Legislative Reference Library of Texas : Interim hearings

Interim Hearings - Week of February 8, 2016

Feb 1

posted by TexasLRL in Interim hearings, 84th Session

Interim Hearings - Week of February 8

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 9
February 10
February 11

February 9 Top

House Committee on Corrections

Charge: Incarceration rates for non-violent drug offenses, alternatives to incarceration including community supervision

"States at a Crossroads on Criminal Justice Reform," Stateline, January 28, 2016
2014 Drug Guidelines Amendment: Retroactivity Data Report (Geographical distribution - Texas), U.S. Sentencing Commission, December 2015
Statistical Report: Fiscal Year 2014 (Demographic highlights by type of offense, statistics by offense of record), Texas Department of Criminal Justice, 2014
Interim Report to the 82nd Texas Legislature (Charge 2 - Community-based corrections supervision and treatment programs), House Committee on Corrections, December 2010
Interim Report: 78th Legislature: Charge One (Alternatives to incarceration for non-violent drug offenders), Senate Committee on Criminal Justice, November 2002

Charge: Inmate release policies of the Texas Department of Criminal Justice, including direct release from administrative segregation

Making Sense of Sentencing: State Systems and Policies (Release policies), National Conference of State Legislatures, June 2015
Parole Guidelines Annual Report: FY 2014, Texas Board of Pardons and Paroles, January 2015
Annual Statistical Report: FY 2014, Texas Board of Pardons and Paroles
Interim Report to the 83rd Legislature (Charge 5 - Administrative segregation in TDCJ), Senate Committee on Criminal Justice, December 2012
Parole in Texas, Texas Department of Criminal Justice Parole Division, Texas Board of Pardons and Paroles, 2011
Interim Report to the 82nd Texas Legislature (Charge 3 - Prisoner reentry programs), House Committee on Corrections, December 2010

House Committee on Natural Resources, Subcommittee on Private Property Rights in Water

Topic: How to supply water while respecting private property rights of individual owners

"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
"Conserving Private Lands Conserves Water," TXH20, Texas Water Resources Institute, Texas A&M University, Winter 2014

House Committee on Public Education

Charge: Middle grades

"College Readiness? What About High School Readiness?," Education Week, High School & Beyond blog, October 13, 2015
Research Study: The Forgotten Middle, ACT, Inc., September 2014 (update to The Forgotten Middle: Ensuring that All Students Are on Target for College and Career Readiness before High School, 2008)
"The Middle School Plunge," Education Next, Spring 2012
Report to the 82nd Legislature (Charge 2 - Middle grades), Senate Committee on Education, December 2010
National Forum to Accelerate Middle-Grades Reform

Charge: High performing students

Federal Legislative Update: Every Student Succeeds Act (gifted education provisions in the new federal education law), National Association for Gifted Children, December 2015
2014-2015 State of the States in Gifted Education: Policy and Practice Data, National Association for Gifted Children and The Council of State Directors of Programs for the Gifted, November 2015
Equal Talents, Unequal Opportunities: A Report Card on State Support for Academically Talented Low-Income Students, Texas State Report Card, Jack Kent Cooke Foundation, March 2015
Falling Out of the Lead: Following High Achievers Through High School and Beyond, The Education Trust, April 2014

February 10 Top

House Committee on Corrections

Charge: Recidivism & Reentry

Justice Reinvestment & State Resources (Reduce recidivism), National Conference of State Legislatures, January 20, 2016
Multistate Criminal History Patterns of Prisoners Released in 30 states, Bureau of Justice Statistics, September 2015
Offender Reentry: Correctional Statistics, Reintegration into the Community, and Recidivism, Congressional Research Service, January 12, 2015
Interim Report to the 84th Legislature (Review Correctional Facilities and Procedures), House Committee on Corrections, January 2015
Reducing Recidivism: States Deliver Results, The National Reentry Resource Center, June 2014
Statewide Criminal Justice Recidivism and Revocation Rates, Legislative Budget Board, January 2013
Interim Report to the 82nd Texas Legislature (Charge 2 & Charge 3), House Committee on Corrections, December 2010
Interim Report to the 81st Legislature (Charge 2 - Prisoner reentry programs), House Committee on Corrections, January 2009
Interim Report to the 80th Texas Legislature (Charge 5 - Windham School District), House Committee on Corrections, December 2006
Reentry and Integration Division and Articles & Reports, Texas Department of Criminal Justice

House Committee on Public Health

Charge: Preparedness for public health threats and emergencies, including natural disasters and infectious diseases

Report and Recommendations, Texas Task Force on Infectious Disease Preparedness and Response, December 1, 2014
"Is Texas Prepared for a Public Health Emergency? ", Texas Tribune, October 2, 2014
Interim Report to the 82nd Legislature (Charge 3 - Pandemics and public health preparedness), House Committee on Emergency Preparedness, December 2010
Interim Report to the 81st Texas Legislature (Charge 5 - Public health emergency), House Committee on Defense Affairs & State-Federal Relations, January 2009
Health Emergency Preparedness and Response Section, Texas Department of State Health Services
Tripedia: Ebola Virus in Texas, Texas Tribune

Charge: Telemedicine in Texas

"Texas Ranks Worst in Telehealth," GovernmentHealthIT, January 11, 2016
Teladoc's Antitrust Suit Against TMB Moves Forward, Texas Medical Association, January 5, 2016
Telehealth Policy Trends and Considerations, National Conference of State Legislators, December 9, 2015
State Telehealth Laws and Medicaid Program Policies: A Comprehensive Scan of the 50 States and District of Columbia, Center for Connected Health Policy, July 2015
"Texas Puts Brakes On Telemedicine — And Teladoc Cries Foul," Kaiser Health News, June 2, 2015
50 State Telemedicine Gaps Analysis: Coverage & Reimbursement and 50 State Telemedicine Gaps Analysis: Physician Practice Standards & Licensure , American Telemedicine Association, May 2015
Telemedicine, Telehealth, and Home Telemonitoring Texas Medicaid Services: Biennial Report to the Texas Legislature, Texas Health and Human Services Commission, December 1, 2014
Interim Report to the 77th Texas Legislature (Charge II - Telemedicine), House Committee on Public Health, October 2000
TexLA Telehealth Resource Center, F. Marie Hall Institute for Rural and Community Health at the Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center

Senate Committee on Education

Charge: Monitor implementation of legislation, specifically:

Placement and use of video cameras
- "Coming To Texas: Special-Ed Cams To Protect Students From Their Own Teachers," NPR Ed, December 15, 2015
- "Texas to Require Cameras in Some Special Ed Classes, But Who Foots Bill?," Dallas Morning News, July 30, 2015
Training support for counselors, and advising courses for middle school students
- Texas School Counselor Study: Exploring the Supply, Demand, and Evolving Roles of School Counselors, Ray Marshall Center for the Study of Human Resources, Lyndon B. Johnson School of Public Affairs, The University of Texas at Austin, December 2014

Topic: Local briefing on English Language Learning

"English Language Learners and the Future of Texas: an Overview of Symposium Discussions, Policy Implications and Next Steps" and "Federal Guidance on Schools' Civil Rights Obligations for English Learners," IDRA Newsletter (Intercultural Development Research Association), May 2015
State-Level English Language Learner Policies, Education Commission of the States, March 2015
Dear Colleague Letter: English Learner Students and Limited English Proficient Parents (federal guidance), U.S. Department of Justice, U.S. Department of Education, January 7, 2015
The Academic Achievement of English Language Learners: Data for the U.S. and Each of the States, Child Trends, December 2014

February 11 Top

House Administration Committee

Topic: Select committee budgets

House Committee on Higher Education

Charge: Community college system

84th Texas Legislature: Session Summary, Texas Association of Community Colleges, July 2015
Community Colleges in the South: Strengthening Readiness and Pathways, Southern Regional Education Board, February 2015
Blueprint for a Texas Community College "System," National Center for Higher Education Management Systems for Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board, June 8, 2012 (Rider 53, 2012-13 General Appropriations Act)
Interim Report to the 82nd Texas Legislature (Charge 4 - Community college participation and success), House Committee on Higher Education, January 2011
Interim Report (Charge 2 - Community colleges), Senate Committee on Higher Education, December 2010
Strategic Plan for Texas Public Community Colleges 2011-2015, Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board, June 2010

Charge: Community colleges offering affordable baccalaureate degree programs, student pathways

Assessing the Potential to Expand Community College Baccalaureate Programs in Texas, RAND Corporation, Prepared for Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board, 2014 (SB 414, 83rd R.S.)
A Matter of Degrees: Practices to Pathways: High-Impact Practices for Community College Student Success, Center for Community College Student Engagement, The University of Texas at Austin, 2014
Community College Baccalaureate Programs in Texas: Legislative Recommendations, Adopted by the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board, 2014
The Feasibility of Expanding Texas' Community College Baccalaureate Programs: A Report to the 81st Texas Legislature, Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board, October 2010 (HB 2425, 81st R.S.)

Senate Select Committee Property Tax Reform & Relief

Charge: Property tax process, including appraisal system

Charge: Reducing tax burden

Interim Hearings - Week of January 25, 2016, Senate Select Committee Property Tax Reform & Relief, Charge: Property tax process and Charge: Tax burden, Legislative Reference Library, January 15, 2016
Committee Introductory Presentation, Senate Select Committee for Property Tax Reform & Relief, January 27, 2016
Overview of Property Tax System in Texas (Presentation), Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts, December 7, 2015

This entry was posted on February 1, 2016 at 9:03 AM and has received 1730 views. Print this entry.

Interim Hearings - Week of February 1, 2016

Jan 25

posted by TexasLRL in Interim hearings, 84th Session

Today's Committee Meetings on the LRL website is a calendar of interim committee hearings with links to agendas. Below are resources related to upcoming Interim Hearings.

Week of February 1

February 2

House Committee on Natural Resources

Charge: Water markets in Texas

"Marketing Texas Groundwater," Real Estate Center at Texas A&M University, June 4, 2015, published in Tierra Grande, July 2015
"The West Needs a Water Market to Fight Drought (Commentary)," Wall Street Journal, October 23, 2014
Shopping for Water: How the Market Can Mitigate Water Shortages in the American West, The Hamilton Project and Stanford Woods Institute for the Environment, October 2014
"The Texas Water Exchange: A Water Marketplace Emerges," Rivard Report, June 26, 2014
"Water Scarcity a Potential Drain on the Texas Economy," Southwest Economy, Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas, Fourth Quarter 2013
"Water Scarcity, Marketing, and Privatization," Robert Glennon, Texas Law Review, June 2005
Interim Report to the 79th Legislature, Senate Select Committee on Water Policy, December 2004
Interim Report to the 78th Legislature, Texas Joint Committee on Water Resources, November 2002
A Texan's Guide to Water and Water Rights Marketing (including the future of water marketing in Texas), Texas Water Development Board
Texas Water Bank and Water Trust, Texas Water Development Board

Charge: Regional and state water planning processes, with emphasis on integration of HB 4, 83rd Legislature, R.S., regional planning groups, groundwater management, drought of record, and related issues

Interim Report to the 84th Legislature (Charge 2 – Groundwater), House Committee on Natural Resources, January 2015
Report to the 84th Legislature, Texas Groundwater Protection Committee, Texas Commission on Environmental Quality, January 2015
Water for Texas: 2012 State Water Plan, Texas Water Development Board, January 2012
Interim Report to the 83rd Texas Legislature (Charge 1 – Drought of record and water planning), House Committee on Natural Resources, January 2013
Water Resources Planning (state water planning, regional water planning and data, population and water demand projections), Texas Water Development Board
· 2016 Approved Regional Water Plans, Texas Water Development Board
Drought in Texas, Texas Water Development Board

Charge: Legislative oversight and monitoring of agencies, including review of the surface water permitting process in Texas

Surface Water Rights and Availability (including permits) and Applications for Surface Water Rights and Ownership Changes, Texas Commission on Environmental Quality

February 3

House Committee on Energy Resources

Charge 1: Impacts of declining oil prices, energy development strategies

"Falling Oil Prices Put the Squeeze on State Budgets," CNBC, January 22, 2016
"Texas Comptroller Glenn Hegar Says of Plunging Oil prices: 'At Some Point … There Ain’t No More Jobs to Shed'" (blog), Dallas Morning News, January 21, 2016
"Falling Oil Prices Leading to Drop in Texas Road Funding," Texas Tribune, January 20, 2016
2016 Texas Economic Outlook: Riding the Energy Roller Coaster, Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas, January 12, 2016
Monthly State Revenue Watch, Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts, Updated January 2016
Houston Economy in 2016: No Recovery in Oil Markets Brings Another Slow Year, Institute for Regional Forecasting, December 31, 2015
The 2016-2017 Certification Revenue Estimate, Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts, October 13, 2015

Charge 2: Oilfield theft

"Texas Lawmakers Seek Abbott's Blessing on Oil Theft Crackdown," Texas Tribune, November 29, 2015
"Oil Theft Soars as Downturn Casts U.S. Roughnecks Out of Work," Bloomberg Business, November 16, 2015
Vetoes of Legislation: 84th Legislature (HB 3291, 84th Legislature, R.S.), House Research Organization, July 16, 2015
Veto Proclamation (HB 3291, 84th Legislature, R.S.), Governor Greg Abbott, June 18, 2015
"Oil Field Theft on the Rise in Texas," Inside Energy, March 9, 2015
Interim report to the 68th Legislature (Report on Oil Field Theft), House Committee on Energy Resources, 1982

Charge 7: Legislative oversight and monitoring of agencies

Oil & Gas, Railroad Commission of Texas
Oil and Gas Activities, Texas Commission on Environmental Quality
Bureau of Economic Geology, University of Texas at Austin

Senate Committee on Intergovernmental Relations

Charge 3: Natural disaster preparedness planning, as it pertains to Hurricane Dolly disaster recovery efforts

Interim Hearings - Week of November 30, 2015, Senate Committee on Intergovernmental Relations, Charge 3: Natural disaster preparedness planning and coordination, Legislative Reference Library, November 23, 2015
GLO Disaster Recovery Program Overview: Hurricanes Ike & Dolly (Disaster recovery grants allocated and expensed), Texas General Land Office, June 30, 2015
Interim Charge Recommendations to the 82nd Texas Legislature (Charge: Disaster recovery funding, Hurricane Dolly background), Senate Committee on Finance, January 2011
State of Texas Amended Plan for Disaster Recovery (Hurricanes Ike & Dolly amended plan), Texas Department of Rural Affairs and Texas Department of Housing & Community Affairs, September 30, 2009
State of Texas Plan for Disaster Recovery (Hurricanes Ike & Dolly action plan), Office of Rural Community Affairs, Disaster Recovery Division and Texas Department of Housing & Community Affairs, March 4, 2009
Tropical Cyclone Report: Hurricane Dolly (AL042008), 20-25 July 2008, National Hurricane Center, January 22, 2009
Hurricane Dolly (Hidalgo County response, situation reports), Hidalgo County, Texas
Hurricane Planning & Multi-Agency Coordination Center (MACC) (Lower Rio Grande emergency management area, flood zones, evacuation routes), Lower Rio Grande Valley Development Council

This entry was posted on January 25, 2016 at 4:00 PM and has received 1370 views. Print this entry.

Interim Hearings - Week of January 25, 2016

Jan 15

posted by TexasLRL in Interim hearings, 84th Session

Interim Hearings - Week of January 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.

January 25

Joint Legislative Committee on Health & Human Services Transition, Oversight

Invited testimony only

January 26

House Committee on Culture, Recreation & Tourism

Invited testimony on all interim charges

Senate Committee on Business & Commerce

Charge: Elder financial abuse

· Financial Crimes Against the Elderly, 2015 Legislation, National Conference of State Legislatures, November 20, 2015

· "Lies, Secrets, and Scams: How to Prevent Elder Abuse," Consumer Reports, November 3, 2015

· "Why Elder Financial Abuse Is Such A Slippery Crime," Forbes, February 13, 2015

· Cumulative 2015 Elder Financial Abuse Legislation, American Bankers Association, updated as of January 26, 2015

· The True Link Report on Elder Financial Abuse 2015, True Link Financial, January 2015

· "Protecting the Elderly: Should Montana Provide Civil Cause of Action for Elder Abuse?," Montana Lawyer, November 2014

· Georgia Akers, Associate Judge, Harris County Probate Court No. 3, "Elder Abuse, Exploitation and Consumer Scams: Ethical Duties," 2014 CPE by the Sea, Houston TSCPA Foundation and TSCPA CPE Foundation, Inc., Galveston, Texas, June 11-13, 2014

Charge: Collection process of delinquent ad valorem property taxes, role of tax lien transfers

· Interim Report to the 84th Legislature (Charge 3 - Property tax liens), House Committee on Business and Industry, January 2015

· Texas Property Tax Law Changes 2015 (Tax Code, Chapter 31, Collections, and Chapter 33, Delinquency), Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts, August 2015

· Property Tax Lending Consolidated Volume Report Calendar Year 2014, Office of Consumer Credit Commissioner, June 23, 2015

· "A High Price to Pay: How Property Tax Lenders Prey on the State’s Most Vulnerable Homeowners," Texas Observer, July 2014

· Property Tax Lending Study, Finance Commission of Texas, prepared by Office of Consumer Credit Commissioner, August 2012

· Property Tax Bills (delinquent tax bill contents, delinquency dates, penalty and interest by type of property tax bill), Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts

Senate Committee on Finance

Topic: Testimony from Comptroller of Public Accounts and the Legislative Budget Board on impact of oil prices and production on state revenue and the budget

· "Falling Oil Prices Leading to Drop in Texas Road Funding," Texas Tribune, January 20, 2016

· 2016 Texas Economic Outlook: Riding the Energy Roller Coaster, Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas, January 12, 2016

· Monthly State Revenue Watch, Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts, Updated January 2016

· The 2016-2017 Certification Revenue Estimate, Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts, October 13, 2015

Charge: Behavioral/mental health services and expenditures across state government

· A Comparative Analysis of NorthSTAR and Other Behavioral Health Service Delivery Areas (Pursuant to 2014-15 General Appropriations Act, SB 1, 83rd Legislature, Regular Session, 2013, Article II, Department of State Health Services, Rider 58), Texas Department of State Health Services, February 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

· Analysis of the Texas Public Behavioral Health System and Recommendations for System Redesign (Pursuant to 2012-13 General Appropriations Act, HB 1, 82nd Legislature, Regular Session, 2011, Article II, Department of State Health Services, Rider 71), Public Consulting Group, Texas Department of State Health Services, June 29 and October 12, 2012

· Texas Behavioral Health Strategic Plan, Texas Department of State Health Services, June 2012

· Comprehensive Analysis of Public Behavioral Health System (Rider 71 report background), Texas Department of State Health Services

Senate Committee on State Affairs

Charge: Implementation of open carry (HB 910) and campus carry (SB 11)

· New Laws for Handgun Licensing Program (Formerly Known as Concealed Handgun Licensing), Open Carry and Campus Carry, Texas Department of Public Safety

January 27

Senate Committee on Transportation

Charge: State's Vehicle Inspection Program

· Texas "Two Steps, One Sticker" Program Starts as a 'Square Dance', Texas Association of Counties, April 2, 2015

· Vehicle Inspection and Two Steps One Sticker, Texas Department of Public Safety

Charge: Necessity of Driver Responsibility Program

· Interim Report to the 84th Legislature (Charge 4), House Committee on Homeland Security and Public Safety, January 2015

· An Audit Report on Selected Contracts at the Department of Public Safety (Chapter 3 - Driver Responsibility Program), State Auditor's Office, June 2013

· Driver Responsibility Program (Issue Brief), Legislative Budget Board, January 2013

· Texas State Government Effectiveness and Efficiency: Selected Issues and Recommendations (Driver Responsibility Program), Legislative Budget Board, January 2007

· An Audit Report on the Department of Public Safety’s Implementation of the Driver Responsibility Program, State Auditor's Office, July 2005

· Driver Responsibility Program, Texas Department of Public Safety

Senate Select Committee on Property Tax Reform & Relief

Charge: Property tax process

· Texas State Government Effectiveness and Efficiency: Selected Issues and Recommendations (Property Appraisals), Legislative Budget Board, January 2015

· Appraising the Appraisals: Local Values and Property Taxes, Texas Taxpayers and Research Association, July 2014

· Interim Charge Recommendations to the 82nd Legislature (Property Tax System), Senate Committee on Finance, January 2011

· Interim Report to the 82nd Texas Legislature (Property Tax Appraisals), House Committee on Ways & Means, January 2011

· Interim Report (Property Tax Appraisal System), Senate Finance Subcommittee on Property Appraisal and Revenue Caps, January 2009

· Interim Report to the 81st Legislature, House Select Committee on Property Tax Relief and Appraisal Reform, December 2008

· Interim Report to the 81st Legislature (Charge 4), House Committee on Local Government Ways and Means, December 2008

· Findings and Recommendations: a Report from the Texas Task Force on Appraisal Reform, Texas Task Force on Appraisal Reform, January 2007

· Texas Property Tax System, Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts

Charge: Tax burden

· "Lopsided Election Puts Political Target on Property Taxes," Austin American Statesman, November 9, 2015

· "Property Tax Relief Comes With Big Cost to State," Texas Tribune, October 4, 2015

· A Brief History of Texas Property Tax Relief Initiatives (Presentation), Texas Taxpayers and Research Association, May 20, 2008

This entry was posted on January 15, 2016 at 12:48 PM and has received 2091 views. Print this entry.

Interim Hearings – Week of January 18, 2016

Jan 11

posted by TexasLRL in Interim hearings, 84th Session

Interim Hearings – Week of January 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.

January 20

House Committee on Higher Education

Charge: Legislative oversight and monitoring of state agencies; new higher education strategic plan, 60x30TX

60x30TX: Texas Higher Education Strategic Plan: 2015-2030, Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board, July 23, 2015
Texas Higher Education Data, Policymakers (reports on higher education topics, including graduation rates, tuition and fees, degrees, and enrollment), Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board

Topic: Expansion of educational offerings and programs

House Committee on Urban Affairs

Charge 2: Cities' cybersecurity policy

"San Diego Now Has a Cybersecurity Squad," Tribune News Service, Governing, October 14, 2015
"San Antonio City Councilman Calls for Municipal Cybersecurity Plan," San Antonio Business Journal, October 1, 2015
Interim Report to the 84th Legislature (Charge 3 - Integrated Identity Management Program), House Committee on Technology, December 2014
Interim Report (Charge 3 - Cybersecurity of state agencies), Senate Committee on Government Organization, December 2014
Framework for Improving Critical Infrastructure Cybersecurity (in response to Executive Order 13636), National Institute of Standards and Technology, Cybersecurity Framework, February 12, 2014
Executive Order 13636 - Improving Critical Infrastructure Cybersecurity, President Barack Obama, The White House, February 12, 2013
Building a More Secure And Prosperous Texas : A Report, Texas Cybersecurity, Education, and Economic Development Council, December 1, 2012

House Select Committee on Transportation Planning

Topics:

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

HB 20 - Initial Report: Revenue Projections, Funding Categories & Allocations, Performance-based Decision Making, Texas Department of Transportation, September 1, 2015
84th Legislature 2015: Mapping for the Future (HB 20: TxDot Planning Processes), Texas Department of Transportation, 2015
Program Allocation and Project Selection, Texas Department of Transportation

What the latest Federal reauthorization bill means to Texas (TxDOT)

Fast Act: The Fixing America's Surface Transportation Act, Transportation and Infrastructure Committee
Fixing America's Surface Transportation Act or "FAST Act" (Funding Tables), Federal Highway Administration, December 17, 2015
Federal Affairs Update (Presentation), Texas Department of Transportation , December 17, 2015

Comptroller estimates regarding both Proposition 1 and Proposition 7 funding for the upcoming year and the next biennium (Comptroller)

"Green Light on Transportation Legislation," Real Estate Center, November 30, 2015
"Texas Transportation Gets Funding Boost to Cope with Growing Population," Govtech.com, November 6, 2015
Overview of Major Transportation Funding Actions by the 84th Legislature and Selected Alternative Funding Options (Proposition 7), Legislative Budget Board, September 2015
Proposition 7 - Constitutional Amendment for Transportation Funding and FAQs: Proposition 7, Texas Department of Transportation
Proposition 1 Funding, Texas Department of Transportation

January 21

Joint Committee on Border Security

Topic: Status of the implementation of House Bill 11 (84th Legislative Session)

Governor Abbott Takes Action to Combat Illegal Border Crossings, Governor Greg Abbott, December 15, 2015
Interim Report to the 84th Legislature (Charge 3, Border Security), House Committee on Homeland Security and Public Safety, January 2015
Border Security Statistics and Border-Related Reports, Texas Department of Public Safety

January 22

Senate Committee on Veteran Affairs & Military Installations, Subcommittee on Border Security

Charge: Sanctuary cities

"Dallas County Sheriff: 'Sanctuary Cities' Law Could Lead to Ferguson-Like Protests," Dallas Morning News, December 10, 2015
"GOP Lawmakers Still Targeting Sanctuary Cities," Texas Tribune, December 3, 2015
"Sanctuaries Under Fire," CQ Weekly, November 30, 2015
Interim Hearings - Week of November 30, 2015, Senate Committee on Veteran Affairs & Military Installations, Subcommittee on Border Security, Charge: Sanctuary cities, Legislative Reference Library, November 23, 2015

This entry was posted on January 11, 2016 at 11:21 AM and has received 1626 views. Print this entry.

Interim Hearings – Week of January 4, 2016

Dec 28

posted by TexasLRL in Interim hearings, 84th Session

Interim Hearings - Week of January 4th

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 7th

House Committee on Economic & Small Business Development

Charge 4: Implementation of HB 26, 84th Legislature, R.S., measuring economic development incentives

Tax Incentive Evaluation Law: Texas (Fact sheet), Pew Charitable Trusts, June 22, 2015
States Make Progress Evaluating Tax Incentives (Fact sheet) and Tax Incentive Programs: Evaluate Today, Improve Tomorrow, Pew Charitable Trust, January 2015
Interim Report to the 84th Legislature, House Select Committee on Economic Development Incentives, January 2015
Interim Report to the 84th Legislature (Incentives), House Committee on Economic and Small Business Development, December 2014
Investing in Texas: Economic Incentives and Programs, TTARA Research Foundation, February 2015
Part 2: How to Measure the Benefits of Economic Incentives (and How Not To), TTARA Research Foundation, February 2015
Prove it, State Legislatures, February 2014
Florida Economic Development Program Evaluations – Year 1, Office of the Florida Legislature: Office of Program Policy, January 2014
Evaluating Tax Incentives: Choosing Goals and Measuring Results (PowerPoint), National Conference of State Legislatures, September 9, 2013
An Analysis of Texas Economic Development Incentives 2010, Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts, March 2011

Charge 6: Economic diversification

Job Skills, Education and Workforce Development Resources, National Conference of State Legislatures, December 14, 2015
"Economic Diversification in South Texas" and "A More Diversified Economy?" Economic Pulse, (No.6) & (No. 3), 2015
New UTSA Study Stresses Diversification in Economic Development for Oil Boom Towns, Institute for Economic Development, November 10, 2015 and Recent Economic and Community Impact of Unconventional Oil and Gas Exploration and Production on South Texas Counties in the Eagle Ford Shale Area, Journal of Regional Analysis & Policy
Overview of the Texas Workforce Development System, Legislative Budget Board, March 2011
Workforce Development, Texas Wide Open for Business

This entry was posted on December 28, 2015 at 9:14 AM and has received 1346 views. Print this entry.

Interim Hearings – Week of December 14, 2015

Dec 7

posted by TexasLRL in Interim hearings, 84th Session

Interim Hearings – Week of December 14th

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 15th

House Committee on Human Services

Charge 1: Aging Texans

America's Growing Senior Population: Assessing the Dimensions of the Demographic Challenge, Bipartisan Policy Center, September 24, 2015
Aging Texas Well Plan 2015-2016, as required by Executive Order RP 42, Texas Department of Aging and Disability Services, September 2015
Growth in Elderly Populations: Implications for Texas Real Estate Markets, Texas A&M Real Estate Center, February 2015
America's Health Rankings, Senior Report: A Call to Action for Individuals and Their Communities, United Health Foundation, 2015
"New Help for the Aging," Fiscal Notes, Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts, April 28, 2014
Profile of Older Americans: 2014 and Projected Future Growth of the Older Population (By State: 2005-2030), U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Administration for Community Living, Administration on Aging
Interim Report to the 83rd Legislature, Joint Committee on Aging, January 2013
Interim Report to the 83rd Legislature (Charge 3, Aging Texans), House Committee on Human Services, January 2013
Aging Texas Well, Texas Department of Aging and Disability Services

Topic: Syrian refugee resettlement

Refugee arrivals [to Texas by fiscal year], as of 4 December 2015 - Syria, U.S. Department of State, Bureau of Population, Refugees, and Migration, Worldwide Refugee Admissions Processing System (WRAPS)
Syrian Refugee Admissions and Resettlement in the United States: In Brief, Congressional Research Service, November 19, 2015

This entry was posted on December 7, 2015 at 11:04 AM and has received 945 views. Print this entry.

Interim Hearings – Week of December 7, 2015

Nov 30

posted by TexasLRL in Interim hearings, 84th Session

Interim Hearings – Week of December 7th

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 7th

Senate Committee on Education

Charge: Charter schools, implementation of SB 2, 83rd Legislature, R.S.

Charter School Performance in Texas, Center for Research on Education Outcomes (CREDO), Stanford University, July 22, 2015
The Status of Charter Schools in Texas: Dispelling the Myths and Analyzing the Realities, Children At Risk, April 24, 2015
Charter School Laws Across the States: Rankings and Scorecard, Center for Education Reform, 2015
"Chartering a New Course in Education," Fiscal Notes, Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts, July 17, 2014
Charter Schools, Charter School Finance, Charter School Reports, Texas Education Agency

Charge: Teacher-student relationships

"Texas Sees Rising Number of Improper Teacher-Student Relationships," Austin American-Statesman, September 3, 2015
"Texas Safe Schools Week: Shared Responsibility in Identifying, Reporting Inappropriate Educator-Student Relationships," Texas Education Agency, October 23, 2014
Federal Agencies Can Better Support State Efforts to Prevent and Respond to Sexual Abuse by School Personnel, U.S. Government Accountability Office, January 2014
Katelyn Burch Busby, "EDUCATION—Student-Teacher Relationship—Should Teachers Be Held to a Higher Standard? Understanding the Laws Governing Sexual Relationships Between Students and Teachers in Primary and Secondary Schools Paschal v. State, 2012 Ark. 127, 388 S.W.3d 429," 36 U. Ark. Little Rock L. Rev. 103 (2013)
James R. Baez & Kerri E. Caufield, "Drawing a Line in the Shifting Sand of Social Media: Attempting to Prevent Teachers From 'Liking' a Student Outside the Classroom," 30 Hofstra Lab. & Emp. L.J. 263 (2012)

Senate Select Committee on Property Tax Reform & Relief

Organizational hearing

"The (Long, Long) History of the Texas Property Tax," Fiscal Notes, Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts, October 2015
"Property Tax Legislation 2015," Real Estate Center at Texas A&M University, August 20, 2015
Property Tax Relief Options for State Governments, Lincoln Institute of Land Policy, National Conference of State Legislatures, August 2, 2015
50-State Property Tax Comparison Study, Lincoln Institute of Land Policy, Minnesota Center for Fiscal Excellence, April 2015
Estimating Tax Savings from Homestead Exemptions and Property Tax Credits, Lincoln Institute of Land Policy, April 2015
Senate Committee on Finance, Interim Charge Recommendations to the 82nd Legislature (Charge: Property Tax System), January 2011
House Select Committee on Property Tax Relief and Appraisal Reform, Interim Report to the 81st Texas Legislature, December 2008

December 8th

Senate Committee on Agriculture, Water & Rural Affairs

Charge: Agricultural liens

James D. Eggleston, Jr., Land, Crops, Cows: Farm and Ranch Acquisition and Financing Issues: "From the First Day You Lay Eyes on Paradise Until You Sell Your Last Cow" (preview, "agricultural liens defined"), presented at The University of Texas School of Law, 48th Annual William W. Gibson, Jr. Mortgage Lending , September 18-19, 2014, Austin, Texas, and October 2-3, 2014, Dallas, Texas
Principles of Feedyard Lending and Marketing, prepared for Texas Cattle Feeders Association, April 2, 2013

Charge: Litter

Environmental Effects of the Single Use Bag Ordinance in Austin, Texas, Austin Resource Recovery & Zero Waste Advisory Commission, June 10, 2015
How Green Is that Grocery Bag Ban? An Assessment of the Environmental and Economic Effects of Grocery Bag Bans and Taxes, Reason Foundation, June 18, 2014
States with Littering Penalties, National Conference of State Legislatures, updated March 2014
Litter Facts & Research, including 2013 Attitudes and Behaviors Study and 2013 Litter Prevention Research Study, Texas Department of Transportation
The Potential Economic Impact of a Texas Beverage Container Deposit Refund System (litter reduction), prepared for Texas League of Conservation Voters, TXP, Inc., 2013

Charge: Agricultural marketing and promotion, Texas Department of Agriculture's Market Development Services

Texas State Resources, Agricultural Marketing Resource Center, Iowa State University
Marketing Programs, Texas A&M AgriLife Extension
Go Texan, Texas Department of Agriculture
Agricultural Marketing Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture
National Agricultural Statistics Service - Texas Field Office (Texas agricultural statistics, county estimates, Census of Agriculture for Texas, crop and livestock reports), U.S. Department of Agriculture

Charge: Game animals, domestic fowl, disease and harmful pests

Fowl Registration Facts, Texas Animal Health Commission, November 2012
House Committee on Agriculture and Livestock, Interim Report to the 82nd Texas Legislature (Charge 1 - tick-borne disease in livestock, plant pests and diseases), January 2011
Game Animals and Game Management in Texas, Texas Parks & Wildlife Department
Insects - Integrated Pest Management (IPM), Texas A&M AgriLife Extension

December 10th

House Committee on Appropriations

Topic: Texas Child Support Enforcement System 2.0

"A Troubled State Contract Gets Renewed Scrutiny, But Who Is To Blame?," Austin American Statesman, October 31, 2015
"Upgrade of AG's Child Support System Facing Problems," Texas Tribune, July 16, 2015
IV&V Review Services for the State of Texas OAG CSD TXCSES 2.0 (T2) Program (Semi-Annual Review Report - VOLUME I - Version 2.0 Final), UT Austin, Advanced Research in Software Engineering Center (UT ARiSE), September 12, 2014
TXCSES 2.0 Initiative Status Report (2011) and TXCSES 2.0 Initiative Status Report (2013), Texas Attorney General's Office
The Development of the Texas Child Support Enforcement System 2.0 at the Office of the Attorney General, Texas State Auditor's Office, July 2011

House Committee on State Affairs

Charge: Undocumented immigrants

"Trust in Immigration Enforcement: State Noncooperation and Sanctuary Cities after Secure Communities", Chicago Kent Law Review, last revised November 27, 2015
State Laws Related to Immigration and Immigrants (2015 Immigration Report), National Conference of State Legislatures, August 3, 2015
State and Local “Sanctuary” Policies Limiting Participation in Immigration Enforcement, Congressional Research Service, July 10, 2015
Guidance on State and Local Governments' Assistance in Immigration Enforcement and Related Matters, U. S. Department of Homeland Security, updated July 9, 2015
Final Report of The President’s Task Force on 21st Century Policing (1.9.1 Action Item: Decouple federal immigration enforcement from routine local policing), President’s Task Force on 21st Century Policing, May 2015
"Who is Responsible for U.S. Immigration Policy?" , Insights on Law & Society, Spring 2014
"Which States Make Life Easier or Harder for Illegal Immigrants" and "States Are Divided by the Lines They Draw on Immigration," New York Times, March 29, 2015
Authority of State and Local Police to Enforce Federal Immigration Law, Congressional Research Service, September 10, 2012
Enforcing Immigration Law at the State and Local Levels: A Public Policy Dilemma, Rand Center on Quality Policing, 2010
Interim Report to the 81st Texas Legislature (Border Security Charge), Senate Committee on International Relations and Trade, January 2009
Interim Report to the 81st Texas Legislature (Charge 15), Senate Committee on Transportation and Homeland Security, December 2008
Tribpedia: Immigration, Texas Tribune

December 10th - CANCELLED

House Administration Committee

Topic: Select committee budgets

This entry was posted on November 30, 2015 at 4:14 PM and has received 1801 views. Print this entry.

Interim Hearings – Week of November 30, 2015

Nov 23

posted by TexasLRL in Interim hearings, 84th Session

Interim Hearings – Week of November 30th

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 2nd

Senate Committee on Intergovernmental Relations

Charge 2: Home rule municipalities' process to adopt ordinances, rules, and regulations, including initiative and referendum

Alphabet Soup: Types of Cities, Texas Municipal League Legal Department, 2015
Handbook for Mayors and Councilmembers, Texas Municipal League, 2015
"Home Rule Charters," Handbook of Texas Online, Texas State Historical Association, June 15, 2010
TML City Officials Directory (search by government type: home rule), Texas Municipal League

Charge 3: Natural disaster preparedness planning and coordination

Lessons From Texas: 10 Years of Disaster Recovery Examined (White Paper), Texas Appleseed, September 17, 2015
Congressional Primer on Major Disasters and Emergencies, Congressional Research Service, May 19, 2015
State of Texas Emergency Management Plan and Annexes, Texas Department of Public Safety, Texas Division of Emergency Management, May 2012
State of Texas Hazard Mitigation Plan: 2010-2013, Texas Department of Public Safety, Texas Division of Emergency Management, October 18, 2010, and 2013 Update
Senate Subcommittee on Flooding and Evacuations, Interim Report, Report to the 82nd Legislature, January 2011
House Select Committee on Emergency Preparedness, Interim Report to the 82nd Texas Legislature, December 2010
Senate Committee on Transportation and Homeland Security, Report to the 81st Legislature (Charge 3, Disaster planning and first response), December 2008
Senate Interim Committee on Natural Resources, Interim Report to the 78th Legislature: Natural Disasters, August 2002

Charge 6: Government accountability in elections regarding issuance of public debt

Improving Financial Transparency at the Ballot Box, Texas Public Policy Foundation, September 2014
Your Money and Local Debt, Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts, September 2012
Texas Transparency: Debt at a Glance (state, counties, cities, independent school districts, community/junior college districts), Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts
Texas Transparency: Local Bond Elections, Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts
Local Debt Explorer, Texas Tribune, including data collected by Texas Bond Review Board reflecting debt load as of August 2014

December 3rd

Senate Committee on Veteran Affairs & Military Installations, Subcommittee on Border Security

Charge: Sanctuary cities

"Immigration Sanctuary Ban Creates Uncertainty in North Carolina," New York Times, November 14, 2015
"Senate Democrats Block ‘Sanctuary Cities’ Bill," Washington Post, October 20, 2015 and Stop Sanctuary Policies and Protect Americans Act, S. 2146, 114th Cong. (2015-2016)
"Sanctuary Cities," Trust Acts, and Community Policing Explained, American Immigration Council, October 2015
"Numerous Texas Cities Offering Immigration Sanctuary," Watchdog.org, July 17, 2015
The Criminalization of Immigration in the United States, American Immigration Council, July 8, 2015
Debunking the Myth of "Sanctuary Cities": Community Policing Policies Protect American Communities, Immigration Policy Center, March 2009
Op. Tex. Att’y Gen. No. GA-0669 (2009), Local government policies that hinder enforcement of federal immigration laws (RQ-0733-GA), Attorney General of Texas, March 19, 2009
"Sanctuary Cities": Legal Issues, Congressional Research Service, January 15, 2009
Enforcing Immigration Law: The Role of State and Local Law Enforcement, Congressional Research Service, Updated May 4, 2006
Tribpedia: Sanctuary Cities, Texas Tribune

This entry was posted on November 23, 2015 at 10:46 AM and has received 1344 views. Print this entry.

Interim Hearings - Week of November 16, 2015

Nov 9

posted by TexasLRL in Interim hearings, 84th Session

Interim Hearings - Week of November 16th

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.

November 18th

House Committee on County Affairs

Topic: How Texas Department of Public Safety codes race during traffic stops

"Texas Troopers Ticketing Hispanic Drivers as White," KXAN Investigation, updated November 9, 2015
Interim Report to the 78th Legislature (Charge 5, Implementation of SB 1074, 77th Legislature, relating to the prevention of racial profiling by certain peace officers), Senate Committee on Jurisprudence, November 2002

Topic: Texas Commission on Jail Standards inmate intake screening form and recent jail suicides

"State Unveils Measures Aimed at Reducing Jail Suicides," Houston Chronicle, updated September 16, 2015
Invited and Public Testimony on Jail Standards, House Committee on County Affairs, September 15, 2015
37 Texas Administrative Code § 273.5, Mental Disabilities/Suicide Prevention Plan, Texas Commission on Jail Standards, amended April 10, 2013

November 20th

Senate Committee on Veteran Affairs & Military Installations

Charge: Veteran benefits only offered to residents of the state of Texas — whether by being born here or by entering the service in Texas — and the state's liability

State Argues We Must Preserve Hazlewood Act for Texas Veterans (Recent News), Attorney General of Texas, November 4, 2015, and Oral Argument Recordings (Docket No. 15-20105, Keith Harris v. Eliseo Cantu, Jr., et al., November 4, 2015), U.S. Court of Appeals for the 5th Circuit
Keith Harris v. Eliseo 'Al' Cantu of the Texas Veterans Commission, et al., Memorandum and order (Civil action no. H-14-1312; Texas Hazlewood Act), U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Texas, Houston Division, January 26, 2015, and Keith Harris v. Eliseo 'Al' Cantu of the Texas Veterans Commission, et al., Plaintiff's original complaint and application for preliminary injunction and permanent injunction (Civil action no. H-14-1312; Texas Hazlewood Act), U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Texas, Houston Division, May 12, 2014
Op. Tex. Att’y Gen. No. KP-0015 (2015), Constitutionality of section 54.341 of the Education Code, the Hazlewood Act (RQ-0009-KP), and Op. Tex. Att’y Gen. No. DM-468 (1998), Whether Education Code section 54.203 violates the Equal Protection Clause of the United States Constitution by exempting from dues, fees, and charges at an institution of higher education only those veterans who were Texas citizens at the time they entered the service, and related questions (RQ-937), Attorney General of Texas
Report on the Hazlewood Exemption: Legislative Policy Report, Legislative Budget Board, December 2014
Report and Recommendations to the 79th Texas Legislature (Charge 2, Inventory of state veterans' benefits), Senate Committee on Veteran Affairs and Military Installations, December 2004
Benefits for Veterans, Texas Veterans Portal
Texas State Veteran's Benefits, Military.com Benefits
State/Territory Benefits - Texas, MyArmyBenefits.com, U.S. Army
Texas State Veterans Benefits, NOLO.com

This entry was posted on November 9, 2015 at 8:46 AM and has received 1503 views. Print this entry.

Interim Hearings - Weeks of November 2 and November 9, 2015

Nov 3

posted by TexasLRL in Interim hearings, 84th Session

Interim Hearings - Weeks of November 2nd and November 9th

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.

November 6th

Senate Committee on Natural Resources & Economic Development

Charge 2: Texas Emission Reduction Plan (TERP)