Interim charges

Daily News Update, Feb. 4, 2008

State Senate committees to study issues concerning Cattle Raisers

Texas legislators continue working after the Texas legislative session ends. A major avenue of this work is accomplished through interim charges.

The Speaker of the House and the Lieutenant Governor either utilize existing committees or appoint legislators to serve on special committees to study specific issues. Each committee conducts hearings, usually at various locations throughout the state then writes a report of its findings. These reports are the basis for major legislation during the next session.

Texas Lieutenant Governor David Dewhurst has released his interim committee charges for study and report before the next session of the Texas Legislature convenes in January 2009.

Jason Skaggs, TSCRA's executive director for government affairs and public relations, has prepared the following list of charges of most concern to Cattle Raisers. If you have questions, please feel free to contact Jason at (512) 517-1482 or jskaggs@texascattleraisers.org.

Business & Commerce Committee

Study current industry practice and regulation associated with the siting of wind turbines. Compare the wind turbine siting process to processes associated with other forms of electric generation and the siting of facilities in other industries. Determine the advantages and disadvantages of additional siting regulation for wind turbines.
Study and make recommendations on improving the implementation of HB 1196, 80^th Legislature, to ensure that public funds are not used to encourage illegal immigration into the state by prohibiting any taxpayer-subsidized job creation grant or tax abatement given to any business entity in Texas that knowingly hires illegal immigrants.

Finance Committee

Evaluate the effectiveness of existing state tax incentives that encourage employers to provide health coverage to their employees, including tax incentives under the revised state business tax, and make recommendations for additional deductions or credits that increase the number of employees covered by health care insurance.
Study and make recommendations relating to whether the Texas Department of Transportation is in compliance with Transportation Code §201.109, Revenue Enhancement, and whether the Texas Department of Transportation is using the funding sources provided by the Legislature, including, but not limited to, General Obligation, Fund 6 and Mobility Fund bonds, to build new roads. (Joint charge with Senate Committee on Transportation and Homeland Security)

Subcommittee on Property Appraisal and Revenue Caps:

Review the property tax appraisal system, including the following:

the duties and responsibilities of chief appraisers and appraisal districts;
any abuses that occur in the appraisal process;
the process of appointing the members of boards of directors of appraisal districts;
the impact of adding members to the boards of directors of appraisal districts who are not appointed by the taxing jurisdictions of the district and methods for appointing these additional directors;
the usefulness of information provided in a notice of appraised value;
the impact of HB 1010, 80th Legislature, Regular Session, relating to appraisal districts crossing county lines;
any benefit from requiring more uniformity in appraisal standards used by
appraisal districts;
any revisions to the property valuation appeal system that could reduce the cost of dispute resolution;
the likelihood of, and any associated benefit from, increased compliance with the existing business personal property rendition law if chief appraisers are given limited audit authority.
Study the benefits and limitations of property tax appraisal caps compared to a limit on revenue a local jurisdiction can receive without the approval of the voters in the locality. Consider alternative sources of funding to replace property tax revenues.

Natural Resources Committee

Study the safety of major dams, levees, and other flood control structures across Texas, and determine the appropriate responsible agency [Texas Commissioner on Environmental Quality (TCEQ), Texas Water Development Board (TWDB) or the Governor's Office of Homeland Security] and the level of authority and funding needed to inventory, assess, repair or replace those with impairments. Develop liability and control standards for flood control structures and make recommendations to properly and safely manage these assets in the future.
Inventory and analyze bodies of water with high salinity. Explore new technologies and approaches to reduce salinity in the state's surface and groundwaters. Examine the need for state action to address salinity levels in surface waters of the state. Include an assessment of the following:
brackish desalinization projects, including brine disposal options;
permitting of brackish water by groundwater districts;
the value and potential uses for brackish water; and
the imposition of export fees for brackish as opposed to potable water.

Monitor the implementation of House Bill 1763, 79th Legislative Session, including progress by Groundwater Conservation Districts (GCDs) on joint planning within Groundwater Management Areas (GMA) and collaboration with entities within a GMA in joint planning including areas not covered by a GCD. Study the impact of HB 1763 on the following:
GCD creation within areas not covered by a GCDs
single or partial county GCDs
consolidation with existing GCDs, and within priority groundwater management areas.
Investigate issues related to groundwater use in areas of the state without a Texas Water Development Board defined aquifer, such as the Barnett Shale. Evaluate the impact of permitting the increase of the cap on export fees by GCDs.
Review all state-created river authorities, including the powers exercised by each authority and the advisability of subjecting these authorities to legislative review. Consider options for ensuring adequate protection of public assets, improving transparency of operations, enhancing appropriate access to financial and management records, and authorizing audits by the State Auditor's office.
Study the need for regional water quality standards, particularly in the Edwards and Barton Springs recharge zones.
Monitor the progress of the Edwards Aquifer Authority (EAA) Recovery Implementation Plan to determine, after reviewing reports to the Legislature and with input from the EAA Oversight Committee, any changes in legislation needed to implement the plan.
Monitor the implementation of legislation addressed by the Natural Resource Committee, 80th Legislature, Regular Session, and make recommendations for any legislation needed to improve, enhance, and/or complete implementation. Specifically, focus on SB 3, relating to water; SB 12, relating to air quality; and the transfer of historic properties from Texas Parks and Wildlife Department to the Texas Historical Commission.

Subcommittee on Agriculture, Rural Affairs & Coastal Resources

Study the economic development impact, benefits and costs of the Fuel Ethanol and Biodiesel Incentive Program. Analyze and make recommendations regarding the following areas of interest:
state cost versus economic benefit, including any impact on the price of feed for livestock and food for human consumption;
the program as compared to other state and federal incentives;
any federal legislative or administrative changes relating to the program; and
options to encourage research and new technologies and market based incentives and competitive feedstock issues including feedstock development.
Study the impact of the thoroughbred and quarter horse industries on agriculture in Texas, specifically the reasons for decline in those industries over the last several years.
Monitor the implementation of legislation addressed by the Subcommittee on Agriculture, Rural Affairs & Coastal Resources, 80th Legislature, Regular Session, and make recommendations for any legislation needed to improve, enhance, and/or complete the implementation. Specifically, monitor the implementation of HB 2819 relating to enforcement of the Open Beaches Act. Additionally, monitor the implementation of the federal 2007 Farm Bill and determine the impact on the Texas agricultural industry.

State Affairs Committee

Study the factors that impact the transparency and efficiency of the health insurance market. Make recommendation to result in the use of best practices, lower health care costs, and better health outcomes, including the following:
Study factors contributing to the increasing cost of health care;
Study insurer and health maintenance organization (HMO) use of tiers, ratings, or classifications to differentiate among credentialed physicians already admitted to the insurer or HMO panel of preferred providers or network;
Examine methods to remediate incorrect tiering, ratings, or classifications;
Examine how physicians are notified of the standards against which they will be compared and whether they are notified of the standards prior to the evaluation period;
Improve transparency with respect to the marketing of prescription drugs; and
Study the use of certain nonprofit health corporations - approved under Chapter 162, Occupations Code, in Texas. Examine whether such entities operate on a statewide scale or on a limited scale, whether such entities adhere to the formalities required of corporations, whether the operation of such entities are influenced by owners or members who are not licensed to practice medicine, and whether such entities have ever been decertified or investigated for failure to maintain compliance with Texas law or regulations.
Review and make recommendations for requiring insurance coverage of routine medical care for patients with a life-threatening disease or condition who have elected to participate in a clinical trial.

Transportation & Homeland Security Committee

Evaluate the state's homeland security efforts and the state's recent $140 million investment in law enforcement to help secure the border and study and make recommendations to deter transnational and drug-related gang violence and crime, including the use of injunctions and any possible improvements to Chapter 125 of the Civil Practices and Remedies Code, relating to membership in street gangs.
Study and make recommendations relating to the status of current and planned toll road projects in Texas, the use of public-private partnerships to build new roads and/or transit services, and the market valuation process. Analyze the impact of lengthening the number of years a toll road authority may issue bonds.
Study the effectiveness of the Trans-Texas Corridor (TTC) and make recommendations for its future role in providing additional roads in Texas. Provide specific recommendations relating to public input in the development of the TTC.
Study and review state and local options for expanding transportation funding and explore options to reduce diversions of Fund 6 revenue. (Joint charge with Senate Finance Committee)

Study and make recommendations relating to whether the Texas Department of Transportation is in compliance with Transportation Code §201.109, Revenue Enhancement, and whether the Texas Department of Transportation is using the funding sources provided by the Legislature, including, but not limited to, General Obligation, Fund 6 and Mobility Fund bonds, to build new roads. (Joint charge with Senate Finance Committee)