House Hearings
April 20: House International Relations & Economic Development Committee
The committee will meet Wednesday, April 20, at 11 a.m. in room E2.012 of the Capitol extension to hear invited testimony only. Topics of interest to TASA members include:
- Examine current economic development programs and identify opportunities to enhance job creation in Texas. Make recommendation to promote transparency and enhance effectiveness of such programs.
Watch the hearing live at 11 a.m. April 20.
April 21: House Ways & Means Committee
The committee will meet Thursday, April 21, at 10 a.m. in room 140 of the J.H. Reagan Bldg., to hear invited and public testimony. Topics of interest for TASA members include:
- HB 2080 and SB 903, relating to taxpayers’ suits;
- Study and consider methods of providing additional property tax relief; including the use of $3 billion in available American Rescue Plan Act funds that were held for future tax relief by the 87th Legislature, and other sources of revenue; and
- Explore options to reduce business property tax burdens and options for limiting the growth of property tax bills.
View the full hearing posting.
Watch the hearing live at 10 a.m. April 21.
April 26: House State Affairs Committee
The committee will meet Tuesday, April 26, at 9 a.m. at in room E2.010 of the Capitol extension to hear invited and public testimony. Topics of interest for TASA members include:
- HB 5 (2021), relating to the expansion of broadband services to rural areas;
- HB 1505, relating to attachments for broadband service on utility poles owned by an electric cooperative and establishing and funding a pole replacement program for deployment of certain broadband facilities; and
- Study the status and adequacy of cyber security preparedness among state agencies and contractors. Make recommendations that enhance cyber security measures considering evolving threats to Texas’ information technology infrastructure.
Watch the hearing live at 9 a.m. April 26.
April 26: House Public Education Committee
The House Committee on Public Education will hold a hearing on Tuesday, April 26, at 10 a.m. in room E2.028 of the Capitol extension. The committee will hear invited and public testimony on the following interim charges:
- Interim Charge 2: Examine the impact, including any financial impact, to the Texas public school system of an increase in the number of children crossing the Texas-Mexico border. Review the history, any applicable precedents, and the legal landscape regarding the education of migrant children in Texas’s public schools.
- Interim Charge 11: Review the impact of investments of the Permanent School Fund by the State Board of Education in businesses and funds owned or controlled by the Russian government or Russian nationals, and determine the need for investment restrictions. Consider the impact of any proposed investment restrictions on fund performance.
Commissioner Mike Morath will also provide an update on the Texas Education Agency and public education issues.
Watch the hearing live at 10 a.m. April 26.
April 26: House Committee on Transportation
The committee will meet Tuesday, April 26, at 12:30 p.m. in room E2.012 of the Capitol extension hear invited and public testimony. Topics of interest to TASA members include:
- HB 3514, relating to the functions of the Texas Department of Motor Vehicles (TxDMV);
- HB 3927, relating to temporary motor vehicle tags;
- Study current and future transportation needs and consider improvements to ensure that Texas is adequately planning for the state’s population growth forecasts. Evaluate the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on transportation projects and investment decisions;
- Study the impact of the increasing sale and use of electric and alternatively fueled vehicles on revenue predictions for the state highway fund. Recommend a road use revenue equalization methodology to create fairness and parity between gasoline, electric and alternatively fueled vehicles; and
- Review the state’s work in transportation safety.
View the full hearing posting.
Watch the hearing live at 12:30 p.m. April 26.
April 27: House Committee on Business & Industry
The committee will meet Wednesday, April 27, at 1 p.m. in room E2.028 of the Capitol extension hear invited and public testimony. Topics of interest to TASA members include:
- Study the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on unemployment trends, hurdles to workforce reentry, and industry-specific disruptions.
View the full hearing posting.
Watch the hearing live at 1 p.m. April 27.
May 5: House Committee on Higher Education
The committee will meet Thursday, May 5, at 10 a.m. in room E2.010 of the Capitol extension to hear invited and public testimony on interim charges. Topics of interest to TASA members include:
- Review progress toward the goals of the 60x30TX plan, including institutional strategies for responding to changing workforce needs and demands, including workforce education, industry certification, and degree programs to address health care shortages.
View the full hearing posting.
Watch the hearing live at 10 a.m. May 5.
Senate Hearings
April 20: Senate Committee on Local Government
The committee will meet Wednesday, April 20, at 10 a.m. in the Capitol extension auditorium to hear invited and public testimony on the following interim charges:
- Bond Elections: Review and report on voter participation and bond election result differences between November and May elections. Make recommendations for improved voter turnout, increased election efficiencies, and better of local debt.
- Ballot Language: Study the development of the language used for constitutional amendment and local ballot propositions. Recommend changes to make ballot propositions more easily understood by voters.
View the full hearing posting.
Watch the hearing live at 10 a.m. April 20.
May 4: Senate Committee on Finance
The Senate Committee on Finance will meet Wednesday, May 4, at 10 a.m. in room E1.036 of the Capitol extension to hear invited and public testimony. Topics of interest to TASA members include:
- Inflation: Review and report on the effect inflation is having on the business community and state government, including state salaries, retiree benefits, the state economy, and cost of state services;
- Inflation: Review and report on the impact of inflation on units of local governments’ revenue collections and property taxpayers’ tax bills, including the homestead exemption; and
- State Pension Reforms: Monitor the implementation of recent statewide pension reforms to the Employees Retirement System of Texas and the Teacher Retirement System of Texas.
View the full hearing posting.
Watch the hearing live at 10 a.m. May 4.
May 10: Senate Higher Education Committee
The Senate Higher Education Committee will meet Tuesday, May 10, at 1 p.m. to hear invited and public testimony on the following interim charges:
- Workforce Education
- Enrollment Trends
- Funding Permanent University Fund
- Teaching and Health Care Workforce Participation
- Monitoring of Legislation: Senate Bill 1102, relating to the establishment of the Texas Reskilling and Upskilling through Education (TRUE) Program to support workforce education; House Bill 3767, relating to measures to support the alignment of education and workforce development in the state with state workforce needs, including the establishment of the Tri-Agency Workforce Initiative.
View the full hearing posting.
Watch the hearing live at 1 p.m. May 10.
May 17: Senate Committee on Finance
The Senate Committee on Finance will meet Tuesday, May 17, at 10 a.m. in room E1.036 of the Capitol extension to hear invited and public testimony. Topics of interest to TASA members include:
- Property Tax Relief: Examine and recommend ways to reduce Texans’ property tax burden. Review and report on proposals to use or dedicate state revenues in excess of the state spending limit to eliminate the school district maintenance and operations property tax; and
- Tax Exemptions: Examine Texans’ current tax exemptions and report on whether adjustments are merited because of inflation or any other factors.
View the full hearing posting.
Watch the hearing live at 10 a.m. May 17.
