Legislative Reference Library of Texas : Interim hearings

Interim Hearings: Weeks of September 3rd-10th

Interim Hearings - Weeks of August 20th-27th

Interim Hearings - Week of August 13th

Interim Hearings – Weeks of July 23rd and July 30th

Interim Hearings - Week of July 16th

Interim Hearings - Week of July 9th

Interim Hearings – Week of June 25th

Interim Hearings – Week of June 18th

Interim Hearings – Weeks of June 4th and June 11th

Interim Hearings - Week of May 21st

Interim Hearings: Weeks of September 3rd-10th

Interim Hearings - Weeks of August 20th-27th

Interim Hearings - Week of August 13th

Interim Hearings – Weeks of July 23rd and July 30th

Interim Hearings - Week of July 16th

Interim Hearings - Week of July 9th

Interim Hearings – Week of June 25th

Interim Hearings – Week of June 18th

Interim Hearings – Weeks of June 4th and June 11th

Interim Hearings - Week of May 21st

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Archives by Subject

Aug 28

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, and a list of upcoming Budget Hearings.

September 4th

Senate Committee on Criminal Justice

Charge: Administrative segregation

Reassessing Solitary Confinement: The Human Rights, Fiscal, and Public Safety Consequences [hearing transcript, testimony and submitted materials], U.S. Senate Committee on the Judiciary, June 19, 2012
"Psychiatrists Decry Punishment That Isolates Prisoners," Psychiatric News, September 3, 2010
"Beyond Supermax Administrative Segregation: Mississippi's Experience Rethinking Prison Classification and Creating Alternative Mental Health Programs," Criminal Justice and Behavior, July 2009

Charge: Female inmates

Improvements to the Texas Department of Criminal Justice Community Justice Assistance Division & Board of Pardons and Paroles: Response to Sunset Advisory Commission Staff Report [see Part 8], Texas Criminal Justice Coalition, June 2012
"Statistics on Women Offenders," Corrections.com, February 6, 2012
"Feeling the Squeeze," Amarillo Globe-News, January 3, 2012
Mothers Behind Bars: a State-by-State Report Card and Analysis of Federal Policies on Conditions of Confinement for Pregnant and Parenting Women and the Effect on Their Children, National Women's Law Center, October 2010

September 5th

Sunset Advisory Commission – Meeting Materials, Sunset Reports - 83rd Legislature

Commission Decisions on the Texas Criminal Justice Agencies
- Texas Department of Criminal Justice
- Correctional Managed Health Care Committee
- Windham School District
- Board of Pardons and Paroles
Staff Presentation and Public Testimony
- State Pension Review Board
- Office of Fire Fighters’ Pension Commissioner
- Port of Houston Authority
- State Employee Charitable Campaign Policy Committee
- Texas Commission on the Arts
- Texas Department of Housing and Community Affairs

September 6th

Senate Committee on Natural Resources, Subcommittee on Interim Charge #9

Charge: Efficiency of Texas Renewable Portfolio Standard

Texas Renewable Portfolio Standard (history and overview), Texas Energy Conservation Office
Texas Utilities Code §39.904, Goal for Renewable Energy, added by SB 7, 76th Leg. and amended by SB 20, 79th Leg., 1st C.S. and HB 1090, 80th Leg.
PUC Rule, 16 Texas Administrative Code §25.173, Goal for Renewable Energy, amended January 2, 2009
Renewable Energy Standards Deliver Affordable, Clean Power (electricity rate changes before and after renewable energy standards in Texas and other states), Center for American Progress, April 11, 2012
The High Cost of Renewable-Electricity Mandates (includes Texas), Manhattan Institute for Policy Research, February 2012

September 10th

Senate Committee on Higher Education

Charge: Cost-effective funding of financial aid, incentives, student debt

"Completion-Focused Financial Aid," Inside Higher Ed, August 7, 2012
Balancing Passion and Practicality: The Role of Debt and Major on Students' Financial Outcomes: A Report to the 83rd Regular Session of the Texas Legislature, TG Research and Analytical Services, August 2012
The Cost of College: How Texas Students and Families Are Financing College Education, Center for Public Policy Priorities, May 2012
Trends in Student Aid 2011, College Board, October 2011

Charge: Returned value funding model for Texas State Technical College

"TSTC First College in Nation to Fund by Results," Marshall News Messenger, June 6, 2012
"Tech College System to Link State Funds to Student Jobs," Texas Tribune, March 15, 2012

Charge: Monitor the implementation and make recommendations for any legislation needed to improve, enhance and/or complete implementation of the following bills (82nd Regular):

SB 5, Relating to the administration and business affairs of public institutions of higher education
SB 28, Relating to eligibility for a TEXAS grant and to administration of the TEXAS grant program
HB 9, Relating to student success-based funding
HB 33, Relating to measures to increase the affordability of textbooks used for courses at public or private institutions of higher education
SB 1107, Relating to the vaccination against bacterial meningitis of entering students at public and private or independent institutions of higher education
HB 1000, Relating to the distribution of money appropriated from the National Research University Fund

September 11th

Senate Committee on Agriculture & Rural Affairs

Charge: Seafood consumption

Seafood and Aquatic Life Group Homepage, Texas Department of State Health Services, last updated July 27, 2012
Texas Health and Safety Code, Chapter 436, Texas Aquatic Life Act (Food and Drug Health Regulations)
Rules and Regulations: Crabmeat (25 TAC Sections 241.1-241.9) and Molluscan Shellfish (25 TAC Sections 241.50-241.71), Texas Department of State Health Services

Charge: Use of Texas agricultural products in healthy foods

"Mapping Food Deserts in the U.S.," Amber Waves, U.S. Department of Agriculture, December 2011
Opportunities for Increasing Access to Healthy Foods in Washington, Access to Healthy Foods Coalition, Washington State Department of Health, June 2010
"Limited Access to Healthy Foods" (Texas county map showing percent of population who are low-income and do not live close to a grocery store), County Health Rankings & Roadmaps, Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, 2006 data

Topic: Texas drought conditions and wildfires

Drought Information, Texas Water Development Board
Texas Drought Maps, Office of the State Climatologist, Texas A&M University

September 12th

House Committee on Pensions, Investments & Financial Services

Charge: Local retirement systems

The Funding of State and Local Pensions: 2011-2015, Center for Retirement Research at Boston College, May 2012
"Fort Worth Tells Employees About Plans to Trim Pension Benefits," Fort Worth Star-Telegram, April 26, 2012
Public-Employee Retirement Systems State- and Locally-administered Pensions Summary Report: 2010, U.S. Census Bureau, April 2012
State and Local Pension Plans: Funding Status, Asset Management, and a Look Ahead, Cato Institute, February 2012
Strengthening State and Local Government Finances: Lessons for Negotiating Public Pension Plan Reforms and Updated Houston Fact Sheet, Center for State and Local Government Excellence, September 2011, updated June 2012
Guide to Public Retirement Systems in Texas: a Comparison of Statutory Public Retirement Systems in Texas, Texas Pension Review Board, January 2011

Charge: Payday lending under HB2592 and HB2594

Payday Lending in America: Who Borrows, Where They Borrow, and Why, Pew Charitable Trusts, July 2012
Quarterly Update to the Senate Business and Commerce Committee, Texas Office of Consumer Credit Commissioner, July 2, 2012
"Cities Move to Regulate Payday Lenders," San Antonio Express-News, May 4, 2012
"Big Print is a Big Step Towards Reining In Predatory Loan Fees," Fort Worth Star-Telegram, January 11, 2012

Charge: Federal consumer protection laws

"The Dodd-Frank Act: Unhappy Birthday to You," The Economist, July 28, 2012
Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act: Provisions Relating to Public Retirement Systems, Texas Pension Review Board, updated October 2011
Industry Outlook on Dodd-Frank Act Preemption Provisions, Conference of State Bank Supervisors, August 24, 2011

Charge: Viability of defined benefit pension plans; feasibility of alternative plans

"State Pension Assets Grew in 2011, But Large Gaps Remain," Governing, August 9, 2012
Legal Constraints on Changes in State and Local Pensions, Center for Retirement Research at Boston College, August 2012
A Review of Defined Benefit, Defined Contribution, and Alternative Retirement Plans, Texas Pension Review Board, May 2012
Pensionomics 2012: Measuring the Impact of DB [Defined Benefit] Pension Expenditures, National Institute on Retirement Security, March 2012
A State Budgeting Perspective on Public Pensions, National Association of State Budget Officers, January 20, 2012
Analysis of Defined Benefit Plan Efficiency, Texas Association of Public Employee Retirement Systems, July 25, 2011

Joint Committee on Seacoast Territory Insurance

Charge: Windstorm and Hail Insurance pursuant to HB 3 (82nd 1st C.S.)

Residual Market Property Plans: From Markets of Last Resort to Markets of First Choice - 2012 (focuses on Alabama, Florida, Louisiana, Massachusetts, Mississippi, New York, North and South Carolina, and Texas), Insurance Information Institute, July 2, 2012
Hurricane and Windstorm Deductibles (focuses on 18 coastal states and the District of Columbia), Insurance Information Institute, May 2012
"Hurricane Insurance: Private Insurers at Risk," The Ledger (Florida), June 19, 2012
"Commissioners Debate Regional Solution to Gulf Coast Insurance Woes," Times-Picayune (New Orleans), May 30, 2012
Four Problems, Four Solutions: A Blueprint for Reforming Texas's Insurance Environment, Heartland Institute, March 2011
Windstorm Inspection Program - General Information and Building Codes and Downloads, Texas Department of Insurance

September 13th

House Committee on Agriculture & Livestock

Charge: Cedar eradication as a means to enhance resource conservation

"Removing Woody Vegetation Has Little Effect on Conduit Flow Recharge," Ecohydrology, April 2012
Simulation of Streamflow and the Effects of Brush Management on Water Yields in the Upper Guadalupe River Watershed, South-Central Texas, 1995–2010, U.S. Geological Survey Scientific Investigations Report, 2012
"Energy Balance and Water Use in a Subtropical Karst Woodland on the Edwards Plateau, Texas," Journal of Hydrology, May 2009
Saltcedar Control and Water Salvage on the Pecos River, Texas, 1999 to 2003, USDA Forest Service, 2007
A Report to the House of Representatives, 79th Legislature (Interim Charge No. 2), House Committee on Agriculture & Livestock, November 24, 2004

House Committee on Pensions, Investments & Financial Services (continuation of previous day's hearing)

House Committee on Ways and Means

Topic: Local economic development tools including but not limited to:

Senate Committee on Education

Charge: Extended learning time and student success, after-school programs

Expanding Time for Learning Both Inside and Outside the Classroom: A Review of the Evidence Base, Child Trends, commissioned by The Wallace Foundation, August 2012
"Senate Panel Would Allow Use of After-School Funds for Extended Day," Education Week/Politics K-12, June 19, 2012
Harnessing the Power of Expanded Time to Improve Schools: A Study of Three Districts, National Center on Time & Learning, August 2011
A State Policymaker's Guide to Expanded Learning Time, Education Commission of the States, Summer 2011

Oversight of Higher Ed Governance, Excellence & Transparency

Invited and public testimony

Upcoming Budget Hearings

Listed below are budget hearings of state agencies, listed by agency name or date on the Legislative Budget Board website along with the time and location.

September 4th

Bond Review Board

Optometry Board

September 5th

Judiciary Section, Comptroller's Department

Prairie View A&M University

Risk Management, State Office of

Tarleton State University

Texas A&M University

Texas A&M University at Galveston

Texas A&M University System Health Science Center

Texas A&M University System: Administrative and General Offices

West Texas A&M University

September 6th

Alcoholic Beverage Commission, Texas

Emergency Communications, Commission on State

Ethics Commission, Texas

Texas A&M International University

Texas Transportation Institute

Texas A&M University - Corpus Christi, Kingsville, Commerce, San Antonio, Central Texas, Texarkana

Texas Engineering Experiment Station

Texas Engineering Extension Service

September 7th

Adjutant General's Department

AgriLife Extension Service and AgriLife Research, Texas

Racing Commission

Texas Forest Service

Texas Veterinary Medical Diagnostic Laboratory

Veterans Commission

September 10th

Assistive and Rehabilitative Services, Department of

Court of Criminal Appeals

State Law Library

Utility Commission of Texas, Public

September 11th

Aging and Disability Services, Department of

Historical Commission

September 12th

Attorney General, Office of the

Blind and Visually Impaired, School for the

Deaf, School for the

Injured Employee Counsel, Office of

Lamar Institute of Technology

Lamar State College- Port Arthur, Orange

Lamar University

Sam Houston State University

Sul Ross State University, Rio Grande College

Texas State University - San Marcos

Texas State University System

September 13th

Family and Protective Services, Department of

Texas State Technical College - Harlingen, West Texas, System Administration, Marshall, Waco

September 14th

Preservation Board

This entry was posted on August 28, 2012 at 1:22 PM and has received 2088 views. Print this entry.

Aug 14

posted by TexasLRL in Interim hearings

Today's Committee Meetings on the LRL website is a calendar of interim committee hearings with links to agendas. The following may be helpful resources for upcoming hearings.

August 22nd

House Committee on Defense & Veterans' Affairs

Charge: Federal military installations and civilian encroachment

"Selma Subdivision Plan Draws Objection from Military," San Antonio Express News, April 17, 2012
"Texas Military Bases Battle Encroachment of Cities," Texas Tribune, November 28, 2011
State Policy Options: A Report of the National Conference of State Legislatures Task Force on Military and Veterans Affairs, National Conference of State Legislatures, July 2011
Military Installation Sustainability, National Conference of State Legislatures, updated June 18, 2010
Report and Recommendation to the 81st Legislature (Interim Charge No. 4), Senate Committee on Veteran Affairs & Military Installations, December 2008

Charge: Texas military installations and recent reductions in federal defense spending

"Federal Budget Cuts May Slice 160,000 Jobs in Texas Economy," San Antonio Express-News, July 24, 2012 and The Economic Impact of the Budget Control Act of 2011 on DOD and Non-DOD Agencies, Aerospace Industries Association, July 17, 2012
"Study: Across-the-Board Defense Cuts Could Cost 1 Million Jobs," Washington Post, June 21, 2012 and Defense Spending Cuts: The Impact on Economic Activity and Jobs, National Association of Manufacturers, June 21, 2012
"Federal Budget Cuts Will Likely Hit Texas Military Bases," Houston Chronicle, updated February 19, 2012

Charge: Texas Military Preparedness Commission, HB 2546 (81R), and military preparedness

Annual Report 2009-2010: Texas Military Preparedness Commission, Office of the Governor, September 2010
Military Preparedness Commission: Sunset Final Report, Texas Sunset Advisory Commission, July 2009

August 24th

House Committees on Appropriations - S/C on Articles I, IV, & V and Homeland Security & Public Safety (Joint Hearing, 10:00 AM)

Charge: Driver's license improvement plan, feasibility of privatization to minimize wait times

"More States Outsource Driving Tests," USA Today, August 6, 2012
"DPS Hopes to Speed Driver's License Process With Megacenters," Fort Worth Star-Telegram, June 14, 2012
Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles Outsourcing and Privatization Options of Driver Licensing Services, Florida Legislature, Office of Program Policy Analysis and Government Accountability, December 7, 2007

House Committee on Appropriations - S/C on Articles I, IV, & V - on adjournment of 10:00 AM hearing

Charge: Correctional health care system

Audit Reports on Correctional Managed Health Care at the University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston and Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center, State Auditor's Office, February 2011
The Cost of Correctional Health Care: A Correctional Institution Inspection Committee Summary of Ohio’s Prison Health Care System (includes comparison of 2009 prison health care spending in California, Florida, Georgia, Ohio, New York, Pennsylvania, and Texas), Ohio Correctional Institution Inspection Committee, December 15, 2010
Texas Correctional Managed Health Care Committee

House Committee on Homeland Security & Public Safety - on adjournment of 10:00 AM hearing

Charge: Digital emergency public service messaging network on evacuation routes

"Digital Billboards to Alert Texas Counties in Emergencies," Government Technology, May 16, 2012
"New Tool for Emergency Messaging: Digital Billboards," Emergency Management, June 20, 2011
"Highway Funds at Risk?," San Antonio Express-News, April 20, 2011 and House Bill 1765, 82nd Legislature, 2011, Relating to an emergency public service messaging network, (Last Action: 04/29/2011 H Committee report sent to Calendars)

Charge: Law enforcement personnel at school district and post-secondary campuses

"Pasadena ISD Officer Shooting of Teen Under Investigation," Houston Chronicle, May 1, 2012 and Use of Force in Texas Public Schools: The Case for Transparency, Accountability, and Decriminalization, American Civil Liberties Union of Texas, March 2011
Education Under Arrest: The Case Against Police in Schools, Justice Policy Institute, November 2011
"On Campus, a Law Enforcement System to Itself," New York Times, November 11, 2011
Texas School Safety Center, Texas State University – San Marcos

Senate Committee on Education

Charge: Charter schools

"Education: Charting a Better Course: Charter Schools Raise Educational Standards For Vulnerable Children," The Economist, July 7, 2012
"Open-Enrollment Charter Schools vs. Traditional School Districts: A Comparison of TEA Data," Texas Lone Star, Texas Association of School Boards, July 2012
Charter-School Management Organizations: Diverse Strategies and Diverse Student Impacts, National Charter School Research Project, Inside Charter Schools Initiative, January 2012
Measuring Up to the Model: A Ranking of State Charter School Laws, 2012, National Alliance for Public Charter Schools, January 2012

Charge: School choice, education tax credits

"Education Tax Credits Aren’t New and Aren’t Just a Work-Around for Voucher Failure," CATO @ Liberty, CATO Institute, May 29, 2012
"Public Money Finds Back Door to Private Schools," New York Times, May 21, 2012, and related report, A Failed Experiment: Georgia's Tax Credit Scholarship for Private Schools, Southern Education Foundation, 2011
The Fiscal Effects of School Choice Programs on Public School Districts, Friedman Foundation for Educational Choice, March 2012
The Fiscal Impact of a Large-Scale Education Tax Credit Program, CATO Institute, July 1, 2008
Choice of Schools (what other states are doing, pros and cons, selected research), Education Commission of the States

August 27th

House Committee on Business & Industry

Charge: Existing lien laws

Charge: Impact of property tax liens on title and Texas real estate market

Texas Property Tax System, Real Estate Center, Texas A&M University, July 2011

August 28th

Senate Committee on Veteran Affairs & Military Installations

Charge: Texas veterans employment

"Texas in Line for $750,000 Grant to Help Army Veterans Find Work," Houston Chronicle, July 24, 2012
"Texas Program Links Veterans to Jobs," USA Today, May 11, 2012
Employment Situation of Veterans - 2011, U.S. Department of Labor, March 20, 2012

Charge: Veterans in higher education

"Veterans Find a Home at Texas A&M University," TAMU Times, August 14, 2012
From Soldier to Student II: Assessing Campus Programs for Veterans and Service Members, American Council on Education, July 2012
Report on Student Financial Aid in Texas Higher Education for Fiscal Year 2011, Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board, July 2012
"Colleges Pay for Growth in Texas Veterans Tuition Program," Houston Chronicle, March 19, 2012
"Texas Colleges Work to Improve Veterans' Experience," Texas Tribune, September 11, 2011

Charge: Monitor implementation of legislation

"College Credit for Heroes Successfully Helping Veterans Launch Civilian Careers," Texas Workforce Commission, May 18, 2012
Texas Coordinating Council for Veterans Services (contains meeting agendas and minutes)

August 29th

Senate Committee on Finance

Charge: State spending limits

TABOR Calculator, Tax Foundation (allows users to generate charts showing how restricting state budget growth would affect expenditures over time)
Trends in Texas Government: Local Government Spending, Texas Public Policy Foundation, April 2012

Charge: Funding for law enforcement training and retention

"Bonds Would Help Fund Fort Worth Public Safety Center," Fort Worth Business Press, July 11, 2012
"Texas Forensic Science Academy Receives $425,000 Grant to Train Crime Scene Investigators," Texas Engineering Extension Service, June 12, 2012
"Texas Communities Struggle to Fund Public Safety," Texas Tribune, July 14, 2011

Charge: Monitor implementation of legislation, especially regarding state tax equity and Internet Crimes Against Children Task Forces

"House Committee Approves Stronger Penalties for Sex Offenses Against Minors," Youth Today, July 11, 2012
Location Matters: A Comparative Analysis of State Tax Costs on Business, Tax Foundation, March 2012
2012 State Business Tax Climate Index, Tax Foundation, January 2012

August 30th

Senate Committee on State Affairs

Charge: Allowing purchase of health insurance across state lines

Allowing the Purchase of Health Insurance from Out-of-State Insurers, National Conference of State Legislatures, Updated June 2012
"Will Buying Health Insurance Across State Lines Reduce Costs?" (including Georgia's interstate experience), Forbes, May 12, 2012
"No Out-of-State Insurers Offer Plans in Georgia," Atlanta Journal-Constitution, April 30, 2012
The Perils of Health Insurance Sold Across State Lines, Families USA, July 2011
Expanding Health Care Options: Allowing Americans to Purchase Affordable Coverage Across State Lines (Background Memo, Witness Testimony), U.S. House of Representatives Committee on Energy and Commerce, May 25, 2011

Charge: Statute of limitations on a cause of action relating to consumer debt

Texas Civil Practice & Remedies Code, Section 16.004, Four-Year Limitations Period
Consumer Protection: Debt Collection, Attorney General of Texas

Charge: Liability protection for private companies and individuals when commissioned by the Texas Forest Service to assist in fighting a fire; volunteer firefighter termination by employer

"Drought-Killed Trees Could Become Liability Issues For Landowners," Texas Forest Service, July 5, 2012
House Bill 1205, 80th Legislature, 2007, Relating to the prohibition of certain employment discrimination regarding an employee who is a volunteer emergency responder (Vetoed by the Governor)

This entry was posted on August 14, 2012 at 9:20 AM and has received 1829 views. Print this entry.

Aug 7

posted by TexasLRL in Interim hearings

Today's Committee Meetings on the LRL website is a calendar of interim committee hearings with links to agendas. The following may be helpful resources for upcoming hearings.

August 14th

House Committee on Transportation

Charge: Operations and services of transit organizations in Texas

"TXDoT Releases First Rural Transportation Plan," Texas Tribune, July 3, 2012
The Value of Public Transportation for Improving the Quality of Life for the Rural Elderly, Texas Transportation Institute, July 2012
Where the Jobs Are: Employer Access to Labor by Transit, Brookings Institute, July 2012
"Distance, Dispersion and Poverty Make Difficult Choices for Public Transit," Reconnecting America, April 24, 2012
Impacts of the Recession on Public Transportation Agencies, 2011 Update, American Public Transportation Association, August 2011
Livability in Transportation Guidebook, U.S. Department of Transportation, July 2010
Texas MPO Planning Documents, Association of Texas Metropolitan Planning Organizations

House Committee on Ways & Means

Charge: Tobacco revenue

"Roll-Your-Own Tobacco Stores May Cease to Exist Under New Law," Huffington Post, updated 07/10/2012
State Tobacco Revenues Compared with Tobacco Control Appropriations — United States, 1998–2010, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, May 25, 2012
"State Bonds in Jeopardy as Tobacco Cash Fades," New York Times, May 3, 2012
"$31 Million in Unintended Consequences," Houston Chronicle, May 2, 2012
A Broken Promise to Our Children: The 1998 State Tobacco Settlement 13 Years Later, Campaign for Tobacco Free Kids, November 30, 2011
"In Hunt for Revenue, it's Big Tobacco vs. Little," Texas Tribune, May 3, 2011
Securitizing Texas' Tobacco-Settlement Receipts, House Research Organization, February 4, 2002
Cigar and Tobacco Products Tax, Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts

Senate Committee on Business & Commerce (see the Committee's blog for written testimony, witnesses, and updates, as well as Twitter)

Charge: Telecommunications market in Texas

"Fiber is the Key to U.S. Telecom Diet," Wired, July 4, 2012
Digital Differences: While Increased Internet Adoption and the Rise of Mobile Connectivity Have Reduced Many Gaps in Technology Access Over the Past Decade, for Some Groups Digital Disparities Still Remain, Pew Internet & American Life Project, April 13, 2012
Rulemaking Proceeding to Amend Subst. Rules Relating to Telecommunications Service to Conform to 2011 Legislation, Particularly Senate Bills 980 and 983 and House Bill 3395 (PUC Project No. 39585) and Order Adopting Amendments to Telecom Rules, Public Utility Commission, March 22, 2012
National Broadband Map and Texas summary of broadband data as of December 31, 2011, National Telecommunications & Information Administration and Federal Communications Commission
Bringing Telecommunications Regulation into the 21st Century, Texas Public Policy Foundation, May 2011
Scope of Competition in Telecommunications Markets of Texas: Report to the 82nd Legislature, Public Utility Commission, January 2011

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Jul 17

posted by TexasLRL in Interim hearings

Today's Committee Meetings on the LRL website is a calendar of interim committee hearings with links to agendas. The following may be helpful resources for upcoming hearings.

July 23rd

House Committee on Land & Resource Management

Charge: Cabin Program, General Land Office

Cabin Program, Texas General Land Office

Charge: Severance v. Patterson and impact on Texas Open Beaches Act

Carol Severance v. Jerry Patterson, et al., Opinion and dissent (No. 09-0387, Open Beaches Act) , Supreme Court of Texas, November 5, 2010
Carol Severance v. Jerry Patterson, et al., Opinion, concurrence, dissents (No. 09-0387, Open Beaches Act, sending the case back to Houston federal district court for retrial), U.S. Court of Appeals, Fifth Circuit, May 21, 2012
Carol Severance v. Jerry Patterson, et al., Opinion, concurrence, dissents (No. 09-0387, Open Beaches Act, withdrawing opinion and dissents of November 5, 2010, and substituting opinions on this date), Supreme Court of Texas, March 30, 2012
"Galveston Beach Homeowners Prepare to Exert Rights: Battle May Be Looming After High Court Ruling," Houston Chronicle, May 9, 2012
"Rolling Easements as a Response to Sea Level Rise in Coastal Texas: Current Status of the Law after Severance v. Patterson," Journal of Land Use, Spring 2011
"Severance v. Patterson: Does Enforcement of the Texas Open Beaches Act Constitute a 'Taking'," Southern Journal of Business and Ethics, Vol. 3, 2011
"Various Aspects of Beach Management," The Daily News, June 23, 2012

Topic: Texas Rice Lands v. Denbury Green Pipeline (property rights and pipeline companies); La Salle Pipeline, LP v. Donnell Lands, LP

"Court Denies Eminent Domain Rehearing on Pipeline," Houston Chronicle, March 2, 2012
Texas Rice Land Partners, Ltd. and Mike Latta v. Denbury Green Pipeline-Texas, LLC (No. 09-0901, denying motion for rehearing and substituting opinion, 'common carrier' pipelines) , Supreme Court of Texas, March 2, 2012
Texas Rice Land Partners, Ltd. and Mike Latta v. Denbury Green Pipeline-Texas, LLC (No. 09-0901, 'common carrier' pipelines) , Supreme Court of Texas, August 26, 2011
LaSalle Pipeline, LP v. Donnell Lands, L.P., Petition for review (No. 11-0226, including decision and award of the Special Commissioners, jury verdict, trial and San Antonio appeals court rulings), Supreme Court of Texas, March 28, 2011

July 25th

Senate Subcommittee on Flooding & Evacuations CANCELLED

Charge: Communication options during evacuations

"5 Ways to Use Social Media for Better Emergency Response," Government Computer News, September 2, 2010
"Social Media in a 9-1-1 World," 9-1-1 Magazine, April 30, 2012
"Spanish-Language Emergency Alerts Coming to South Texas," Brownsville Herald, July 7, 2012
"Williamson County Earns National Awards for Use of Social Media," Austin American-Statesman, December 26, 2011

Charge: Services to evacuated residents, experiences from other heavy flooding states

Disaster Mitigation Best Practices Database, Federal Emergency Management Agency
"Frustration Grows for Texas Wildfire Evacuees," USA Today, September 10, 2011
"Officials: State Better Prepared for Hurricane Season," Texas Tribune, June 19, 2012
Promising Practices for Evacuating People With Disabilities, Inclusion Research Institute, January 2010
State of Texas Emergency Management Plan, Texas Department of Public Safety, May 2012

Charge: Drainage infrastructure funding

"County Plan Fixes Local, Regional Drainage Problems," McAllen Monitor, January 7, 2012
"FEMA Awards More Than $1.3M for City of McAllen, TX Drainage System Upgrade," Federal Emergency Management Agency, January 19, 2012
Texas Municipal Drainage Utility Survey, Espey Consultants Inc., updated May 2012

July 30th

Joint Committee on Public School Finance System

Charge: Public school finance system

School Finance in Texas, Legislative Reference Library, April 5, 2012
"School Finance Trial Could Spill into January," Austin American Statesman, July 11, 2012
"An Updated Guide to Texas School Finance Lawsuits," Texas Tribune, July 3, 2012
Understanding State School Funding, Education Commission of the States, June 2012

July 31st

Senate Committee on Health & Human Services

Charge: Health care innovation, including translational research and Cancer Prevention Research Institute

Agency Strategic Plan for Fiscal Years 2011-2015, Cancer Prevention & Research Institute of Texas, June 28, 2010
Health Care Innovation Awards: Project Profiles and Texas Grant Projects, Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, awarded May-June 2012
Texas Cancer Plan 2012, Cancer Prevention & Research Institute of Texas, April 2012

Charge: Medicaid Home and Community Based Services waivers

Home and Community-Based Services (HCS), Texas Department of Aging and Disability Services, updated July 2, 2012
Section 1915(c) Home and Community-Based Services Waivers (state database), Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services
States' Plans to Pursue New and Revised Options for Home- and Community-Based Services (GAO-12-649), U.S. Government Accountability Office, June 13, 2012
Texas: Home and Community-Based Services, State Health Facts, Kaiser Family Foundation

Charge: Implementation of legislation, including U.S. Department of Justice settlement agreement to address State Supported Living Centers

State Supported Living Center (SSLC) Monitoring and U.S. Department of Justice Monitoring Team Reports, Texas Department of Aging and Disability Services

August 1st

Senate Committees on Health & Human Services and State Affairs (Joint Hearing)

Charge: Potential impact of Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA) on insurance regulations, Medicaid and CHIP, health care outcomes and overall health of all Texans, and the state budget in Texas; current constitutional challenges to PPACA

A Guide to the Supreme Court's Affordable Care Act Decision, Kaiser Family Foundation, July 2012
Keeping Children’s Coverage Strong in the Context of the Affordable Care Act: Perspectives From State Children's Health Insurance Leaders, National Academy for State Health Policy, May 2012
Medicaid Coverage and Spending in Health Reform: National and State-By-State Results for Adults at or Below 133% FPL, Urban Institute and Kaiser Family Foundation, May 2010
National Federation of Independent Business v. Sebelius, U.S. Supreme Court, June 28, 2012
Presentation to House Select Committee on Federal Legislation, Federal Health Care Reform – Impact to Texas Health and Human Services (HHSC Medicaid/CHIP cost estimates, 2014-2023, GR cost $27 billion with full provider rate increase for primary care), Thomas Suehs, Executive Director, Texas Health and Human Services Commission Publication, April 22, 2010
Presentation to the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Article II: Affordable Care Act (Medicaid expansion costs), Thomas Suehs, Executive Director, Texas Health and Human Services Commission, July 12, 2012
Realizing Health Reform's Potential: How the Affordable Care Act Will Strengthen Primary Care and Benefit Patients, Providers, and Payers, Commonwealth Fund, January 4, 2011
"State Health Insurance Mandates and the PPACA Essential Benefits Provisions," National Conference of State Legislatures, July 2012

August 2nd

Joint Committee on Oversight of Bexar Metropolitan Water District

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Jul 11

posted by TexasLRL in Interim hearings

Today's Committee Meetings on the LRL website is a calendar of interim committee hearings with links to agendas. The following may be helpful resources for upcoming hearings.

Week of July 16th

July 16th

House Committee on Human Services

Charge: Foster care redesign

The Texas Blueprint: Transforming Education Outcomes for Children & Youth in Foster Care, Texas Children's Commission, March 31, 2012
"Court Denies Class in Texas Foster Care Lawsuit," Houston Chronicle, March 23, 2012
Foster Care Licensing Standards Across the United States: Using Research Findings to Effect Change, American Bar Association, March 2012
Improving Child and Youth Placement Outcomes: a System Redesign (Foster Care Redesign) Report, Texas Department of Family and Protective Services, January 2011
Improving the Lives of Children in Long-Term Foster Care: the Role of Texas' Courts & Legal System, Texas Appleseed, November 2010 and follow-up report Texas Children in Long-Term Foster Care: Outcomes, Court Hearing Practices, and Court Costs, Texas Appleseed, May 2012
Legislative Strategies to Safely Reduce the Number of Children in Foster Care, NCSL, July 2010

Senate Committee on Veteran Affairs & Military Installations

Charge: Benefits claims process

Benefits Fact Sheets, U.S. Veterans Administration, reviewed/updated March 26, 2012
Claims Representation and Counseling, statewide map of office locations by VA region, Texas Veterans Commission, January 2012
"94-Year-Old World War II Vet Stuck in VA Backlog Again," Houston Chronicle, July 8, 2012

Charge: Mental health services

Mental Health Home Page, U.S. Veterans Administration
Military Families, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Substance Abuse & Mental Health Services Administration, last updated October 12, 2011
Guide to VA Mental Health Services for Veterans & Families, U.S. Veterans Administration, January 2011

Charge: Update on Mental Health section of the Texas Coordinating Council for Veterans Services, authorized by SB 1796, 82nd Regular Session

Texas Coordinating Council for Veterans Services: Agendas and Minutes, Texas Veterans Commission, October 2011-March 2012

July 17th

Senate Committee on Education

Charge: Public school management practices; Regional Education Service Centers

Education Service Center (ESC) Information, Texas Education Agency
Consolidated Report of Texas Education Service Centers, Texas Education Agency, January 2012
Regional Education Service Centers: A Question of Necessity, Texas Public Policy Foundation, April 2012
School Performance Reviews - Management & Performance Reviews, Legislative Budget Board

House Committee on County Affairs

Charge: Population growth in unincorporated areas

"Demand for Services May Strain County," San Antonio Express-News, May 16, 2011
County Subdivision Regulation Sourcebook, Texas Association of Counties, 2010
"Red Tape, Catch 22s Impede Progress in Texas' Colonias" and "Conditions, Health Risks Sicken Colonias Residents," Texas Tribune, July 2011

Charge: Abolition of elected county offices; consolidation of county services

"Strategic Planning Through Interlocal Agreements," Texas County Progress, July 10, 2012
"Hidalgo County Debates Eliminating Precinct 5," McAllen Monitor, October 18, 2011 and "Precinct 5 Office Will Close as Scheduled," McAllen Monitor, March 2, 2012
Guide to Texas Laws for County Officials, Texas Association of Counties, 2009

Charge: County jails

County Jail Population Reports, Texas Commission on Jail Standards, last updated June 1, 2012
Public Safety and Cost Control Solutions for Texas County Jails, Texas Public Policy Foundation, March 2012
"Minding the Gap," Denton Record-Chronicle, March 1, 2012
Costly Confinement & Sensible Solutions: Jail Overcrowding in Texas, Texas Criminal Justice Coalition, October 2010
Crisis Care Services for Counties: Preventing Individuals with Mental Illnesses from Entering Local Correction Systems, National Association of Counties, June 2010

Charge: Monitor the agencies and programs under the committee's jurisdiction; update on Texas Healthcare Transformation and Quality Improvement Program Medicaid 1115 Waiver

Medicaid Transformation Waiver including overview, timeline, background resources, and proposed rules, Texas Health and Human Services Commission

July 18th

House Committee on Licensing & Administrative Procedures

Charge: Alcoholic beverage licensing and permitting process

License and Permit Descriptions, Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission
Small Craft Producers Seek Alcohol Regulation Revisions, Focus Report, House Research Organization, June 12, 2012

Charge: Occupational licensing programs and their impact on consumers, competition, and the cost of services

Occupational Regulations in Texas, Texas Legislative Council, October 2008
Occupational Regulations in Texas – Addendum, Texas Legislative Council, June 2010
License to Work: A National Study of Burdens from Occupational Licensing, Institute for Justice, May 2012

Testimony Before the Senate Business & Commerce Committee Regarding Interim Charge Concerning Occupational Licensing, Texas Public Policy Foundation, April 10, 2012

Charge: Manufacturing capability

Texas Manufacturing Outlook Survey (monthly), Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas, latest report June 25, 2012
2012 Texas Manufacturers Summit - Speaker Presentations, Hosted by Texas Association of Manufacturers, San Marcos Manufacturers Association, and TMAC, February 14-15, 2012

Charge: Transparency, accountability and efficiency

Following the Money 2012: How the 50 States Rate in Providing Online Access to Government Spending Data, Texas PIRG, March 2012
State Integrity Investigation: Texas report card, Center for Public Integrity, March 19, 2012
Texas Transparency: Beyond Raw Data, LBJ School of Public Affairs, The University of Texas at Austin, May 5, 2011

Charge: Monitor agencies under jurisdiction, 82nd legislation

This entry was posted on July 11, 2012 at 3:38 PM and has received 1602 views. Print this entry.

Jul 2

posted by TexasLRL in Interim hearings

Today's Committee Meetings on the LRL website is a calendar of interim committee hearings with links to agendas. The following may be helpful resources for upcoming hearings.

Week of July 9th

July 9th

House Committee on Appropriations - Subcommittee on Articles VI, VII, & VIII

Charge: Dedicated accounts in the state budget

"Hard-Up Defendants Pay as State Siphons Court Fees for Unrelated Uses," Austin American-Statesman, March 3, 2012
"Texas Victims Fund May Require Rescuing," Houston Chronicle, April 10, 2012
Report on Use of General Revenue Dedicated Accounts, 82nd Legislature, Texas Comptroller, last revised September 27, 2011
"State's Budget Relies on Diversion," San Antonio Express-News, August 9, 2009

House Committees on Appropriations - Subcommittee on Articles VI, VII, & VIII and Transportation [Joint Hearing]

Charge: Transportation funding reforms, options to eliminate "diversions" from Fund 6 (state highway fund)

Transportation Funding and Finance, National Conference of State Legislatures
Major State Transportation Legislation, 2011 (see Funding and Finance category), National Conference of State Legislatures, May 2012
Federal Financing of Transportation in Texas, Legislative Budget Board, March 2012
Interim Report to the 82nd Texas Legislature (Funding), House Select Committee on Transportation Funding, January 2011
Interim Report to the 82nd Legislature (Charge 6), Senate Committee on Transportation & Homeland Security, February 2011

Senate Committee on Finance

Charge: Correctional health care system

Audit Reports on Correctional Managed Health Care at the University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston and Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center, State Auditor's Office, February 2011
The Cost of Correctional Health Care: A Correctional Institution Inspection Committee Summary of Ohio’s Prison Health Care System (includes comparison of 2009 prison health care spending in California, Florida, Georgia, Ohio, New York, Pennsylvania, and Texas), Ohio Correctional Institution Inspection Committee, December 15, 2010
Texas Correctional Managed Health Care Committee

July 10th

House Committees on Appropriations - Subcommittee on Articles VI, VII, & VIII and Environmental Regulation [Joint Hearing]

Charge: Effectiveness of the Texas Emissions Reduction Plan (TERP)

An Audit Report on the Texas Emissions Reduction Plan Program at the Commission on Environmental Quality, State Auditor's Office, December 2010
TERP Biennial Report to the Texas Legislature, Texas Commission on Environmental Quality, December 2010
Texas Emissions Reduction Plan (TERP), including summary reports on projects funded to date, by emission source and area, August 30, 2011 and What is the Texas Emissions Reduction Plan (TERP)?, Texas Commission on Environmental Quality

House Committees on State Affairs and Technology [Joint Hearing]

Charge: Cloud computing

Capitals in the Clouds: The Case for Cloud Computing in State Government (white papers), National Association of State Chief Information Officers
- Part I – Definitions and Principles, June 2011
- Part II – Challenges and Opportunities to Get Your Data Right, October 2011
- Part III – Recommendations for Mitigating Risks: Jurisdictional, Contracting and Service Levels, December 2011
- Part IV – Cloud Security: On Mission and Means, May 2012
The Cloud Imperative: Better Collaboration, Better Service, Better Cost: A Comprehensive Guide for Best Practices in Cloud Computing for State and Local Governments, Tech America Foundation’s State & Local Government Cloud Commission, February 2012
Cloud Computing in Vermont State Government: Analysis of Opportunities, Vermont Legislative Director of Information Technology and State CIO, 2010

House Committee on State Affairs

Charge: Monitor agencies and programs under jurisdiction, including implementation of SB 1048 regarding public-private partnerships on state-owned property

Senate Committee on Agriculture & Rural Affairs

Charge: Land use and market trends in Texas agriculture

"Aging Threatens Texas Farms, Ranches," San Antonio Express-News, June 2, 2012
Texas Rural Land Value Trends, American Society of Farm Managers & Rural Appraisers, April 2012
A Decade of Change in Texas Agriculture, Texas A&M, October 2009

Charge: Veterinary medical workforce

"Shortage of Rural Vets in Texas Creates a Challenge," Texas Tribune, April 1, 2012
State Veterinary Loan Repayment Programs, American Veterinary Medical Association, updated April 2011
Projecting the Need for Veterinary Medical Education in Texas, Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board, January 2009

Charge: Horse slaughter facilities

"Activists Say Horse-Slaughter Plants Face a Rough Ride," USA Today, June 16, 2012
"Texas Mayor Paula Bacon Kicks Some Horse Slaughter Tail," Forbes, January 10, 2012
"Emotional Issue of Slaughtering Horses Returns," San Antonio Express-News, December 22, 2011
Horse Welfare: Action Needed to Address Unintended Consequences from Cessation of Domestic Slaughter, Government Accountability Office, June 22, 2011

Senate Committee on Business & Commerce (see the committee's blog for more information)

Topic: Quarterly updates from selected state agencies and entities

Charge: Relationship between cities and municipally-owned utilities

Austin Energy Rate Review, Draft Annual Performance Report 2011, Austin Energy, June 2012
CPS Energy 2010/2011 Annual Report, CPS Energy
ERCOT - Municipal members list
"'Green' Municipalities Cut Ties with Utilities," Governing, May 2012

Charge: ERCOT generation protocols, grid reliability and electricity rates

Annual Energy Outlook 2012, U.S. Energy Information Administration, June 25, 2012
ERCOT Investment Incentives and Resource Adequacy, The Brattle Group/ERCOT, June 1, 2012
Report on the Capacity, Demand, and Reserves in the ERCOT Region, ERCOT, May 22, 2012
Texas Electricity Profile 2010, U.S. Energy Information Administration, January 30, 2012

Charge: Homeowners insurance market

Texas Homeowners Insurance Policy Comparison Report to the 82nd Texas Legislature as Required by Senate Bill 1 (81st Legislature, 2009), Texas Department of Insurance, January 2011
"Texas Homeowners Pay Highest Insurance Premiums for Second Year in a Row" (including table of the 10 states with the highest average premium for homeowners insurance in 2009), Dallas Morning News, January 10, 2012

July 11th

House Committees on Government Efficiency & Reform and State Affairs [Joint Hearing]

Charge: Privatization of state services

Annual Privatization Report 2011, Reason Foundation, May 2012
Facts & Issues: Privatization, League of Women Voters of Houston, February 2012
Report on Privatization of a State Mental Health Hospital, Texas Department of State Health Services, January 12, 2012
"Lawmakers Chafe as Push Continues to Privatize Prison Health Care," Austin American-Statesman, April 30, 2011

Charge: State agency rulemaking

Bureaucratic Barbed Wire: How Occupational Licensing Fences Out Texas Entrepreneurs, Institute for Justice Texas Chapter, October 2009
"Groups Find Fault with Standards for Licensed Breeders," Texas Tribune, March 30, 2012
52 Experiments with Regulatory Review: The Political and Economic Inputs into State Rulemakings, Institute for Policy Integrity, November 2010
Time for Regulatory Transparency, Texas Public Policy Foundation, May 2009

House Committee on Judiciary & Civil Jurisprudence

10:00 AM

Charge: Transparency in asbestos bankruptcy trusts and litigation

Charge: Asbestos and silica multidistrict litigation

Asbestos Injury Compensation: The Role and Administration of Asbestos Trusts, U.S. Government Accountability Office, September 2011
Interim Hearings - Week of February 6, 2012, Legislative Reference Library, January 30, 2012
"Louisiana Stops Bill Aimed at Protecting Asbestos Manufacturers," Asbestos.com, May 31, 2012

11:00 AM

Charge: Monitor agencies under jurisdiction, testimony from agencies

House Committee on Government Efficiency & Reform (work session)

July 12th

House Committee on Appropriations - Subcommittee on Article II

Charge: Mental health services infrastructure and funding

Mental Health: A Survey of State-Funded Delivery, Texas Public Policy Foundation, November 2011
Texas 82nd Legislative Session: Summary of Mental Health-Related Legislation (including mental health funding chart and mental health budget riders), Hogg Foundation for Mental Health, The University of Texas at Austin, August 2011

Topic: Disproportionate Share Hospital Program

House Committee on Government Efficiency & Reform

Charge: Purchasing cooperatives created under Chapter 791 of the Texas Government Code, including the bid process and the role of inter-local contracts

Cooperative Purchasing, Texas Association of Counties
"Cooperative Purchasing," Texas County Progress, December 1, 2011
Model Purchasing Manual for Texas Cities and Counties 2010, Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts, November 22, 2010

This entry was posted on July 2, 2012 at 10:47 AM and has received 1500 views. Print this entry.

Jun 18

posted by TexasLRL in Interim hearings

Today's Committee Meetings on the LRL website is a calendar of interim committee hearings with links to agendas. The following may be helpful resources for upcoming hearings.

June 26th

House Committee on Energy Resources

Charge: Energy production in Texas

Texas Economy and Energy (presentation), Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas, San Antonio Branch, June 28, 2011
Annual Energy Outlook 2012 (abridged version), U.S. Energy Information Administration (January 23, 2012, full report due out June 2012)

Charge: Oil and gas well construction and pipeline safety

Pipeline Safety, Railroad Commission of Texas
Proceedings of the Technical Workshops for the Hydraulic Fracturing Study: Well Construction and Operation, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, May 2011
State Oil and Natural Gas Regulations Designed to Protect Water Resources (See 5.B. – Well Construction), Ground Water Protection Council, May 2009

Charge: Well logs

Joint Committee on Human Trafficking

Charge: Services for victims of human trafficking

Characteristics of Suspected Human Trafficking Incidents, 2008–2010, U.S. Bureau of Justice Statistics, April 2011
"The Lost Girls," Texas Monthly, April 2010
"State Lacking Data on Human Trafficking, Officials Say," Austin American-Statesman, March 11, 2012
Texas Human Trafficking Prevention Task Force Report to the Texas Legislature, Texas Attorney General, January 2011

Charge: Services for minor sex trafficking victims

"Girls Victimized by Sex Trafficking Find Healing at Freedom Place," Houston Chronicle, June 1, 2012
Fact Sheet on State Anti-Trafficking Laws, Center for Women Policy Studies, March 2012
Protected Innocence Initiative: Texas Analysis and Recommendations and Texas Report Card, Shared Hope International, January 31, 2012
"Underage Sex Trafficking is Everywhere Local Law Enforcement Looks, But Will Their Budgets Hold Out?" SACurrent.com, February 8, 2012

June 27th

House Committee on Agriculture & Livestock

Charge: Veterinarian care and agriculture business

"Alarm Over Rural Veterinarian Shortage," ABC News, May 12, 2011
Veterinary Medicine Loan Repayment Program (VMLRP) State-Designated Shortage Situations for 2011 (map), U.S. Department of Agriculture, last updated December 22, 2011
Projecting the Need for Veterinary Medical Education in Texas: A Report to the Texas Legislature, Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board, January 2009

Charge: Performance-enhancing drug testing of show horses, performance horses, and race horses

Veterinary Department – Drug Testing and Drug Classification and Penalty Schedule for Horses (November 2004), Texas Racing Commission, last updated January 3, 2012
2011 Annual Report, Results of Drug Testing: 2011 Compared to 2010 (p. 25), Texas Racing Commission, January 31, 2012

House Committee on Border & Intergovernmental Affairs

Charge: Health disparities along the Texas-Mexico border

"Promotores: Vital PRC Partners Promote Nutrition and Physical Activity," Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, April 2012
"Conditions, Health Risks Sicken Colonias Residents," Texas Tribune, July 2011
"The Cost Conundrum: What a Texas Town Can Teach Us About Health Care," The New Yorker, June 1, 2009
South Texas Health Status Review, University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio, November 2007

Charge: Border economic development programs

"How a Texas Border Town Boosts U.S. Manufacturing," Industry Week, May 18, 2012
"What's Different About the Border Economy?", Texas Tribune, September 1, 2011
State of the Border Region: Indicators Report 2010, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, July 2011
Texas-Mexico Border Economy, Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas, March 3, 2011
Texas in Focus: South Texas, Texas State Comptroller, August 2008

House Committees on Energy Resources and Natural Resources [Joint Hearing]

Charge: Hydraulic fracturing and HB 3328, 82nd Legislature

The Economic Impact of the Eagle Ford Shale, The University of Texas at San Antonio Institute for Economic Development's Center for Community and Business Research, May 2012
Fact-Based Regulation for Environmental Protection in Shale Gas Development, The Energy Institute, The University of Texas at Austin, February 2012
Hydraulic Fracturing Frequently Asked Questions, Railroad Commission of Texas

Charge: Interplay of water and energy resources

"The Energy-Water Nexus in Texas," Ashlynn S. Stillwell, et al., Webber Energy Group, The University of Texas at Austin, Ecology and Society, Special Issue on The Energy-Water Nexus: Managing the Links Between Energy and Water for a Sustainable Future, March 2012
"How to Cool Down Texas Power Plants with Less Water" (interview with Ashlynn Stillwell), NPR StateImpact, March 16, 2012
Water for Texas, 2012 State Water Plan, Texas Water Development Board, January 5, 2012 (steam-electric power generation water demand)

June 28th

House Committee on Economic & Small Business Development

Charge: Career and technical education (CTE)

Investing in America’s Future: A Blueprint for Transforming Career and Technical Education, U.S. Department of Education - Office of Vocational and Adult Education, April 2012
Texas Works 2008: Training and Education for All Texans, Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts, December 2008
Career and Technical Education, Texas Education Agency
Career and Technical/Workforce Education, Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board
Office of Vocational and Adult Education, U.S. Department of Education

House Committee on Natural Resources

Charge: Interplay of water and energy resources

[See above.]

This entry was posted on June 18, 2012 at 12:53 PM and has received 1413 views. Print this entry.

Jun 12

posted by TexasLRL in Interim hearings

Today's Committee Meetings on the LRL website is a calendar of interim committee hearings with links to agendas. The following may be helpful resources for upcoming hearings.

June 19th

House Committee on Public Education

Charge: State and local implementation of STAAR

State of Texas Assessments of Academic Readiness: EOC Level II: Satisfactory Academic Performance Phase-In Summary Report (2012 Statewide End-of-Course Results), Texas Education Agency, June 8, 2012
STAAR Statewide Summary Reports 2011–2012, Texas Education Agency, June 8, 2012

June 20th

Senate Committee on Higher Education

Charge: Use of technology, including online learning

"ADA [Americans With Disabilities Act] Compliance Is a 'Major Vulnerability' for Online Programs,"; Chronicle of Higher Education, Wired Campus, November 12, 2010; Managing Online Education, Western Interstate Commission for Higher Education, November 2010
The Digital Revolution and Higher Education, Pew Internet & American Life Project, August 28, 2011
Evidence-Based Practices in Online Learning: A Meta-Analysis and Review of Online Learning Studies, U.S. Department of Education, September 2010
Report of the Advisory Commission on Accessible Instructional Materials in Postsecondary Education for Students with Disabilities, U.S. Department of Education, December 6, 2011

Charge: Developmental education programs

2012 Texas Public Higher Education Almanac, Developmental Education Profile (p. 15), and developmental education statistics by institution, Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board, May 2012
The Role of Minority-Serving Institutions in Redefining and Improving Developmental Education, Southern Education Foundation, 2012
Unlocking the Gate: What We Know About Improving Developmental Education, MDRC, June 2011

Charge: Non-traditional students

Sealing the Gaps: Supporting Low-Income, First-Generation Students at Four-Year Institutions in Texas Post-Transfer, Pell Institute for the Study of Opportunity in Higher Education, November 2011
"Yesterday's Nontraditional Student Is Today's Traditional Student (fact sheet)," Center for Law & Social Policy, Updated June 29, 2011

This entry was posted on June 12, 2012 at 12:52 PM and has received 1268 views. Print this entry.

May 29

posted by TexasLRL in Interim hearings

Today's Committee Meetings on the LRL website is a calendar of interim committee hearings with links to agendas. The following may be helpful resources for upcoming hearings.

June 5th

House Committee on Ways & Means

Charge: Equity and administrative issues related to the margins tax

Administrative Issues and the Franchise Tax (Powerpoint presentation), Texas Taxpayers and Research Association, November 2011
Texas Franchise Tax, Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts
Understanding the Texas Franchise — or “Margin”—Tax, Texas Taxpayers and Research Association, October 2011
Franchise Tax Frequently Asked Questions: Cost of Goods Sold (COGS), Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts
Franchise Tax Frequently Asked Questions: Compensation, Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts

Sunset Commission

Commission Decisions
- State Commission on Judicial Conduct
- State Preservation Board
- Texas Ethics Commission
- Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board
- Texas Lottery Commission
Staff Presentation and Public Testimony on the Texas Criminal Justice Agencies
- Texas Department of Criminal Justice
- Correctional Managed Health Care Committee
- Windham School District
- Board of Pardons and Paroles

June 12^th

House Committee on Appropriations - S/C on Article III, House Committee on Higher Education [Joint Hearing]

Charge: Funding, performance, and administration of the state's adult basic education programs

Adult Basic Education (including purpose, eligibility, performance, funding information, laws and rules), Texas Education Agency, last modified May 16, 2012
Adult Education in Texas, Percentage by County of Illiterate Adult Texans (2009), Statewide Data on Adult Learners (2009-2010), Texas Center for the Advancement of Literacy & Learning, Texas A&M University
Building Bridges to Success: An Update on the Action Plan to Transition Adult Basic Education Students Into Postsecondary Education and Training, Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board, January 31, 2012

June 14th

Senate Committee on Intergovernmental Relations

Charge: Property tax exemptions for community housing development organizations

2012 State of Texas Low Income Housing Plan & Annual Report, Texas Department of Housing & Community Affairs, March 2012
McLennan County Appraisal District v. American Housing Foundation, 343 SW 3d 509 (Tex. App. – Waco, 2011, pet. filed)
"With New Rules, Housing Board Loses Power," Texas Tribune, May 6, 2012

Charge: Non-profit tax exemptions for local government corporations

High Plains Saga: An Unsuccessful Attempt at Using Municipal Debt for Private Purpose, Texas City Attorneys Association, October 2011
"Lessons and Questions Lay in Wake of High Plains Failure," Odessa American, June 12, 2011
"Republic Power Sues WTMPA, City of Lubbock for $8.9 Million," Lubbock Online, March 6, 2012

Partnership Advisory Commission

Topic: Public Private Partnership proposal review process

This entry was posted on May 29, 2012 at 9:03 AM and has received 1275 views. Print this entry.

May 15

posted by TexasLRL in Interim hearings

Today's Committee Meetings on the LRL website is a calendar of interim committee hearings with links to agendas. The following may be helpful resources for upcoming hearings.

May 21st

Senate Committee on Veteran Affairs & Military Installations (El Paso)

Charge: "Commander's Council" - allowing commanders of Texas' military forces and installations to coordinate and communicate with Texas Legislature and state leadership

Resolution Supporting the Use of "Commanders Councils," Council of State Governments, December 6, 2010

Charge: Veterans courts

"After the Parade: Courts Ease Homecoming for Troubled Vets," Texas Observer, January 2012
"The Battle on the Home Front: Special Courts Turn to Vets to Help Other Vets," ABA Journal, November 2011 (includes Texas)
Veterans Defender Resource, Texas Indigent Defense Commission, March 28, 2012 (overview of veterans court components, veteran defender models, directory of veterans courts in Texas)
Veterans' Courts, Texas Public Policy Foundation, November 2009
"Why Veterans Should Get Their Own Courts," Atlantic Monthly, December 2011 (includes Dallas County, Texas)

Charge: Veterans Housing Assistance Program - Texas Veterans Commission's Fund for Veterans' Assistance

Veterans Home Loans, General Land Office

May 22nd

House Committee on Human Services and House Committee on Public Health (Joint Hearing)

Charge: Food insecurity

Map the Meal Gap, Feeding America, May 2012
The Grocery Gap: Who Has Access to Healthy Food and Why It Matters, The Food Trust, March 2010
Food Desert Locator, U.S. Department of Agriculture
"More Healthy Options Are on School Cafeteria Menus," Houston Chronicle, April 17, 2012
Blueprint to End Hunger, Texas Hunger Initiative, September 2011
"Cottage Food Producers Wary of New Rules," Austin American-Statesman, February 12, 2012
Evaluation of the Impact of Incentives Demonstrations on Participation in the Summer Food Service Programs (SFSP), FY 2010: Arkansas and Mississippi, U.S. Food & Nutrition Service, September 2011
"Lawmakers Seek to Crack Down on Junk Food as Obesity Epidemic Worsens," Austin American-Statesman, April 19, 2011
Healthy Eating Habits Baseline Study for SNAP, Texas Department of State Health Services, July 2009
"Agriculture Chief: Delaying Farm Bill Would Hurt Rural U.S.," USA Today, April 27, 2012

May 23rd

House Committee on Transportation (Seabrook)

Topic: Port of Houston facilities tour

Port of Houston Authority

May 24th

House Committee on Transportation (Houston)

Charge: State's preparedness for the expansion of the Panama Canal

"Panama Canal Expansion to Boost Local Business," Community Impact Newspaper, April 13, 2012
Port and Inland Waterways Modernization: Options for the Future and Working Draft Report - Version 1 (April 2, 2012), U.S. Army Corps of Engineers
"Panama Canal Expansion Raises Expectations in Houston," Texas Tribune, February 20, 2012
Potential Effects of the Panama Canal Expansion on the Texas Transportation System: Final Report, Texas Department of Transportation, October 2011

Topic: Transit services for Texans with disabilities

Human Service Transportation Coordination State Profile: Texas, National Conference of State Legislatures, March 2012
Human Services Transportation Coordination, National Conference of State Legislatures
Public Transportation Programs (see Elderly Individuals and Individuals with Disabilities), Texas Department of Transportation
Section 5310 Elderly Individuals and Individuals with Disabilities Application Information Guide, Texas Department of Transportation, Revised June 16, 2011
Help for Texans - Transportation, Texas Department of Aging and Disabilities Services

This entry was posted on May 15, 2012 at 8:00 AM and has received 1130 views. Print this entry.

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