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House Committee Resources: Corrections

Nov 24

posted by TexasLRL in Committee Resources, 86th Session

House Committee Resources: Corrections
The committee has requested written submissions on the following topics. Below are resources related to those topics.

 

House Committee on Corrections
Charge 1: Monitor the agencies and programs under the Committee's jurisdiction and oversee the implementation of relevant legislation passed by the 86th Legislature. Conduct active oversight of all associated rulemaking and other governmental actions taken to ensure intended legislative outcome of all legislation, including the following:

  • HB 374, which relates to meetings or visits between a defendant on community supervision and a supervision officer. Monitor community supervision and corrections department rules regarding the scheduling of meetings or visits with a defendant placed on community supervision. Examine the process by which community supervision and corrections departments implement newly adopted policies.

  • HB 650 and HB 3227, which relate to the welfare of confined females within the Texas Department of Criminal Justice (TDCJ). Monitor TDCJ rules regulating treatment of incarcerated women. Examine the process by which the department facilitates the educational, medical, and wellness needs of incarcerated pregnant women.
  • HB 1191, which relates to an annual report concerning the number of inmates who have been in the conservatorship of a state agency responsible for providing child protective services. Monitor the TDCJ's collection of statistical information concerning the total number of inmates who have at any time been in the conservatorship of a state agency responsible for providing child protective services.
  • SB 1147, which relates to conditions of community supervision for certain driving while intoxicated offenses. Monitor the implementation of the legislation and provide recommendations to improve access to treatment for defendants convicted of driving while intoxicated.

 

House Committee on Corrections
Charge 2: Examine gaps in services and assess efforts to connect justice-involved veterans, senior citizens, and homeless populations to services while incarcerated and after release at both the local and state levels. Specifically, the committee should evaluate training and technical assistance provided by the Texas Veterans Commission to criminal justice agencies.

 

House Committee on Corrections
Charge 3: Examine the current parole revocation warrant ("blue warrant") procedure. Specifically, the committee should consider the monetary costs to the counties; using Risk Assessment Instruments and the Offense Severity Scale to evaluate static and dynamic factors associated with an offender's record in order to escalate high-risk revocation offenders to the Department of Public Safety for immediate detention; and creating an online list providing the number of outstanding "blue warrants" pending per county.

 

House Committee on Corrections
Charge 4: Evaluate funding provided to the TDCJ for the repair, maintenance, and upgrade of prison facilities. Determine areas of the facilities that are in most need of repair, maintenance, or upgrade and examine the costs associated with such repairs, maintenance, or upgrades. Examine the Correctional Managed Health Care Committee's administration of Hepatitis C treatment and procedures. Review the Community Justice Assistance Division's current compliance practices and examine current funding formulas for adult probation departments. Study the TDCJ's ownership of real property not being used for prison facilities, including the amount of property owned and its highest and best use.

 

House Committee on Corrections
Charge 5: Monitor the State Auditor's review of agencies and programs under the committee's jurisdiction.

This entry was posted on November 24, 2020 at 11:10 AM and has received 1846 views. Print this entry.

House Committee Resources: Judiciary & Civil Jurisprudence

Nov 20

posted by TexasLRL in Committee Resources, 86th Session

House Committee Resources: Judiciary & Civil Jurisprudence

The committee has requested written submissions on the following topics. Below are resources related to those topics.

 

House Committee on Judiciary & Civil Jurisprudence

Charge 1: Monitor the agencies and programs under the Committee's jurisdiction and oversee the implementation of relevant legislation passed by the 86th Legislature. Conduct active oversight of all associated rulemaking and other governmental actions taken to ensure intended legislative outcome of all legislation, including the following:

 

Charge 2: Study opportunities to modernize and improve local and statewide data collection throughout the criminal justice system in Texas, including improving the collection and reporting of court records, to promote transparency and ensure uniform data collection processes. 

 

Charge 3: Study the Rule Against Perpetuities as used by trusts. Examine whether statutory changes are necessary and appropriate to make Texas more competitive and keep trust capital and estate planning businesses in Texas.

 

Charge 4: Monitor the State Auditor's review of agencies and programs under the committee's jurisdiction.

This entry was posted on November 20, 2020 at 10:40 AM and has received 1325 views. Print this entry.

House Committee Resources: Defense & Veterans' Affairs

Nov 2

posted by TexasLRL in Committee Resources, 86th Session

House Committee Resources: Defense & Veterans' Affairs

The committee has requested written submissions on the following topics. Below are resources related to those topics.

 

House Committee on Defense & Veterans' Affairs

Charge 1: Monitor the agencies and programs under the Committee's jurisdiction and oversee the implementation of relevant legislation passed by the 86th Legislature. Conduct active oversight of all associated rulemaking and other governmental actions taken to ensure intended legislative outcome of all legislation, including the following: 

  • HB 1326, which is the sunset legislation for the Texas Military Department. Examine the Adjutant General's policy outlining the director of state administration's responsibility for state administrative interests across all programs, including evaluating procedures for oversight of state employees and mitigating compliance risks.

    • Texas Military Department (Sunset Review Documents for the 2018-2019 Review Cycle, 86th Legislative Session), Texas Sunset Advisory Commission

 

Charge 2: Study the mental health treatment options available for all Texas veterans, including efforts to fill gaps left by federal government. Make recommendations for future legislation streamlining mental health treatment coordination among federal, state, and local agencies. 

 

Charge 3: Study the potential impact of eliminating Regional Military Sustainability Commissions as an ineffective tool in assisting Texas military installations and their host defense communities with protecting the missions, operations, readiness, and resiliency of military installations. Identify new and enhanced strategies to replace the Commissions with land use limitations or restrictions, regulatory strategies, annexation powers, contractual agreements, or other tools to preserve military use areas inside and outside municipal boundaries. 

 

Charge 4: Examine gaps in services and assess efforts to connect justice-involved veterans, senior citizens, and homeless populations to services while incarcerated and after release at both the local and state levels. Specifically, the committee should evaluate training and technical assistance provided by the Texas Veterans Commission to criminal justice agencies. 

 

Charge 5: Review the connection between the economic vitality of business and industry and the economic vitality of our military veterans transitioning into the workforce. Specifically, the committee should analyze barriers to military veterans transitioning from active duty to civilian life, the effectiveness of government transition and training benefits, and current and ongoing demand for veteran and military spouse employment from industry in Texas. 

 

Charge 6: Monitor the State Auditor's review of agencies and programs under the Committee's jurisdiction. The Chair shall seek input and periodic briefings on completed audits for the 2019 and 2020 fiscal years and bring forth pertinent issues for full committee consideration. 

 

This entry was posted on November 2, 2020 at 9:40 AM and has received 2523 views. Print this entry.

House Committee Resources: Criminal Jurisprudence

Oct 27

posted by TexasLRL in Committee Resources, 86th Session

House Committee Resources: Criminal Jurisprudence

The committee has requested written submissions on the following topics. Below are resources related to those topics.

 

House Committee on Criminal Jurisprudence

Charge 1: Monitor the agencies and programs under the Committee's jurisdiction and oversee the implementation of relevant legislation passed by the 86th Legislature. Conduct active oversight of all associated rulemaking and other governmental actions taken to ensure intended legislative outcome of all legislation, including the following:

 

House Committee on Criminal Jurisprudence

Charge 2: Study current practices and enforcement of criminal laws for non-violent Class C Misdemeanors. Examine the benefits of citations in lieu of arrests and fine-only offenses, the nexus between recidivism and "debtors' prisons," and all programs within the criminal justice system that levy fines, fees, and related penalties.

 

House Committee on Criminal Jurisprudence

Charge 3: Review the overall state of indigent defense and delivery of services to indigent defendants in Texas under the Fair Defense Act and other applicable laws. Examine the procedures for the appointment of counsel, including public defender options for rural communities, the monitoring of workloads and performance of attorneys, and the funding of those services. Examine counsel options for indigent defendants during magistrate proceedings and the administration and funding of county indigent defense systems. (Joint charge with the House Committee on County Affairs)

 

House Committee on Criminal Jurisprudence

Charge 4: Review trial court procedures in capital sentencing, and implementation applicable law in direct appeal and writ proceedings in capital cases, for compliance with constitutional protections and conflict of interest rules.

 

House Committee on Criminal Jurisprudence

Charge 5: Monitor the State Auditor's review of agencies and programs under the Committee's jurisdiction. The Chair shall seek input and periodic briefings on completed audits for the 2019 and 2020 fiscal years and bring forth pertinent issues for full committee consideration.

 

This entry was posted on October 27, 2020 at 9:30 AM and has received 1585 views. Print this entry.

Senate Committee Resources: Redistricting

Oct 21

posted by TexasLRL in Committee Resources, 86th Session

 

The Senate Select Committee on Redistricting is gathering information under Section 301.014 of the Texas Government Code. The committee has established a public input portal on its website: https://senate.Texas.gov/redistrictingcomment/.

 

This tool allows the public to submit written comments and attachments for the committee to review and consider regarding the upcoming redistricting process. Submissions received will be transmitted to members of the committee and any other senator who requests to review them.

 

 

This entry was posted on October 21, 2020 at 9:15 AM and has received 838 views. Print this entry.

House Committee Resources: Mass Violence & Community Safety, Public Health

Oct 9

posted by TexasLRL in Committee Resources, 86th Session

House Committee Resources: Mass Violence & Community Safety, Public Health

The committees have requested written submissions on the following topics. Below are resources related to those topics.

 

 

Duties:

Duty (1): examine options for strengthening enforcement measures for current laws that prevent the transfer of firearms to felons and other persons prohibited by current law from possessing firearms; 

 

Duty (2): examine impediments and challenges to the timely reporting of relevant criminal history information and other threat indicators to state and federal databases;

 

Duty (3): examine the role of digital media and technology in threat detection, assessment, reporting, and prevention, including the collaboration between digital media and law enforcement;

 

Duty (3) Designated Party:

  • Ron Barnes, Head of State Legislative Affairs, Google

 

Duty (4): evaluate the ongoing and long-term workforce needs of the state related to cybersecurity, mental health, law enforcement, and related professionals; and

 

Duty (5): evaluate current protocols and extreme risk indicators used to identify potential threats and consider options for improving the dissemination of information between federal, state, and local entities and timely and appropriate intervention of mental health professionals.

 

 

House Committee on Public Health 

Charge 1: Monitor the agencies and programs under the Committee's jurisdiction and oversee the implementation of relevant legislation passed by the 86th Legislature. Conduct active oversight of all associated rulemaking and other governmental actions taken to ensure intended legislative outcome of all legislation, including the following:

 

Related to Women/Maternal/Infant Health

  • HB 253, which requires the Health and Human Services Commission (HHSC) to develop and implement a five-year strategic plan to address postpartum depression. Monitor the development of the strategic plan to ensure it provides strategies to improve access to postpartum depression screening, referral, treatment, and support services.

  • SB 436, which requires the Department of State Health Services (DSHS), in conjunction with the Maternal Mortality and Morbidity Task Force, to develop and implement statewide initiatives to improve maternal and newborn health for women with opioid use disorder. Examine the process by which DSHS and the Task Force develop and implement the initiatives, and, if applicable, monitor the development of the optional pilot program authorized by the legislation.
  • SB 748, which creates a newborn screening preservation account and requires the development of a program to provide prenatal and postpartum care through telehealth or telemedicine in certain counties, a high risk maternal care coordination services pilot program, and a pregnancy medical home pilot program. Monitor the rulemaking process at HHSC and conduct oversight of the creation of the newborn screening preservation account and the maternal health programs. Identify any challenges that arise in funding the account or implementing the programs. Ensure the required agencies are providing adequate data collection on maternal mortality rates, maternity care, and postpartum depression in the state.
  • SB 749, which relates to designating levels of neonatal and maternal care for hospitals and establishes an appeal process, waiver agreement, and telemedicine exceptions. Monitor HHSC's rulemaking process.
  • SB 750, which directs HHSC to evaluate and develop a limited postpartum care package for new mothers enrolled in the Healthy Texas Women (HTW) program and to develop strategies to ensure continuity of care for new mothers who transition from Medicaid for Pregnant Women into HTW. Monitor HHSC's rulemaking process and the evaluation and development of the postpartum care package in HTW.
  • SB 2132, which requires additional information to be provided to new mothers enrolled in HTW. Monitor HHSC's rulemaking process.

 

Related to Controlled Substances/Opioids

 

Related to Rural Health

  • HB 3934, which provides rural hospitals with the authority to establish a health care collaborative.
  • SB 170, which relates to the reimbursement of rural hospitals under Medicaid. Monitor the reimbursement methodology developed by HHSC.
  • SB 633, which provides the authority to assemble local mental health authorities (LMHA) in rural areas into groups in order to ensure access to mental health services in those areas. Conduct oversight of the process of grouping individual LMHAs and the development of a plan for each group to increase capacity and access.
  • SB 1621, which creates a rural hospital strategic plan.

 

Related to General Monitoring

  • HB 871, which authorizes certain rural hospitals to satisfy trauma facility designation requirements through the use of telemedicine. Monitor HHSC's rulemaking process.

  • HB 1501, which creates the Texas Behavioral Health Executive Council. Monitor the transfer of the regulation of psychologists, marriage and family therapists, professional counselors, and social workers to the new council.
  • HB 1504, which continues the Texas Medical Board until September 1, 2031. Review and identify any challenges related to the processing of complaints, including due process concerns and the independence of the Board. Make recommendations for additional modifications to address these challenges.
    • Texas Medical Board (Sunset Review Documents for 2018-2019 Review Cycle, 86th Legislative Session). Texas Sunset Advisory Commission
  • HB 3148, which establishes provisions related to the administration and oversight of investigational adult stem cell treatments. Monitor the creation of the investigational stem cell registry.
  • HB 3703, which expands eligibility for low-THC cannabis prescriptions. Monitor HHSC's rulemaking process.
  • HB 4455, which authorizes a health professional to provide a mental health service via telemedicine or telehealth services to a patient located outside of Texas.
  • SB 21, which raises the age to purchase tobacco from 18 to 21.
  • SB 670, which relates to ensuring reimbursement of telemedicine and telehealth services and expanding which facilities may receive reimbursement for those services.

 

Related to Behavioral Health

  • HB 18, which enhances school safety and mental health resources for students and school personnel and works to reduce the stigma around mental health conditions. Monitor the process by which state agencies coordinate to implement the legislation and their compliance with various requirements, including providing required guidelines and resources to schools.
  • HB 19, which places non-physician mental health professionals at education service centers to provide resources for educators and administrators in school districts and charter schools. 
  • HB 906, which creates the Collaborative Task Force on Public School Mental Health Services.
  • SB 11, which creates the Texas Child Mental Health Care Consortium to facilitate access to mental health care services through telehealth and expands the mental health workforce through training and funding opportunities. Monitor the creation of the consortium and agencies' rulemaking processes. Review how school districts are spending their school safety allotment.

 

o   Senate Bill 11 Data Requirement and Safe and Supportive Schools Program (SSSP) (Correspondence to the Administrator Addressed), Texas Education Agency, September 17, 2020

o   Senate Bill 11 (SB 11) and Other School Safety-Related Legislation (Correspondence to the Administrator Addressed), Texas Education Agency, February 27, 2020

o   School Safety After Senate Bill 11, Texas Association of School Boards, updated October 2019

o   Implementation Plan for the Texas Child Mental Health Care Consortium (TCMHCC), As Required by Rider 58 of the Appropriation to the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board (House Bill 1, 86th Legislature, Regular Session, 2019), The University of Texas System, November 2019

o   Improving School Safety in Texas, Governor Greg Abbott, August 27, 2019

o   Texas 86th Legislative Session: Summary of Mental Health and Substance Use-Related Legislation, Hogg Foundation for Mental Health, The University of Texas at Austin, September 3, 2019

o   HB 906 Mental Health Task Force, Texas Education Agency

o   School Safety, Texas Education Agency

o   Texas Child Mental Health Care Consortium, The University of Texas System

 

House Committee on Public Health 

 

House Committee on Public Health 

Charge 3: Review behavioral health capacity in the state, with a focus on suicide prevention efforts and the provision of behavioral health care services to individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities. Review suicide prevention programs and initiatives across state agencies, evaluate their effectiveness, and identify opportunities for greater coordination. Identify gaps in the continuum of care for individuals with disabilities and challenges for those providing care to them. Additionally, identify any existing administrative and licensing barriers that negatively affect overall behavioral health capacity in the state.

 

House Committee on Public Health

Charge 4: Monitor the State Auditor's review of agencies and programs under the Committee's jurisdiction. The Chair shall seek input and periodic briefings on completed audits for the 2019 and 2020 fiscal years and bring forth pertinent issues for full committee consideration. 

 

 

This entry was posted on October 9, 2020 at 11:30 AM and has received 1349 views. Print this entry.

House Committee Resources: Aggregate Production Operations

Sep 28

posted by TexasLRL in Committee Resources, 86th Session

Committee Resources

The committee has requested written submissions on the following topic. Below are resources related to that topic.

 

House Interim Study Committee on Aggregate Production Operations

Topic: The impact of aggregate production operations (APOs), including, but not limited to, rock-crushing facilities, concrete batch plants, and hot-mix asphalt plants, across the state.

 

Examples of issues impacted by APOs include, but are not limited to:

 

(1) general enforcement of regulations;

(2) nuisance issues relating to dust, noise, and light;

(3) transportation safety and transportation integrity;

(4) air quality;

(5) blasting enforcement;

(6) reclamation efforts;

(7) distance of facilities from adjoining property lines;

(8) disruption of groundwater; and

(9) the impact of municipal ordinances;

 

 

This entry was posted on September 28, 2020 at 9:30 AM and has received 904 views. Print this entry.

House Committee Resources: Driver's License Issuance and Renewal

Sep 21

posted by TexasLRL in Committee Resources, 86th Session

Committee Resources

The committee has requested written submissions on the following topics. Below are resources related to those topics.

 

House Select Committee on Driver's License Issuance & Renewal  

Charge 1: Examining opportunities to expedite the driver's license renewal processes, with a focus on long wait times, physician waivers for eye exams, redundant fingerprinting, and opportunities to complete the renewal online; Reviewing the feasibility of permanently transferring the licensing program from the Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS) over to the Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV).

 

Charge 2: Monitoring the use of additional funds that were devoted to the Department of Public Safety in the 86th Legislature for the purposes of improving the driver's license renewal process, along with the construction of new driver's license service centers.

 

Charge 3: Monitoring the implementation of House Bill 1078 -- which waives driver's license and handgun license fees for individuals with certificates in cardiopulmonary resuscitation -- and determining whether the legislation is being implemented as intended.

 

Charge 4: Monitoring the implementation of Senate Bill 616 -- the DPS sunset bill -- which provides for the conditional transfer of licensing programs from DPS to the Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) and reviewing the new workgroup's adoption of an implementation plan for the orderly transfer of programs.

 

This entry was posted on September 21, 2020 at 9:15 AM and has received 1274 views. Print this entry.

House Committee Resources: Licensing & Administrative Procedures

Sep 11

posted by TexasLRL in Committee Resources, 86th Session

Committee Resources

The committee has requested written submissions on the following topics. Below are resources related to those topics.

 

 

House Committee on Licensing & Administrative Procedures                     

Charge 1: Monitor the agencies and programs under the Committee's jurisdiction and oversee the implementation of relevant legislation passed by the 86th Legislature. Conduct active oversight of all associated rulemaking and other governmental actions taken to ensure intended legislative outcome of all legislation, including the following:  

  • HB 892, which relates to county regulation of game rooms. Monitor the status of counties statewide who have chosen to regulate game rooms and implement their own regulatory structure to combat illegal gambling activity via registration and permitting requirements, fees, disclosure of ownership, inspection schemes, and civil and criminal penalties.

  • HB 1545, which is the sunset legislation for the Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission (TABC). Monitor the implementation of the legislation and the agency's progress in the consolidation, repeal, and creation of certain licenses and permits and the adoption of new fees.
  • HB 2847, which is the omnibus occupational licensing legislation. Monitor the implementation of revisions relating to the licensing and regulation of certain occupations by the Texas Commission of Licensing and Regulation, including the length of a license term, a fee for the issuance or renewal of a license, and any continuing education required to renew a license.
  • SB 1450, which authorizes alcohol delivery to consumers. Monitor the implementation and permitting process by TABC for consumer delivery of alcohol.

 

Charge 2: Study efforts by the TABC to combat human trafficking at all licensed locations. Make recommendations to increase the TABC's ability to rescue victims and successfully prosecute permit holders that have been identified as participating in human trafficking, and to make regulatory or statutory changes needed to prevent human trafficking in this state. 

 

Charge 3: Examine "control label" products and their impact on the three-tier system and alcoholic beverage industry in the state. Make recommendations to regulate control label products in a way that promotes economic growth, benefits the consumer, and stabilizes the three-tier system. 

 

Charge 4: Evaluate the Texas wine industry and the current labeling requirements associated with the use of "Texas" as an appellation. Determine if current regulations and permitting rules are adequate to support the industry's development. 

 

This entry was posted on September 11, 2020 at 9:00 AM and has received 1078 views. Print this entry.

House Committee Resources: Public Education

Sep 8

posted by TexasLRL in Committee Resources, 86th Session

Committee Resources

The committee has requested written submissions on the following topics. Below are resources related to those topics.

 

 

House Committee on Public Education

Charge 1: Monitor the agencies and programs under the Committee's jurisdiction and oversee the implementation of relevant legislation passed by the 86th Legislature. Conduct active oversight of all associated rulemaking and other governmental actions taken to ensure intended legislative outcome of all legislation, including the following:

 

Related to Behavioral Health (Joint charge with Committee on Public Health):

  • HB 18, which enhances school safety and mental health resources for students and school personnel and works to reduce the stigma around mental health conditions. Monitor the process by which state agencies coordinate to implement the legislation and their compliance with various requirements, including providing required guidelines and resources to schools.
  • HB 19, which places non-physician mental health professionals at education service centers to provide resources for educators and administrators in school districts and charter schools. 
  • HB 906, which creates the Collaborative Task Force on Public School Mental Health Services.
  • SB 11, which creates the Texas Child Mental Health Care Consortium to facilitate access to mental health care services through telehealth and expands the mental health workforce through training and funding opportunities. Monitor the creation of the consortium and agencies' rulemaking processes. Review how school districts are spending their school safety allotment.

 

 

House Committee on Public Education

Charge 2: Determine if any barriers exist in providing a digital learning environment for all children, including an evaluation of the competitive marketplace for blended learning products and services. Evaluate the effectiveness of the Technology and Instructional Materials Allotment (TIMA) in providing districts the resources necessary to equip students with instructional materials and technology, including in the review all programs and initiatives funded by set asides from the TIMA.

 

House Committee on Public Education

Charge 3: Monitor the progress of the TEA's compliance with the Corrective Action Response required by the United States Department of Education, the implementation of the state's Special Education Strategic Plan, and the state’s compliance with other federal requirements regarding special education, including maintenance of state financial support for special education. Recommend solutions to barriers the agency, school districts, students with disabilities, and parents face in accessing a free and appropriate public education and in meeting the milestones of the plan and any measures needed at the state level to ensure that students with disabilities are being located, fully evaluated, and appropriately identified for special education instruction and services. 

 

House Committee on Public Education  

Charge 4: Monitor the State Auditor's review of agencies and programs under the Committee's jurisdiction. The Chair shall seek input and periodic briefings on completed audits for the 2019 and 2020 fiscal years and bring forth pertinent issues for full committee consideration.

 

House Committee on Public Education

Survey questions for the public; public school districts; and relevant associations such as those representing independent and private schools, faculty associations, parent associations, and teacher associations

 

This entry was posted on September 8, 2020 at 10:00 AM and has received 1668 views. Print this entry.

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