Study Charges Released for the 2012 Interim – Part VII
Speaker of the House Joe Straushas released a list of interim study charges for the standing committees of the Texas House of Representatives. These study charges and the resulting recommendations that will be developed during the interim could form the basis for legislation to be considered during the next legislative session. House committees were each given several issues to study. Committee hearings will be held over the course of the interim period (2012) giving the public an opportunity to testify on a variety of issues. At the end of the interim, each committee will submit a formal report to the Speaker of the Texas House with recommendations on possible legislation.
The following is a sampling of charges given to different House committees. If you would like a complete list of the study charges or if you would like more information about issues being studied by any particular committee, please don’t hesitate to call my Capitol office at 512-463-0672 or visit the Texas House of Representatives at www.house.state.tx.us.
Here are some examples of charges given to the standing House committees:
House Select Committee on State Sovereignty – Study and evaluate constitutional methods by which states may encourage the proper balance of power between the federal and state governments. Include an evaluation of interstate compacts as well as the effects on state sovereignty of conditional federal grants, commandeering of state officials, and federal laws requiring coordination with local governments.
House Committee on State Affairs – Examine the issue of resource adequacy in theTexas electricity market, federal and state interventions in the marketplace that may be negatively impacting future adequacy, and the best way to maintain resource adequacy.
Examine areas of potential privatization of state services in an effort to achieve a higher level of service and greater efficiency for Texastaxpayers. (Joint with the House Committee on Government Efficiency & Reform)
Examine state agency rulemaking and consider ways to improve procedural efficiencies and public transparency, and to better inform policymakers as to their use, purpose, and cost-effectiveness, including an examination of the financial and other impacts such regulations have on both the license holder and the public. (Joint with the House Committee on Government Efficiency & Reform)
House Committee on Technology – Examine ways to create incentives for technology companies to come toTexas, including the feasibility of public-private partnerships. The study should include the economic impact of the high-tech industry inTexas and the state’s ability to compete with other states for high-tech jobs. Examine the state’s current areas of differentiated technology research and development and recommend strategies to capitalize on that intellectual property and commercialization. Include strategies to attract Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) and Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) funding toTexas.
Study the impact of federal broadband expansion programs on rural areas. Coordinate this review with the Public Utility Commission’s evaluation of the state Texas Universal Service Fund and the Federal Communications Commission’s national broadband plan.
Examine methods of cloud computing technology to streamline agency operations and generate greater efficiencies for more cost-effective operations. (Joint with the House Committee on State Affairs)
