Speaker Dustin Burrows released House Interim Charges for the 89th Legislature, assigning each committee a charge to monitor key legislation passed during the 89th and special sessions, along with additional charges under their purview.
Burrows added three new select committees. See the full list of committees and their members (sorted by committee or sorted by House member).
Charges of interest to the education community can be found in numerous committees including:
Higher Education (p. 16)
- Aligning Advising Initiatives: Examine investments by the state in advising systems and tools that support high school and college course planning, credential attainment, and successful transitions to postsecondary education and the workforce.
Homeland Security, Public Safety, and Veterans’ Affairs (p. 18)
- Monitor HB 33, relating to active shooter incidents at primary and secondary school facilities and other emergencies.
Judiciary and Civil Jurisprudence (p. 26)
- Monitor HB 581, relating to the creation of artificial sexual material harmful to minors and HB 4623, relating to liability of public schools and professional school employees for sexual misconduct involving students.
Pensions, Investments, and Financial Services (p. 34)
- Teacher Retirement System of Texas Review: Review the actuarial soundness of the Teacher Retirement System of Texas, including current contribution levels, defined benefit plan assumptions, and projected liabilities to ensure the long-term financial stability of the system. Evaluate the impact of basing employer contributions on total payroll, options to increase parity in the contribution rates for all entities, and the impact of benefit enhancements.
Public Education (p. 36)
- Monitor HB 2, relating to public education and public school finance; HB 6, relating to discipline management; HB 8 (Second Called Session), relating to public school accountability and transparency; HB 1481, relating to school district and open-enrollment charter school policies regarding student use of personal communication devices; and SB 2, relating to the establishment of an education savings account program.
- Additional interim charges include The State of Education, Improve Middle School Outcomes, Teacher Recruitment and Retention, Investment in Special Education, and oversight of state agencies such as the SBOE and TEA.
Public Health (p. 38)
- Monitor SB 25, relating to health and nutrition standards to promote healthy living, including requirements for food labeling, primary and secondary education, higher education, and continuing education for certain health care professionals.
- Social Media’s Impact on Youth Health and Well-Being: Study the impact of social media platforms and artificial intelligence technologies on the mental health, cognitive development, and behavioral well-being of minors in Texas.
Transportation (p. 46)
- Speed Enforcement in Work and School Zones: Evaluate measures to enhance roadside worker and public safety, including limited authorization of speed enforcement mechanisms in high-speed work zones and school zones. Consider measures that would safeguard Texans’ privacy, prohibit automated retention of data, and prevent citations from being issued by third-party entities.
Ways and Means (p. 48)
- Monitor HB 103, relating to the creation and maintenance of a database of taxing unit bond, tax, and bond-related project information.
- Property Tax Relief: Study and consider methods to build on the property tax relief provided by the 89th Legislature. Review the cost and benefits of compressing school district tax rates and increasing the homestead exemption; whether the property tax appraisal system is working as intended, and opportunities to improve the system to benefit homeowners and businesses; and the economic performance of state tax revenue supporting ongoing property tax relief, including the impact of exemptions.
- Local Government Spending: Examine local government spending and debt practices, including the use of certificates of obligation, to determine the overall impact on property tax rates. Evaluate other revenue sources, such as fees, utilized by local units of government to facilitate increased spending. Make recommendations to improve the long-term affordability for Texas families by limiting the growth of local government spending.
Governmental Oversight, Select (p. 49)
- Safeguarding Taxpayer Funds: Study how local governments appropriate public funds to, or otherwise, contract with, third-party consultants and nongovernmental organizations for services, including those related to health and human services, public safety, and homelessness policies. Assess trends in third-party services spending and evaluate risks and benefits. Examine the degree of influence third-party consultants and nongovernmental organizations exert on matters of public policy and make recommendations to prevent conflicts of interest and ensure full transparency and accountability in the expenditure of taxpayer funds.
- Education Foundations: Examine the role and structure of education foundations that are affiliated with Texas public school districts, including the scope and sources of their revenues and the nature of their financial relationships with school districts. Review the practice of public funds being transferred to or used by these foundations. Assess the applicability of state transparency, reporting, and oversight laws, and determine whether existing law adequately ensures accountability, prevents conflicts of interest, and protects taxpayer resources.
- Texas Public Information Act: Study the applicability of the Texas Public Information Act, the entities currently subject to the Act, its effectiveness, and the necessity of current exemptions from public disclosure. Additionally, review requirements related to public notices and make recommendations to improve citizen awareness and transparency.
