former Education Code Chapter 17, County Administration and Chapter 18, Countywide Equalization Fund or County Unit System of Equalization Taxation), Library Call Number: LAW-TEX

Harris County Department of Education

Comprehensive Annual Financial Report for the Fiscal Year Ended August 31, 2015, Harris County Department of Education, January 22, 2016
An Audit Report on Selected State Contracts and Grants at the Harris County Department of Education, Texas State Auditor's Office, September 2015
Interim Report to the 84th Legislature (Charge 6 - Harris County Department of Education), House Committee on Public Education, December 2014
Harris County Department of Education, District Legal Status, Texas Association of School Boards, January 20, 2011
Op. Tex. Att’y Gen. No. JC-0055 (1999), Whether the Harris County Auditor must audit the Harris County Department of Education; reconsideration of Letter Opinion No. 93-83 (1993) concerning reimbursement of county for expense of audit (RQ-991), Attorney General of Texas, May 26, 1999
History of HCDE, Harris County Department of Education/Internet Archive

Dallas County Schools

Comprehensive Annual Financial Report for the Year Ended June 30, 2015, Dallas County Schools, March 31, 2016
History, Dallas County Schools

Charge: Monitor implementation of legislation, specifically legislation to require a minimum number of minutes of instruction for each school year

House Bill 2610: Frequently Asked Questions, Version 4, Texas Education Agency, February 9, 2016

August 4 Top

House Committee on County Affairs

Charge: County cybersecurity policies

Committee Meeting Handouts - County Cybersecurity, House Committee on County Affairs, July 7, 2016
Committee Meeting Handouts - County Cybersecurity, House Committee on County Affairs, June 10, 2016
"Senators Propose Help for Hacking the Hackers" (Blog), National Association of Counties, April 8, 2016 and State and Local Cyber Protection Act of 2016, S.2665, 114th Cong. (2015-2016)
Moving Forward: Leadership Toolkit for State CISOs, National Association of State Chief Information Officers, 2015
Framework for Improving Critical Infrastructure Cybersecurity (in response to Executive Order 13636), National Institute of Standards and Technology, Cybersecurity Framework, February 12, 2014
"Why Cybersecurity Matters to You," County News, National Association of Counties, January 14, 2013
Cyber for Counties Guidebook v1.0, National Association of Counties, Center for Internet Security, 2013
Building a More Secure And Prosperous Texas: A Report, Texas Cybersecurity, Education, and Economic Development Council, December 1, 2012

Charge: Texas Commission on Jail Standards, resources and structure in oversight, regulation, and enforcement of county jails

Agency Strategic Plan for the Fiscal Years 2017 to 2021, Texas Commission on Jail Standards, June 23, 2016
2014 Annual Report, Texas Commission on Jail Standards, January 31, 2015
Interim Report to the 84th Legislature (Charge 2 - Oversight of Texas Commission on Jail Standards), House Committee on County Affairs, January 2015
Interim Report to the 83rd Texas Legislature (Charge 3 - County jails), House Committee on County Affairs, January 2013
The Texas Commission on Jail Standards: The State's Solution for Implementing a Strong County Jail System, While Protecting Counties From Liability, Texas Criminal Justice Coalition, 2012
An Audit Report on Performance Measures at the Commission on Jail Standards, Texas State Auditor's Office, August 2011
Texas Commission on Jail Standards: Final Report, Sunset Advisory Commission, July 2009
Texas Commission on Jail Standards (Technical Assistance Bulletins, Non-Compliant Jails, Budget Reports, County Population Reports, 84th Legislature Information and Documents)

Charge: Internet publication of mug shots and criminal history information

Mug Shots and Booking Photo Websites (Overview and 2012-2016 state legislation), National Conference of State Legislatures, April 13, 2016
Survey of State Criminal History Information Systems, 2014, U.S. Department of Justice, Bureau of Justice Statistics, December 2015
Criminal Records in the Digital Age: A Review of Current Practices and Recommendations for Reform in Texas, William Wayne Justice Center for Public Interest Law, The University of Texas School of Law, March 2013

Charge: Services provided by sheriffs and constables and whether fee schedules allow cost recovery

Guide to Texas Laws for County Officials, 2016 (Sheriff and Constable), Prepared by David B. Brooks for Texas Association of Counties, June 2016
Sheriffs' and Constables' Fees, Texas Ahead, Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts, Effective December 15, 2015

Charge: Legislative oversight and monitoring of agencies, including Child Protective Services and 1115 Transformation Waiver

Committee Meeting Handouts - Child Protective Services, 1115 Transformation Waiver, House Committee on County Affairs, July 7, 2016
Committee Meeting Handouts - Child Protective Services, House Committee on County Affairs, June 10, 2016
Committee Meeting Handouts - 1115 Transformation Waiver, Child Protective Services, House Committee on County Affairs, May 16, 2016

This entry was posted on July 25, 2016 at 8:32 AM and has received 1418 views. Print this entry.

Interim Hearings - Week of July 25, 2016

Jul 18

posted by TexasLRL in Interim hearings, 84th Session

Interim Hearings - Week of July 25

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.

July 25

Senate Committee on Agriculture, Water & Rural Affairs

Charge: Surface water and groundwater

Reorganizing Groundwater Regulation in Texas, Bush School of Government & Public Service, Texas A&M University, 2016
Interim Report to the 84th Legislature (Charge 2 - Groundwater), House Committee on Natural Resources, January 2015
"Whose Water Is It Anyway?," Tierra Grande, Real Estate Center at Texas A&M University, July 2014 (Revised 2015)
"Texas Groundwater Rights and Immunities: From East to Day and Beyond," Texas Water Journal, Texas Water Resources Institute, Texas A&M University, 2014
"Edwards Aquifer Authority V. Day And Bragg—Predictions on Their Effects For Regulatory Takings Claims For Groundwater Used In Oil & Gas Operations," 66 Baylor Law Review 471 (2014)
"Liquid Assets: Groundwater in Texas," 122 Yale Law Journal 143 (December 4, 2012)
Applications for Surface Water Rights and Ownership Changes and Surface Water Rights and Availability, Texas Commission on Environmental Quality
A Texan's Guide to Water and Water Rights Marketing (including surface water rights, groundwater rights, and water right transfers), Texas Water Development Board

Charge: State Water Plan

2017 State Water Plan: Water for Texas, Texas Water Development Board, adopted by the Board May 19, 2016

Charge: Monitor implementation of legislation, specifically monitor the Texas Water Development Board's process in the identification and designation of brackish groundwater zones

Brackish Groundwater: Current Status and Potential Benefits for Water Management (Issue Brief), Rice University's Baker Institute for Public Policy, April 11, 2016
"2016 Preview: Brackish Groundwater Takes a Star Turn" (includes Texas), Circle of Blue, January 4, 2016
Brackish Resources Aquifer Characterization System (BRACS) - House Bill 30 Projects, Texas Water Development Board

Legislative Budget Board

Topic: Report and testimony from the Comptroller of Public Accounts regarding the financial condition of this state

This entry was posted on July 18, 2016 at 9:17 AM and has received 811 views. Print this entry.

Interim Hearings - Week of July 18, 2016

Jul 8

posted by TexasLRL in Interim hearings, 84th Session

Interim Hearings - Week of July 18

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.

July 18
July 19
July 21

July 18 Top

House Committee on Appropriations, Subcommittee on Articles VI, VII & VIII

Charge: Funding the state's transportation including Proposition 1, 83rd 3rd C.S., and Proposition 7, 84th R.S.; budget structure for TxDOT

"The Road Ahead: Examining Transportation Infrastructure Funding," 79 Texas Bar Journal 528 (July 2016)
"Texas Road Finance, Part I," Fiscal Notes (Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts), May 2016
Texas Highway Funding: Legislative Primer, Texas Legislative Budget Board, April 2016
Annual Financial Report For the Fiscal Year Ending August 31, 2015, With Independent Auditor's Report, Texas Department of Transportation, December 16, 2015
Operating Budget for Fiscal Year 2016, Texas Department of Transportation, December 1, 2015
"Proposition 7: 'Texas Miracle' won't endure if we don't pay for roads, highways to support it," Waco Tribune-Herald, October 21, 2015
Transportation Funding Options: Legislative Policy Report, Texas Legislative Budget Board, February 2015
Interim Report to the 84th Legislature, House Select Committee on Transportation Funding, Expenditures & Finance, December 2014
The Road Ahead: County Transportation Funding and Financing, National Association of Counties, February 2014

July 19 Top

House Committee on Appropriations

Charge 16: Effectiveness of the Department of Public Safety's use of border security funds, border security metrics

Update: State Funding for Border Security (September 1, 2015 - February 29, 2016), Legislative Budget Board, May 2016
"Lawmakers Probe DPS Border Spending," KVUE.COM, May 6, 2016
Texas Department of Public Safety Director Steve McCraw’s testimony to House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, Subcommittee on National Security & Subcommittee on Government Operations, March 23, 2016
Border Security Metrics Between Ports of Entry, Congressional Research Service, February 16, 2016
Measuring the Metrics: Grading the Government on Immigration Enforcement, Bipartisan Policy Center, February 2015
Border Metrics: How to Effectively Measure Border Security and Immigration Control, Migration Policy Institute, January 2016
Miscellaneous Provisions: Sec. 17.09. Border Security - Informational Listing (Funding), General Appropriation Act 2016-17, HB 1, 84th R.S., May 26, 2015
Summary of Conference Committee Report for House Bill 1, Article V - Public Safety and Criminal Justice, Legislative Budget Board, May 2015

House Committee on Appropriations, Subcommittee on Articles I, IV & V Charge: Deferred maintenance and physical plant needs of state buildings

An Audit Report on Deferred Maintenance for the School for the Deaf, Texas State Auditor's Office, October 2015
"Signs of Neglect, Wear and Tear in State Government," Texas Tribune, February 28, 2015
Master Facilities Plan Report 2014, Texas Facilities Commission, 2014
Texas Facilities Commission (TFC) Facilities and Design Construction (FDC) FY2016 and FY2017 General and Deferred Maintenance Procurement Forecast, Texas Facilities Commission

July 21Top

House Committee on County Affairs

Charge: County cybersecurity policies

Committee Meeting Handouts - County Cybersecurity, House Committee on County Affairs, June 10, 2016

"Senators Propose Help for Hacking the Hackers" (Blog), National Association of Counties, April 8, 2016 and State and Local Cyber Protection Act of 2016, S.2665, 114th Cong. (2015-2016)
Moving Forward: Leadership Toolkit for State CISOs, National Association of State Chief Information Officers, 2015
Framework for Improving Critical Infrastructure Cybersecurity (in response to Executive Order 13636), National Institute of Standards and Technology, Cybersecurity Framework, February 12, 2014
"Why Cybersecurity Matters to You," County News, National Association of Counties, January 14, 2013
Cyber for Counties Guidebook v1.0, National Association of Counties, Center for Internet Security, 2013
Building a More Secure And Prosperous Texas: A Report, Texas Cybersecurity, Education, and Economic Development Council, December 1, 2012

Charge: Texas Commission on Jail Standards, resources and structure in oversight, regulation, and enforcement of county jails

Agency Strategic Plan for the Fiscal Years 2017 to 2021, Texas Commission on Jail Standards, June 23, 2016
2014 Annual Report, Texas Commission on Jail Standards, January 31, 2015
Interim Report to the 84th Legislature (Charge 2 - Oversight of Texas Commission on Jail Standards), House Committee on County Affairs, January 2015
Interim Report to the 83rd Texas Legislature (Charge 3 - County jails), House Committee on County Affairs, January 2013
The Texas Commission on Jail Standards: The State's Solution for Implementing a Strong County Jail System, While Protecting Counties From Liability, Texas Criminal Justice Coalition, 2012
An Audit Report on Performance Measures at the Commission on Jail Standards, Texas State Auditor's Office, August 2011
Texas Commission on Jail Standards: Final Report, Sunset Advisory Commission, July 2009
Texas Commission on Jail Standards (Technical Assistance Bulletins, Non-Compliant Jails, Budget Reports, County Population Reports, 84th Legislature Information and Documents)

Charge: Internet publication of mug shots and criminal history information

Mug Shots and Booking Photo Websites (Overview and 2012-2016 state legislation), National Conference of State Legislatures, April 13, 2016
Survey of State Criminal History Information Systems, 2014, U.S. Department of Justice, Bureau of Justice Statistics, December 2015
Criminal Records in the Digital Age: A Review of Current Practices and Recommendations for Reform in Texas, William Wayne Justice Center for Public Interest Law, The University of Texas School of Law, March 2013

Charge: Services provided by sheriffs and constables and whether fee schedules allow cost recovery

Guide to Texas Laws for County Officials, 2016 (Sheriff and Constable), Prepared by David B. Brooks for Texas Association of Counties, June 2016
Sheriffs' and Constables' Fees, Texas Ahead, Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts, Effective December 15, 2015

Charge: Legislative oversight and monitoring of agencies, including Child Protective Services and 1115 Transformation Waiver

Committee Meeting Handouts - Child Protective Services, House Committee on County Affairs, June 10, 2016
Committee Meeting Handouts - 1115 Transformation Waiver, Child Protective Services, House Committee on County Affairs, May 16, 2016

Joint Oversight Committee on Government Facilities

Topic: Status of deferred maintenance and new buildings in the Capitol Complex and North Austin Complex approved by the 84th Legislature

2016 Texas Capitol Complex Master Plan, Texas Facilities Commission, 2016
An Audit Report on Deferred Maintenance for the School for the Deaf, Texas State Auditor's Office, October 2015
"Signs of Neglect, Wear and Tear in State Government," Texas Tribune, February 28, 2015
Master Facilities Plan Report 2014, Texas Facilities Commission, 2014
Texas Facilities Commission (TFC) Facilities and Design Construction (FDC) FY2016 and FY2017 General and Deferred Maintenance Procurement Forecast, Texas Facilities Commission

This entry was posted on July 8, 2016 at 1:56 PM and has received 524 views. Print this entry.

Interim Hearings - Weeks of July 4 and 11, 2016

Jul 1

posted by TexasLRL in Interim hearings, 84th Session

Interim Hearings - Weeks of July 4 and 11

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.

July 7
July 12
July 13

July 7 Top

House Committee on County Affairs

Charge: Texas Commission on Jail Standards, resources and structure in oversight, regulation, and enforcement of county jails

Agency Strategic Plan for the Fiscal Years 2017 to 2021, Texas Commission on Jail Standards, June 23, 2016
2014 Annual Report, Texas Commission on Jail Standards, January 31, 2015
Interim Report to the 84th Legislature (Charge 2 - Oversight of Texas Commission on Jail Standards), House Committee on County Affairs, January 2015
Interim Report to the 83rd Texas Legislature (Charge 3 - County jails), House Committee on County Affairs, January 2013
The Texas Commission on Jail Standards: The State's Solution for Implementing a Strong County Jail System, While Protecting Counties From Liability, Texas Criminal Justice Coalition, 2012
An Audit Report on Performance Measures at the Commission on Jail Standards, Texas State Auditor's Office, August 2011
Texas Commission on Jail Standards: Final Report, Sunset Advisory Commission, July 2009
Texas Commission on Jail Standards (Technical Assistance Bulletins, Non-Compliant Jails, Budget Reports, County Population Reports, 84th Legislature Information and Documents)

Charge: Internet publication of mug shots and criminal history information

Mug Shots and Booking Photo Websites (Overview and 2012-2016 state legislation), National Conference of State Legislatures, April 13, 2016
Survey of State Criminal History Information Systems, 2014, U.S. Department of Justice, Bureau of Justice Statistics, December 2015
Criminal Records in the Digital Age: A Review of Current Practices and Recommendations for Reform in Texas, William Wayne Justice Center for Public Interest Law, The University of Texas School of Law, March 2013

Charge: Risk and mitigation of wildfires, floods, and other natural hazards in the wildland-urban interface; natural disasters

Committee Meeting Handouts - Natural Disasters, House Committee on County Affairs, May 16, 2016
"New Technologies Aiding States' Disaster Response," Capitol Ideas, Council of State Governments, May/June 2016
Texas Emergency Management Executive Guide: Fiscal Year 2015 Edition, Texas Department of Public Safety and Texas Division of Emergency Management, Revised January 4, 2016
Lessons From Texas: 10 Years of Disaster Recovery Examined, Texas Appleseed, September 15, 2015
State of Texas Hazard Mitigation Plan: 2013 Update, Texas Department of Public Safety, 2013

Charge: County cybersecurity policies

Committee Meeting Handouts - County Cybersecurity, House Committee on County Affairs, June 10, 2016
"Senators Propose Help for Hacking the Hackers" (Blog), National Association of Counties, April 8, 2016 and State and Local Cyber Protection Act of 2016, S.2665, 114th Cong. (2015-2016)
Moving Forward: Leadership Toolkit for State CISOs, National Association of State Chief Information Officers, 2015
Framework for Improving Critical Infrastructure Cybersecurity (in response to Executive Order 13636), National Institute of Standards and Technology, Cybersecurity Framework, February 12, 2014
"Why Cybersecurity Matters to You," County News, National Association of Counties, January 14, 2013
Cyber for Counties Guidebook v1.0, National Association of Counties, Center for Internet Security, 2013
Building a More Secure And Prosperous Texas: A Report, Texas Cybersecurity, Education, and Economic Development Council, December 1, 2012

Charge: Services provided by sheriffs and constables and whether fee schedules allow cost recovery

Guide to Texas Laws for County Officials, 2016 (Sheriff and Constable), Prepared by David B. Brooks for Texas Association of Counties, June 2016
Sheriffs' and Constables' Fees, Texas Ahead, Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts, Effective December 15, 2015

Charge: Legislative oversight and monitoring of agencies, including Child Protective Services and 1115 Transformation Waiver

Committee Meeting Handouts - Child Protective Services, House Committee on County Affairs, June 10, 2016
Committee Meeting Handouts - 1115 Transformation Waiver, Child Protective Services, House Committee on County Affairs, May 16, 2016

July 12 Top

House Committee on General Investigating & Ethics

Charge 4: State agencies' use of emergency leave and settlement payments

Memorandum from Governor Greg Abbott and Comptroller Glenn Hegar to State Agency Heads RE: New Emergency Leave Policy, June 1, 2016
Texas Government Code § 661.902, Emergency Leave

House Committee on Human Services

Charge 3: Foster care system

Child Protective Services Handbook (Section 6900 - Adoption Services, Section 7000 - Foster and Adoptive Home Development), Texas Department of Family and Protective Services, Latest revision June 1, 2016
Progress Report to the Sunset Advisory Commission: Child Protective Services Transformation, Texas Department of Family and Protective Services, April 2016
An Assessment of the Economic Implications of Redesigning the Foster Care System in Selected Counties and the State of Texas, The Perryman Group, April 2016
Meeting the Needs of High Needs Children in the Texas Child Welfare System, The Stephen Group, November 2015
Foster Care Redesign: Implementation Plan (Draft), Texas Department of Family and Protective Services, April 2015
Strategic Plan to Reduce Child Abuse and Neglect Fatalities, Department of Family and Protective Services and Department of State Health Services, March 2015
Interim Report to the 84th Legislature (Charge 2 - Foster care redesign), House Committee on Human Services, January 2015
2015 Annual Report and Data Book, Texas Department of Family and Protective Services, 2015
DFPS CPS Operational Review Phase 1: Assessment Findings – Final Report, The Stephen Group, Revised June 12, 2014
Texas Foster Care Redesign: Initial Insights Into Foster Care Reform, Child and Family Research Institute at The University of Texas at Austin, April 2014
DFPS Rider 29 Report for Foster Care Redesign, 2014 (Attachment 2, August 2015), Texas Department of Family and Protective Services, February 27, 2014

July 13 Top

House Committees on Appropriations, Subcommittee on Article II and Public Health (Joint Hearing)

Joint charge: Trauma system in the state of Texas

A National Trauma Care System: Integrating Military and Civilian Trauma Systems to Achieve Zero Preventable Deaths After Injury, National Academy of Sciences, June 17, 2016
Governor's EMS and Trauma Advisory Council Strategic Plan for January 1, 2014 to December 31, 2015 (Draft), The Litaker Group, Texas Department of State Health Services, February 28, 2014
The Right Patient, the Right Place, the Right Time: A Look at Trauma and Emergency Medical Services Policy in the States, National Conference of State Legislatures, September 2012
Trauma Facility Study: An Analysis of the Need for Additional Level I and Level II Trauma Facilities in Texas (In partial response to SB 1, 81st Legislature, R.S., Article II, Rider 90), American College of Surgeons, Texas Department of State Health Services, Updated December 8, 2010
Interim Report to the 81st Texas Legislature (Charge 8 - Trauma system infrastructure/Driver Responsibility Program), House Committee on Public Health, December 2008
Trauma Stabilization Services in Rural Texas, Texas Legislative Council, August 2004
Interim Report to the 78th Legislature, Senate Committee on Finance Subcommittee on Trauma Care, November 2002
EMS-Trauma Systems, Texas Department of State Health Services

House Committee on Appropriations, Subcommittee on Article II

Charge 9: Hospital reimbursement methodologies, including rural and children's hospitals; extension of the Texas Healthcare Transformation and Quality Improvement 1115 waiver

Presentation to the House Appropriations Committee: Overview of Texas Medicaid Hospital Finance, Texas Health and Human Services Commission, May 7, 2015
Presentation to the House Appropriations Committee on the Section 1115 Demonstration Waiver: Texas Healthcare Transformation and Quality Improvement Program, Texas Health and Human Services Commission, May 7, 2015
Interim Report to the 81st Legislature, Senate Committee on Health and Human Services, January 2009
Joint Interim Report with Health and Human Services on Medicaid Provider Rate Reimbursement Methodologies, Hospital Reimbursement and Uncompensated Care, Senate Finance Committee, January 2009
Rate Analysis for Hospital Services, Texas Health and Human Services Commission
Medicaid Transformation Waiver (Medicaid 1115 waiver) and Waiver Renewal, Texas Health and Human Services Commission

State Water Implementation Fund for Texas Advisory Committee

Topic: State Water Implementation Fund for Texas (SWIFT)

2017 State Water Plan: Water for Texas, Texas Water Development Board, adopted by the Board May 19, 2016
State Water Implementation Fund for Texas (Information and FAQs), Texas Water Development Board
31 Texas Administrative Code §§363.1301-363.1312, State Water Implementation Fund for Texas and State Water Implementation Revenue Fund for Texas

This entry was posted on July 1, 2016 at 10:31 AM and has received 1557 views. Print this entry.

Interim Hearings - Week of June 20, 2016

Jun 10

posted by TexasLRL in Interim hearings, 84th Session

Interim Hearings - Week of June 20

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.

June 20
June 21
June 23

June 20 Top

Senate Committee on Agriculture, Water & Rural Affairs

Charge: State Water Plan

2017 State Water Plan: Water for Texas, Texas Water Development Board, adopted by the Board May 19, 2016
"Private Sector Plays a Big Role In State Water Planning," Texas Tribune, March 13, 2015
Learning from Drought: Next Generation Water Planning for Texas, Texas Center for Policy Studies, May 2014
2016 Approved Regional Water Plans, Texas Water Development Board
Water Resources Planning (state water planning, regional water planning and data, population and water demand projections), Texas Water Development Board

June 21 Top

House Committee on Higher Education

Charge 6: Educational opportunities for non-traditional students, adult learners

Bolstering Non-Traditional Student Success: A Comprehensive Student Aid System Using Financial Aid, Public Benefits, and Refundable Tax Credits, Center for Postsecondary and Economic Success at the Center for Law and Social Policy, December 2015
Keeping College Within Reach: How Texas Can Move More Low-Income and Adult Students Through College, Center For Public Policy Priorities, April 2015
Interim Report to the 84th Legislature, House Committee on Higher Education, January 2015
"How Astonishingly Low College Completion Rates Are Hurting the Economy," SkilledUp For Companies, November 11, 2014
The Changing Role of Community Colleges in Workforce Development, National Conference of State Legislatures, October 21, 2014
"Colleges Adjust to New Reality That More Students Juggle Work, Family," PBS NewsHour, August 25, 2014
"The New Class: Non-Traditional Students Are Changing the Market for Higher Education," The Economist Intelligence Unit Perspectives, March 25, 2014
The Economic Payoff For Closing College-Readiness and Completion Gaps, Jobs For the Future, March 2013
Complete College Texas: Is Texas Utilizing GAME CHANGER Strategies to Boost College Completion? Not Fully, Complete College America, Spring 2013
Bringing Adults Back to College: Designing and Implementing a Statewide Concierge Model, Western Interstate Commission for Higher Education, November 2010

June 23 Top

Sunset Advisory Commission

Overview of Sunset process and schedule; approval of operating budget and rules; discussion and approval of changes to across-the-board recommendations