- The Budgeting Process for Public Universities in Texas, Texas Higher Education Leadership Conference, Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board, November 30, 2017
- Financing Public Higher Education in Texas: Legislative Primer (Non-Formula Funding) Legislative Budget Board, August 2016
- Overview of Higher Education Institutions’ Special Item Funding, Legislative Budget Board, May 2016
- Summary of Higher Education Special Items, Legislative Budget Board, January 2011
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.
February 27
Joint Interim Committee on Higher Education Formula Funding
Topic: Realignment and/or possible elimination of non-formula support items for institutions of higher education
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.
House Committee on Appropriations, Subcommittee on Disaster Impact and Recovery (Victoria)
Charge: Use of federal funds in response to Hurricane Harvey, federal funds and investment in infrastructure projects to reduce impact of future natural disasters
- Updated Hurricane Harvey’s Fiscal Impact on State Agencies, (Presented to Senate Finance Committee), Legislative Budget Board, January 30, 2018
- State of Texas Plan for Disaster Recovery: Hurricane Harvey (Final draft plan), Texas General Land Office, Community Development & Revitalization Program, January 18, 2018
- Hearing Materials, House Committee on Appropriations, Subcommittee on Disaster Impact and Recovery (Beaumont), January 12, 2018
- Interim Hearings – Week of January 8, 2018, House Committee on Appropriations, Subcommittee on Disaster Impact and Recovery (Beaumont), Legislative Reference Library, January 3, 2018
Senate Committee on Finance
Charge: Property tax on business personal property and current $500 exemption
- The Property Tax in Texas, Texas Taxpayers and Research Association, February 2017
- A Tale of Two Tax Systems: The High (Business) Tax Cost of Texas, Texas Taxpayers and Research Association, January 2015
- States Moving Away from Taxes on Tangible Personal Property, State Tangible Personal Property Tax Statutory References for Tax Foundation Background Paper 63 (Appendix), Tax Foundation, October 2012
- The Texas Property Tax System (Taxable Property: Personal Property), Real Estate Center at Texas A&M University, July 2011
Charge: Interest rate disparity in delinquent property and state taxes, compared to property and state tax refunds
- Report to the 85th Legislature (Charge 6 – Delinquent tax collection, tax lien transfers, and interest rates), Senate Committee on Business and Commerce, November 2016
- Interim Report to the 84th Legislature (Charge 2 – Existing lien laws, property tax liens and interest rates), House Committee on Business and Industry, January 2015
Charge: Monitor implementation of sporting goods sales tax and state and local park needs
- Sporting Goods Sales Tax Allocation (Issue Brief), Legislative Budget Board, May 2016
- Interim Report to the 83rd Texas Legislature (Charge 3 – State park funding, sporting goods sales tax), House Committee on Culture, Recreation, & Tourism, January 2013
- Interim Report to the 81st Legislature, Joint Legislative Task Force on Use of Sales Tax on Sporting Goods (Created by HB 12, 80th Legislature, R.S.), February 2009
- Texas Parks and Wildlife Funding: Park Funding in Texas — from Cigarettes to Sporting Goods (Legislative history), Texas Parks and Wildlife Department
Topic: Hurricane Harvey relief and recovery
- A Storm to Remember: Hurricane Harvey and the Texas Economy, Fiscal Notes (Special Edition), Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts, February 2018
- Updated Hurricane Harvey's Fiscal Impact on State Agencies (Presented to Senate Finance Committee), Legislative Budget Board, January 2018
- Hurricane Harvey: Fiscal Analyses and Resources (Agency expenditures, projected costs, contracts, and disaster related transfers), Legislative Budget Board
House Committee on Agriculture & Livestock
Charge: Early detection of exotic invasive organisms that could threaten the production of agricultural crops
- Safeguarding America’s Lands and Waters from Invasive Species: A National Framework for Early Detection and Rapid Response, The U.S. Department of the Interior, 2016
- Early Detection/Rapid Response, Texas Invasive Species Institute
- Texasinvasives.org
- Early Detection & Distribution Mapping System (Status of Invasive - Texas), The University of Georgia - Center for Invasive Species and Ecosystem Health
- Manager's Tool Kit – Early Detection and Rapid Response, National Invasive Species Information Center, U.S. Department of Agriculture
Senate Committee on State Affairs
- Interim Report to the 85th Legislature (Charge 1 – Religious liberty), Senate Committee on State Affairs, November 2016
Charge: Attorney General's jurisdiction on abortion and multi-jurisdictional human trafficking cases
Senate Committee on Transportation
Charge: Funding opportunities for Texas ports
- "Ports Could Benefit From Proposed Loan Program," Houston Chronicle, April 4, 2017
- "Provide State Funding for Seaport Capital Improvements," Legislative Budget Board Staff Reports, Legislative Budget Board, January 2017
- Interim Report to the 85th Legislature, Senate Select Committee on Texas Ports, November 2016
- Texas Ports 2017-2018 Capital Program: Project Summaries, Port Authority Advisory Committee, November 2016
- Texas Port Report June 2014 (Section 4 – Port Finance), Texas Department of Transportation, June 23, 2015
- Survey of State Funding Practices for Coastal Port Infrastructure: Final Report, Texas A&M Transportation Institute, May 2015
- Texas Transportation Code §§ 55.001-55.009, Funding of Port Security, Projects, and Studies
- Texas Transportation Code §§ 56.001-56.003, Funding of Ship Channel Improvements
Charge: Human smuggling
- Interim Report to the 83rd Legislature, Joint Interim Committee to Study Human Trafficking, January 2013
- Texas Penal Code §§ 20.05-20.06, Smuggling of Persons, Continuous Smuggling of Persons
Charge: Highway naming
- Interim Report to the 80th Legislature (Charge 5 – Naming state highways, Appendices to Charge 5), Senate Committee on Transportation and Homeland Security, December 2006
- Texas Transportation Code §§ 225.001-225.006, State Highway Names in General
- 43 Texas Administrative Code § 25.9, Memorial Designated Highways and Historical Routes
Joint Interim Committee on Higher Education Formula Funding
Topic: Improvements to the current formula funding system for institutions of higher education
- The Federal-State Higher Education Partnership: How States Manage Their Roles, Urban Institute, May 2017
- Ten Year Formula Funding History (Fund Distribution, Appropriations by Institution), Legislative Budget Board, October 2016
- Financing Public Higher Education in Texas: Legislative Primer, Legislative Budget Board, August 2016
- Why Performance-Based College Funding Doesn't Work, The Century Foundation, May 25, 2016
- Overview of Funding Formulas for Institutions of Higher Education (Presented to Senate Higher Education Committee), Legislative Budget Board, May 2016
- Performance-Based Funding for Higher Education, National Conference of State Legislatures, July 31, 2015
- Formula Funding (Formula Advisory Committee Meeting Materials), Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board
Senate Select Committee on Election Security
Charge: Voting security protocols, responsibilities and duties of Electoral College, voting fraud and disenfranchisement occurring inside nursing homes and assisted living facilities, outside interference and manipulation of elections
- Letter to Senator Bryan Hughes, Chair, Senate Select Committee on Election Integrity, regarding issues related to interim charges on election integrity, Attorney General of Texas, February 5, 2018
- Election Security: State Policies, National Conference of State Legislatures, December 11, 2017
- State Laws on Presidential Electors, National Association of Secretaries of State, November 2016
- The Electoral College, National Conference of State Legislatures, August 22, 2016
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.
February 13
House Committee on Defense & Veterans' Affairs (Abilene)
Charge: Defense Economic Adjustment Assistance Grant Program, how the state can better serve military installations, Texas Military Revolving Loan Fund
- Interim Report to the 85th Texas Legislature (Topic 1 – Maintaining the military value of defense communities and installations), House Committee on Defense and Veterans' Affairs, December 2016
- Preparing for Duty: State Policy Options to Sustain Military Installations, National Conference of State Legislatures, December 2016
- Report and Recommendations to the 85th Texas Legislature (Charge 5 – Best practices for improving military value at military installations in Texas), Senate Committee on Veteran Affairs and Military Installations, November 2016
- "Military Installations Worth Billions for Texas: Comptroller Study Weighs Economic Impacts," Fiscal Notes, Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts, September 2016
- Biennial Report 2015-2016 (Funding Programs: Texas Military Revolving Loan Fund; Defense Economic Adjustment Assistance Grant projects and award amounts), Texas Military Preparedness Commission
- A Report and Recommendations to the 79th Legislature (Charge 1 – Defense community use of state loan programs), Senate Committee on Veteran Affairs and Military Installations, Subcommittee on Base Realignment and Closure, December 2004
- Defense Economic Adjustment Assistance Grant Program, Office of the Governor
- Texas Military Value Revolving Loan Fund, Office of the Governor
February 15
House Committee on General Investigating & Ethics
Charge 6: Employment policies and practices at state agencies relating to the hiring of individuals who were terminated from employment with another state agency for misconduct
Charge 8: Travel by state agency officials and travel expenditures
Charge 9: State agency participation in trade associations and groups funded by industries regulated by the agency
- Texas Human Resources Management Statutes Inventory, 2018-2019 Biennium, Texas State Auditor's Office, September 22, 2017
- Interim Report to the 85th Texas Legislature, House Committee on General Investigating and Ethics, January 2017
Charge 10: Monitor agencies and programs under the Committee's jurisdiction and implementation of relevant legislation passed by the 85th Legislature: State Auditor's Office report on the Texas Health and Human Services Commission's management of Medicaid managed care contracts
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.
February 6
House Committee on County Affairs (Houston)
Charge: Emergency response activities, impact of natural disasters on county finances
- Vulnerable Communities are Using Innovative Financing to Prepare for Natural Disasters: Spending on Mitigation Now Will Save Lives and Taxpayer Dollars, The Pew Charitable Trusts, Updated March 28, 2017
- Pre-Disaster Recovery Planning Guide for Local Governments, U.S. Federal Emergency Management Agency, February 2017
- Managing Disasters at the County Level: A Focus on Flooding, National Association of Counties, February 2017
- Interim Report to the 85th Texas Legislature (Charge 1 – Prevention and mitigation of natural disasters), House Committee on County Affairs, January 2017
- "The Role of Local Government in Emergency Management: A Discussion Addressing Financial Planning," PA Times Online (American Society for Public Administration), February 12, 2016
- Texas Government Code §§ 418.101-418.1102, Local and Interjurisdictional Emergency Management
Charge: County ordinance-making and enforcement authority to deal with flood risk in unincorporated rural and suburban areas
- "Texas' Biggest County Bolsters Flood Rules. Will Houston?," E&E News (Environment & Energy News), December 6, 2017
- Floodplain Management & Watershed Protection Order, Commissioners' Court of Aransas County, Texas, February 17, 2016
- Floodplain Management in Texas: Quick Guide, Texas Floodplain Management Association, 2015
- Interim Report to the 82nd Texas Legislature (Charge 1 – County rulemaking authority), House Committee on County Affairs, January 2011
- Texas Local Government Code § 240.901, Land Use Regulation for Flood Control in Coastal Counties
- Texas Local Government Code § 561.001, Flood Control Property, Condemnation
Implementation of SB 1849, 85th Legislature, R.S., the Sandra Bland Act
- "Senate Bill 1849: Breaking Down the Sandra Bland Act – 85th Legislature," Texas County Progress, December 3, 2017
- TA Memo – SB 1849 Letter for Grant Funding (Technical Assistance Memorandum to sheriffs and jail administrators), Texas Commission on Jail Standards, November 10, 2017
- TA Memo – SB 1849 / Sandra Bland Act (Technical Assistance Memorandum to sheriffs), Texas Commission on Jail Standards, July 24, 2017
- Texas Code of Criminal Procedure Articles 16.22-16.23, Early Identification of Defendant Suspected of Having Mental Illness or Intellectual Disability; Diversion of Persons Suffering Mental Health Crisis or Substance Abuse Issue
- Texas Code of Criminal Procedure Article 17.032, Release on Personal Bond of Certain Defendants with Mental Illness or Intellectual Disability
- Flow Chart Describing Article 16.22 and Article 17.032 Requirements, Texas Commission on Jail Standards
Tour of areas affected by Hurricane Harvey at the University of Houston-Downtown
February 7
House Committee on Transportation
Charge: Response to Hurricane Harvey and natural disaster preparedness with respect to the transportation system and transportation infrastructure
- DriveTexas.org Proves To Be An Invaluable Resource for Texas Travelers During Hurricane Harvey, Texas Department of Transportation, September 13, 2017
- Governor Abbott Announces $25 Million in Federal Funds for TxDOT to Address Disastrous Impacts from Hurricane Harvey (Press Release), Office of the Texas Governor, August 29, 2017
- Interim Report to the 85th Texas Legislature (Charge 1 – TxDOT's role in natural disasters), House Committee on Transportation, January 2017
- Emergency Relief Manual: Reference Manual for States & Transit Agencies on Response and Recovery from Declared Disasters and FTA's Emergency Relief Program (49 U.S.C. 5324), Federal Transit Administration, September 30, 2015
- Texas Long-Term Recovery Guide, Texas Department of Public Safety, Texas Division of Emergency Management, April 2015
Charge: Monitor agencies and programs under the Committee's jurisdiction and implementation of relevant legislation passed by the 85th Legislature, specifically implementation of the TxDOT Sunset legislation and related management actions
- Sunset Review Documents for 2016-2017 Review Cycle, 85th Legislative Session, Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT), Sunset Advisory Commission, 2017
- 85th Legislature 2017: Summary of Enacted Legislation (Changes adopted by Sunset Commission), Texas Department of Transportation, 2017
Senate Committee on Veteran Affairs and Border Security (San Antonio)
Charge: Military installations
- Interim Report to the 85th Texas Legislature (Topic 1 – Maintaining the military value of defense communities and installations), House Committee on Defense and Veterans' Affairs, December 2016
- Preparing for Duty: State Policy Options to Sustain Military Installations, National Conference of State Legislatures, December 2016
- Report and Recommendations to the 85th Texas Legislature (Charge 5 – Best practices for improving military value at military installations in Texas), Senate Committee on Veteran Affairs and Military Installations, November 2016
- "Military Installations Worth Billions for Texas: Comptroller Study Weighs Economic Impacts," Fiscal Notes, Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts, September 2016
- Texas Military Preparedness Commission, Office of the Governor (includes 2015 fact sheet on history and economic impact)
- San Antonio Military Economic Impact Study (includes Texas Military Economic Impact of installations across the state), City of San Antonio, 2015
Charge: Military youth readiness
- 2017 Citizen-Readiness Index (Infographic) and Methodology, Mission: Ready, Council for a Strong America, December 18, 2017
- "Improving Military Readiness Through Physical Activity," Parks & Recreation Magazine, National Recreation and Park Association, November 2017
- The State of Obesity: Better Policies for a Healthier America, Trust for America's Health and Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, August 2017
- Unfit to Serve: Obesity Is Impacting National Security (Fact Sheet), Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, May 2017
- Too Fat, Frail, and Out-of-Breath to Fight (Texas physical activity report, including county data on physical activity and obesity), Mission: Readiness, 2015
February 8
House Committee on Transportation
Charge: Oversize/overweight permitting system
- Interim Report to the 85th Texas Legislature (Charge 7 – Oversize/overweight corridors and permitting), House Committee on Transportation, January 2017
- Interim Report to the 85th Legislature (Oversize/overweight vehicles, summary of oversize/overweight permits offered), Senate Committee on Transportation, November 2016
- Transportation Safety: Federal Highway Administration Should Conduct Research to Determine Best Practices in Permitting Oversize Vehicles, Results of Collection of Information on State Permitting Practices for Oversize Vehicles (E-Supplement including data on permit processes for oversize and overweight vehicles in the 50 states and the District of Columbia), U.S. Government Accountability Office, February 2015
- Oversize/Overweight Vehicle Research Priorities: Final Report, Texas A&M Transportation Institute, October 2014
- Accommodating Oversize and Overweight Loads: Technical Report, Texas Transportation Institute, July 2012
- Oversize/Overweight Permits, Publications, Texas Department of Motor Vehicles
- Freight, Texas A&M Transportation Institute, Transportation Policy Research Center
Charge: Emerging issues in transportation related to technology – intelligent transportation systems, autonomous vehicles, unmanned aircraft systems (i.e., drones)
- Autonomous Vehicles Legislative Database, National Conference of State Legislatures, January 23, 2018
- Current Unmanned Aircraft State Law Landscape, National Conference of State Legislatures, January 16, 2018
- Autonomous Vehicles | Self-Driving Vehicles Enacted Legislation, National Conference of State Legislatures, January 2, 2018
- "ITS Is Changing the World" (Intelligent Transportation Systems), Public Roads, Federal Highway Administration, July/August 2017
- Interim Report to the 85th Texas Legislature (Charge 8 – Innovative transportation technologies/autonomous vehicles), House Committee on Transportation, January 2017
- Autonomous Vehicle Status (Testimony to House Committee on Transportation), Ginger Goodin, Texas A&M Transportation Institute, December 7, 2016
- Taking Off: State Unmanned Aircraft Systems Policies, National Conference of State Legislatures, July 22, 2016
- Automated Vehicles: Policy Implications Scoping Study, Texas A&M Transportation Institute, January 2014
- Technology, Texas A&M Transportation Institute, Transportation Policy Research Center
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.
Senate Committee on Agriculture, Water & Rural Affairs (Wharton)
Topic: Impact to agriculture and rural communities from Hurricane Harvey
- Texas Agricultural Losses from Hurricane Harvey Estimated at More Than $200 Million (Press Release), Texas A&M AgriLife Extension, October 29, 2017
- "Digging Out with Fewer Hands: Recovery Is No Sure Thing in the Small Texas Towns Wrecked by Hurricane Harvey (La Grange, Columbus, Sargent)," Austin American-Statesman, September 21, 2017
- "Federal Agricultural Recovery Resources for Hurricane-Related Losses," CRS Insight, Congressional Research Service, September 8, 2017
- Hurricane Harvey Response, Texas Department of Agriculture
Charge: Water infrastructure projects in the State Water Plan to mitigate flooding, possible third reservoir in addition to Addicks and Barker, flood mitigation infrastructure and restoration of critical dam infrastructure
- Living With Dams: Extreme Rainfall Events: An Informational Booklet for Policymakers, Dam Owners and Downstream Communities, Association of State Dam Safety Officials, 2015
- "Developing Storm (Parts 1 – 7)," Houston Chronicle, December 7 – 24, 2017
- 2017 State Water Plan: Water For Texas, Texas Water Development Board, adopted May 19, 2016, with amendments approved July 7, 2016, and December 7, 2017
- A Guide to Public Alerts and Warnings for Dam and Levee Emergencies, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Risk Management Center, June 5, 2015
- Flooding Impacts in Connection with the Reservoirs (U.S. Army Corps of Engineers information, ground elevation and water levels of Addicks and Barker Reservoirs), Harris County Flood Control District
- Flood Protection Grant Programs, Texas Water Development Board
- Subdivisions Impacted by Rising Barker and Addicks Reservoir Levels (Interactive map), Houston Chronicle
Senate Committee on Finance
Charge: Trauma funding
- "Should Texas Kill the Controversial Driver Responsibility Program?, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, April 6, 2017
- Interim Report to the 85th Legislature (Charge 5 – Evaluate necessity of the Driver Responsibility Program), Senate Transportation Committee, November 2016
- Texas Trauma System Funding: Presentation to the House Appropriations & House Public Health Committees (With handouts), Legislative Budget Board, July 2016
- Texas' Trauma System (Funding and Driver Responsibility Program), Teaching Hospitals of Texas, May 2016
- Interim Report to the 84th Legislature (Charge 4 – Improvement of Driver Responsibility Program), House Committee on Homeland Security and Public Safety, January 2015
- "Bleeding Money: Texas Trauma Center Funding is in Jeopardy," Texas Medicine, July 2010
- Texas Health & Safety Code § 780.002, Certain Deposits to Account (Driver Responsibility Program, Trauma Fund)
- Texas Transportation Code §§ 708.001-708.159, Driver Responsibility Program
Charge: Texas Emission Reduction Plan (TERP)
- "Texas Collects Fees from Residents to Clean Up the Air: Why Won't Lawmakers Use It?," Texas Observer, April 13, 2017
- Texas Emissions Reduction Plan Biennial Report (2015-2016): A Report to the 85th Texas Legislature, Texas Commission on Environmental Quality, December 2016
- Interim Report to the 85th Legislature (Charge 2 – Texas Emissions Reduction Plan), Senate Committee on Natural Resources and Economic Development, November 2016
- "Talking TERP – The Texas Approach to Clean Air (Part 2)" (Addresses whether program has been a good investment), Texas Clean Air Matters (Blog), Environmental Defense Fund, November 3, 2016
- "Talking TERP – The Texas Approach to Clean Air (Part 1)" (Overview), Texas Clean Air Matters (Blog), Environmental Defense Fund, October 31, 2016
- Texas Emissions Reduction Plan: Issue Brief, Legislative Budget Board, April 2013
- Texas Health & Safety Code §§ 386.001-386.252, Texas Emissions Reduction Plan
Charge: Fee structure review
- "Further Reduce Reliance on General Revenue-Dedicated Accounts for Certification of the State Budget," Legislative Budget Board Staff Reports, Legislative Budget Board, January 2017
- Actions Taken by the Legislature to Reduce Reliance on General Revenue-Dedicated Balances, Legislative Budget Board, May 18, 2016
Charge: Request to exceed review: Review all riders requiring interim action by the Legislative Budget Board to reduce the number of times interim budget modification is necessary.
Topic: Hurricane Harvey relief and recovery
- "How Much Has Been Raised for Harvey Relief – and How's It Being Spent?," Texas Tribune, November 28, 2017
- Updated Hurricane Harvey’s Fiscal Impact on State Agencies (Presented to Senate Finance Committee), Legislative Budget Board, December 5, 2017
House Committee on Investments & Financial Services
Charge: Impact of Hurricane Harvey on financial institutions
- "Hurricane Harvey Wreaks New Damage on Texas Homeowners as Mortgage Delinquencies Soar," San Antonio Express-News, January 15, 2018
- Hurricane Harvey: Information for Consumers and Bankers in the Affected Areas, Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC), last updated September 8, 2017
- After the Storm: The Impact of Recent Hurricanes (Impact of Hurricanes Harvey, Irma, and Maria on banks and customers), American Banker, August-October 2017
- Harvey Information (Press releases, industry notice, proclamations), Texas Department of Banking
Charge: Mortgage licensure requirements
- Statutes and Rules, Texas Department of Savings and Mortgage Lending
Senate Committee on State Affairs (San Marcos)
Charge: Freedom of speech on campus
- The State of Free Speech and Tolerance in America: Attitudes About Free Speech, Campus Speech, Religious Liberty, and Tolerance of Political Expression (Section V - campus speech), Cato Institute, October 31, 2017
- "Flip-Flopping on Free Speech: The Fight for the First Amendment, On Campuses and Football Fields, From the Sixties to Today," The New Yorker, October 9, 2017
- Campus Free Speech: A Legislative Proposal, Goldwater Institute, January 30, 2017
- Campus Free Speech Protection: A Policy White Paper, Texas Conservative Coalition Research Institute, January 2017
- The ALT-Right on Campus: What Students Need to Know, Southern Poverty Law Center, 2017
House Committee on Homeland Security & Public Safety (Tyler)
Topic: Comprehensive review by the Department of Public Safety on various agency matters, including but not limited to: Driver license operations, Texas/Mexico border security and operations, East Texas Gang/Cartel activity, Safety factors with respect to sedan vs. SUV patrol units, CUP appropriations for FY 18/19 and retire/rehire program
- "Criticism Builds for Texas DPS Decision to Lay Off 117 Older Officers," Texas Tribune, January 11, 2018
- Need-Based Dismissal Report (Interoffice Memorandum), Texas Department of Public Safety, December 18, 2017
- Compassionate Use Program (News & Updates), Texas Department of Public Safety, December 2017
- Texas Gang Threat Assessment, Texas Department of Public Safety, July 2017
- Texas Border Security Monthly Brief, Texas Department of Public Security, June 2017
- State Funding for Border Security (Presented to the House Appropriations Committee), Legislative Budget Board, February 2017
- "Improve Transparency and Oversight of the Driver License Improvement Program," Legislative Budget Board Staff Reports, Legislative Budget Board, January 2017
- Agency Strategic Plan, Fiscal Years 2017 to 2021, Texas Department of Public Safety, 2017
- Texas Homeland Security Strategic Plan 2015-2020, Texas Office of Homeland Security, September 30, 2015
Topic: Interactions between law enforcement and citizens including an update on enactments of new law
- "Should Public Schools Teach Kids How to Interact with Police?," Governing, October 6, 2017
- "Texas Teens to be Trained Next Year on Police Interactions," Texas Tribune, September 22, 2017
- Texas Education Code § 28.012, Instruction on Interaction with Law Enforcement
Topic: Junior college campus security
- Texas Public Junior Colleges Safety and Security Needs Assessment Report 2017, Texas School Safety Center, Texas State University, 2017
- "Campus Carry in Spotlight After Police Officer's Death," Inside Higher Ed, October 11, 2017
- "Community Colleges Face Big Security Risks with Few Resources," Chronicle of Higher Education, October 2, 2015
Senate Committee on Natural Resources & Economic Development (Houston)
Charge: Hotel occupancy taxes
- Texas Hotel Performance Research, Prepared for Texas Tourism, Office of the Governor, Economic Development and Tourism, JLL, March 2017
- "The Hotel Occupancy Tax: A Short History of a Complex Levy," Fiscal Notes, Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts, June-July 2016
- Hotel Occupancy Tax, Municipal Hotel Occupancy Tax Reporting, Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts
Charge: Regulatory barriers, including permitting or registration requirements and fees
- "Texas Ranks Near the Top (Again) for Economic Freedom" (Blog), Texas Public Policy Foundation, January 8, 2018
- License to Work: A National Study of Burdens from Occupational Licensing, 2nd Edition, Texas state profile, Institute for Justice, November 2017
- Economic Freedom of North America 2017, Fraser Institute, 2017
- Interim Report to the 85th Legislature (Charge 3 – Economic development incentives, modification of existing administrative or regulatory barriers; Charge 4 – Expedited permitting), Senate Committee on Natural Resources and Economic Development, November 2016
- Enemy of the People: How Government Barriers to Competition Hurt the Public and Subvert the Constitution, Texas Public Policy Foundation, April 2014
Senate Select Committee on Property Tax Reform (Houston)
Charge: How property tax law could better advance disaster recovery after Hurricane Harvey while ensuring that taxpayers are protected from excessive taxation and wasteful spending
- "Harvey's Next Blow: Home Values, Tax Collections Expected to Drop," Texas Tribune, October 20, 2017
- "Houston-Area School Districts Give Property Owners Tax Relief After Hurricane Harvey," Houston Chronicle, October 19, 2017
- Declared Natural Disasters and Emergencies Tax Help: Property Taxes in Disaster Areas, Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts
- Texas Tax Code § 23.02, Reappraisal of Property Damaged in Natural Disaster Area
Charge: Statutory changes necessary, if any, for a municipality to be able to redirect revenue from Tax Increment Reinvestment Zones (TIRZ) for a set period of time to assist in paying the costs associated with recovery and rebuilding necessary infrastructure following a disaster declaration by the Governor or President
- Biennial Registries of Reinvestment Zones for Tax Abatements and Tax Increment Financing 2016, Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts, December 2016
- Texas Tax Code Ch. 311, Tax Increment Financing Act (Tax Increment Reinvestment Zones)
- Tax Increment Financing Act, Tax Code Chapter 311 Overview, Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts
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.
January 22
Topic: Texas Facilities Commission Capitol Complex Master Plan
- State of Texas Capitol Complex Master Plan, Phase One, Texas Facilities Commission
- Resources and Reports - Capitol Complex Project, Texas Facilities Commission
January 23
House Committee on Environmental Regulation, Subcommittee on Air Quality and Municipal Landfills
Charge 3: Permitting, siting, and regulatory processes for solid waste landfills
- "After Harvey, Some South Texans More Wary Than Ever About Plan to Build Landfill Near Floodplain," Texas Tribune, December 19, 2017
- Municipal Solid Waste in Texas: A Year in Review: FY 2016 Data Summary and Analysis, Texas Commission on Environmental Quality, October 2017
- Interim Report to the 79th Legislature (Charge 3 – Landfills), Senate Committee on Natural Resources, December 2004
- Municipal Solid Waste Topics, Data on Municipal Solid Waste Facilities in Texas, Texas Commission on Environmental Quality
House Committee on Environmental Regulation (upon adjournment of the Subcommittee)
Charge 1: Texas Commission on Environmental Quality's (TCEQ) response and clean-up efforts related to Hurricane Harvey, debris removal, natural disaster response
Hurricane Response (TCEQ Executive Director's regulatory guidance, suspension of TCEQ rules, TCEQ resources for Texas residents in the aftermath of Hurricane Harvey, disaster relief funding, current conditions of drinking water and air quality), Texas Commission on Environmental Quality
Senate Committee on Business & Commerce (Houston)
Charge 1: Hurricane Harvey related property and casualty insurance claims data analysis (Texas Department of Insurance)
- Mandatory Data Call for Information Regarding Claims Resulting from Hurricane Harvey (Commissioner's Bulletins # B-0035-17 and # B-0034-17), Texas Department of Insurance, September 21, 2017
Charge 2: Health insurance market stability
- Allowing Purchases of Out-Of-State Health Insurance, National Conference of State Legislatures, January 5, 2018
- State Roles Using 1332 Health Waivers, National Conference of State Legislatures, December 30, 2017
- Health Insurance and States: NCSL Overview, National Conference of State Legislatures, Updated: December 29, 2017
- Interim Hearings – Week of November 27 and December 4, 2017, House Committee on Insurance, Legislative Reference Library, November 27, 2017
- Purchasing Insurance Across State Lines (Report to the TMA Council on Socioeconomics), Texas Medical Association, May 2017
- Interim Report to the 85th Legislature (Charge 4 – 1332 State Innovation Waiver), Senate Committee on Health and Human Services, November 2016
Charge 3: Implementation of legislation in the 85th Legislature, R.S., including settlement of out-of-network health benefit claims involving balance billing and patient's explanation of benefits statements
- "Closing the Gap," Texas Medicine, Texas Medical Association, December 2017
- A Texas-Sized Problem: How to Limit Out-of-Control Surprise Medical Billing, Center for Public Policy Priorities, February 2017
- Surprise! Out-of-Network Billing for Emergency Care in the United States, ISPS Working Paper, Institution for Social and Policy Studies, Yale University, July 2017
- Report to the 85th Legislature (Charge 7b – Implementation of legislation intended to further protect consumers from the balance billing process), Senate Committee on Business and Commerce, November 2016
- Surprise Medical Bills, Texas Department of Insurance
- Surprise Medical Bills, Texas Medical Association
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.
January 16
House Committee on Criminal Jurisprudence CANCELED
Charge: Death penalty for defendants with serious mental illness or intellectual and developmental disabilities
- "Texas Death Penalty Juror Hopes to Change Law as Execution Looms," Texas Tribune, March 28, 2017
- "Should Death Be So Different?: Sentencing Purposes and Capital Jury Decisions in an Era of Smart on Crime Sentencing Reform," 70 Arkansas Law Review 227 (2017)
- "The 'Of Mice and Men' Rule for Texas Executions," The Atlantic, November 28, 2016
- "'Outsmarting' Death by Putting Capital Punishment on Life Support: The Need for Uniform State Evaluations of the Intellectually Disabled in the Wake of Hall v. Florida," 81 Brooklyn Law Review 1683 (2016)
- "How Texas Keeps Putting the Intellectually Disabled on Death Row," New Republic, May 15, 2014
- Evaluating Fairness and Accuracy in State Death Penalty Systems: the Texas Capital Punishment Assessment Report (Ch. 10 – Capital jury instructions), American Bar Association, September 2013
- "Defining Intellectual Disability and Establishing a Standard of Proof: Suggestions for a National Model Standard," 23 Health Matrix 317 (2013)
- Texas Code of Criminal Procedure Art. 37.071, Procedure in Capital Case
January 17
House Committee on Defense & Veterans' Affairs CANCELED
Charge: Impact of Hurricane Harvey related to the Texas Military Department, Emergency Management Council, and the Texas Division of Emergency Management
- Military Seeks to Learn Lessons of 2017 Hurricane Season, United States Department of Defense, December 11, 2017
- Updated Hurricane Harvey’s Fiscal Impact on State Agencies (Presented to Senate Finance Committee), Legislative Budget Board, December 2017
- Texas Emergency Management Executive Guide, FY 2017 Edition, Texas Department of Public Safety, Revised May 1, 2017
- Hurricane Harvey 2017 (Videos and stories), Texas Military Department, 2017
- Agency Strategic Plan Fiscal Years 2017-2021, Texas Military Department, June 24, 2016
- Texas Long-Term Recovery Guide, Texas Department of Public Safety, Texas Division of Emergency Management, April 2015
January 18
House Committee on General Investigating & Ethics (Houston)
Charge: Oversight of federal, state, local, and charitable funds spent in response to Hurricane Harvey
- Commission to Rebuild Texas: Issue 14, The Governor's Commission to Rebuild Texas, January 5, 2018
- "Hurricane Relief Tied to Jan. 19 Government Funding Deal," Houston Chronicle, January 4, 2018
- Interim Hearings – Week of January 8, 2018, House Committee on Appropriations, Subcommittee on Disaster Impact and Recovery (Beaumont), Legislative Reference Library, January 3, 2018
- "Nearly $1 Billion Raised for Rebuilding Texas after Harvey," Associated Press, San Antonio Express News, December 28, 2017
House Committee on Urban Affairs (Houston)
Topic: Short- and long-term housing needs and related issues resulting from Hurricane Harvey and associated flooding
- "Officials: Harvey Recovery Complicated by Cost and Lack of Temporary Housing," Houston Chronicle, November 28, 2017
- "How Much Damage Did Harvey Do to Texas Homes? There May Never Be an Exact Answer," Texas Tribune, November 22, 2017
- "HUD Provides $5 Billion To Help Texas Recover From Harvey," Governor Greg Abbott, November 17, 2017
- 2017 Disaster and Emergency Resource Page for Housing Counselors - Hurricane Harvey, HUD Exchange, U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development
- Texas Rebuilds, Hurricane Harvey (Housing information), Texas General Land Office
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.
January 12
House Committee on Appropriations, Subcommittee on Disaster Impact and Recovery (Beaumont)
Charge: Use of federal funds in response to Hurricane Harvey, federal funds and investment in infrastructure projects to reduce impact of future natural disasters
- Updated Hurricane Harvey’s Fiscal Impact on State Agencies (Presented to Senate Finance Committee), Legislative Budget Board, December 2017
- "How Much has Been Raised for Harvey Relief — and How's it Being Spent?," Texas Tribune, November 28, 2017
- Interim Hearings - Week of November 6, 2017, House Committee on Appropriations, Subcommittee on Disaster Impact and Recovery (Corpus Christi), Legislative Reference Library, October 30, 2017
- Request for Federal Assistance, Critical Infrastructure Projects, The Governor's Commission to Rebuild Texas, October 31, 2017
- Hurricane Harvey's Fiscal Impact on State Agencies (Presented to House Appropriations Committee), Legislative Budget Board, October 2017
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.
December 20
House Committee on Land & Resource Management (Corpus Christi)
Charge: General Land Office (GLO) role and efforts during the recovery period following Hurricane Harvey, disaster readiness and protocols, assessment of public lands
- Commission to Rebuild Texas: Issue 13, Housing, The Governor's Commission to Rebuild Texas, December 15, 2017
- "How Much Damage Did Harvey Do to Texas Homes? There May Never Be an Exact Answer," Texas Tribune, November 22, 2017
- Interim Report to the 85th Texas Legislature (Charge 1, Hazard mitigation and natural disaster response), House Committee on County Affairs (joint charge with House Committee on Urban Affairs), January 2017
- Interim Report to the 85th Texas Legislature (Charge 1, Natural disaster preparedness), House Committee on State Affairs, January 2017
- Interim Report to the 85th Texas Legislature (Charge 1, Disaster preparedness planning), House Committee on Homeland Security and Public Safety, December 2016
- Interim Report to the 85th Texas Legislature (Charge 1, State preparedness and response to natural disasters), House Committee on Land & Resource Management, December 2016
- Interim Report to the 85th Legislature (Charge 3, Disaster preparedness planning and coordination, background on process to rebuild housing and efficiency of disaster recovery), Senate Committee on Intergovernmental Relations, November 2016
- State Agency Property: Recommended Transactions, Reports to the Governor, Texas General Land Office
- Real Property Evaluation Reports, Texas General Land Office
- Texas Rebuilds, Texas General Land Office
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.
December 12
House Committee on Energy Resources (Midland)
Charge: Impact of energy exploration and production on state and county roads
- Committee Meeting Handouts (TAMEST Shale Report: Environmental and Community Impacts of Shale Development in Texas and Presentation), House Committee on Energy Resources, July 26, 2017
- Oil and Gas Energy Developments and Changes in Crash Trends in Texas: Final Report, Texas A&M Transportation Institute, October 2015
- Oil and Gas Energy Developments and Changes in Pavement Conditions in Texas: Final Report, Texas A&M Transportation Institute, March 2015
- Patching the Oil Patch: The Cost of Progress (Special Issue), Texas Transportation Researcher (Texas A&M Transportation Institute), March 2015
- Interim Report to the 84th Legislature (SB 1747 & Shale affected roads), House Committee on Energy Resources, January 2015
- Energy Development Impacts on State Roadways: A Review of DOT Policies, Programs and Practices across Eight States, Texas A&M Transportation Institute, November 2014
Charge: Public infrastructure and workforce development in the Permian Basin region
- Impacts to Transportation Infrastructure and Critical Needs, TAMEST Shale Task Force, April 2017
- Oil and Gas Freight Transportation Alternatives: Final Report, Texas A&M Transportation Institute, November 2016
- Economic and Employment Impact of the Decline in Oil Prices, Center for Public Service, Texas Tech University, November 2016
- Impact of Energy Development Activities on the Texas Transportation Infrastructure (Testimony Before the House Committee on Energy Resources), Texas Department of Transportation, June 26, 2012
- Energy Developments and the Transportation Infrastructure in Texas: Impact and Strategies, Texas A&M Transportation Institute, March 2012
- Infrastructure, Texas A&M Transportation Institute
- Transportation and Logistics, Transportation Infrastructure, Education and Workforce Challenges, Permian Basin Comprehensive Economic Development Strategy (CEDs)
- Economic Development Reports & Labor Market Information and PBRPC Regional Report, Permian Basin Regional Planning Commission
Charge: Monitoring agencies and programs under the Committee's jurisdiction and implementation of relevant legislation passed by the 85th Legislature
December 13
House Committee on Human Services
Charge: Nursing facilities and duplication of government regulations
- Nursing Facility Administrators Handbook, Texas Health and Human Services Commission
- Nursing Facility Provider Manual, Texas Health and Human Services Commission
- Nursing Facility Requirements for Licensure and Medicaid Certification Handbook, Texas Health and Human Services Commission
- State and Federal Statutes and Rules (Nursing Facilities), Texas Health and Human Services Commission
Charge: HHSC's implementation of Rider 219 in Article II of the General Appropriations Act on prescription drug benefit administration in Medicaid; pharmacy benefit managers in Texas Medicaid
- 2017 Recent State Pharmaceutical Laws to Watch: An Interim Progress Report, National Conference of State Legislatures, June 2017
- "The 'Troubles' With Pharmacy Benefit Managers," Regulation (CATO Institute), Spring 2017
- Recent Medicaid Prescription Drug Laws and Strategies, National Conference of State Legislatures, Updated June 1, 2017
- Texas Medicaid and CHIP in Perspective, 11th Edition, Chapter 9: Prescription Drugs, Texas Health and Human Services Commission, February 2017
- Medicaid Pharmacy Savings Opportunities: National and State-Specific Estimates (Pharmacy benefit management tools in Medicaid and state-by-state savings estimates), The Menges Group, Pharmaceutical Care Management Association, October 2016
- Rider 23 Report: Annual Performance Report for the Prescription Drug Rebate Program, Texas Health and Human Services Commission, August 2016
- Texas: Medicaid & CHIP Indicators (Subcategories: Medicaid Pharmacy Policies and Policy Changes, Prescription Drugs), Kaiser Family Foundation
Topic: Issues related to Child Protective Services
House Committee on Urban Affairs (Beaumont)
Topic: Short- and long-term housing needs and related issues resulting from Hurricane Harvey and associated flooding
- "Officials: Harvey Recovery Complicated by Cost and Lack of Temporary Housing," Houston Chronicle, November 28, 2017
- "How Much Damage Did Harvey Do to Texas Homes? There May Never Be an Exact Answer," Texas Tribune, November 22, 2017
- "HUD Provides $5 Billion To Help Texas Recover From Harvey," Governor Greg Abbott, November 17, 2017
- 2017 Disaster and Emergency Resource Page for Housing Counselors - Hurricane Harvey, HUD Exchange, U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development
- Texas Rebuilds, Hurricane Harvey (Housing information), Texas General Land Office